Rudy Gutierrez / El Paso Times
When UTEP plays Oklahoma in an opener, a No. 7 Sooner team that seems a reasonable bet for the college football playoffs, all grading has to be done on a curve.
That curve isn't steep enough, it couldn't be steep enough, to put a happy face on UTEP's 56-7 loss to OU.
A year ago, the Miners were pasted by Texas early in the season but had reason to leave feeling all right about itself. Ditto two years ago against Arkansas. They could grade those leniently enough to put on a brave face afterward.