For all the agony UTEP endured in a 31-24 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, for how close they came to ending what is now a 19-game losing streak as a 24-point road underdog, there was one truth that rose to the top.
When the game was on the line in the final minute, when the Miners were 8 yards away from a chance at one of the great upsets in Conference USA history, the best guy on the field found a way to make the plays that made the difference.
In the final snaps that mattered, with UTEP down to third-string quarterback Brandon Jones but still right on the cusp of something memorable, 6-foot-5 defensive end Jaylon Ferguson drew a face-mask penalty on second down, then got his fourth sack of the game on third down on the 20-yard line to break the Miners' heart.