UTEP's season-ending 34-31 loss to Conference USA champion UTSA was a microcosm of an inconsistent season.
The Miners played brilliantly at times as an 18-point underdog, mostly early, bolting to a 24-0 lead that bordered on the unbelievable.
Then they gave up a string of big plays, made a series of killer mistakes, committed 11 penalties and couldn't catch themselves when the game spun the wrong way.
A season that began with so much optimism ended on a roller coaster 5-7 mark, probably about right for a team that mixed some great football with the terrible.