Unless or until Utah loses again, its football-game theme will be the same as it was for last week's game, when the Utes played their best of the season:

Must win.Must hope.

At 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the WAC, the Utes can't afford to slip again.

Knowing that, last week they dominated at San Jose State, 49-17. They need to duplicate or improve upon that effort today when they host 3-5, 3-2 UTEP at 1 p.m. in Rice-Eccles Stadium.

"We've just got to brush up on those little bad spots we have and play better technique and form and help each other out," says U. tackle Mike Thomas.

Even without recently injured receiver Donny Utu (concussion) and linebacker Wes Tufaga (knee injury), the Utes have the talent to avoid the embarrassment of withdrawing completely from the WAC race, as long as they use it.

The Utes must win all three remaining games, and they need Brigham Young (6-3, 4-1) and San Diego State (4-4, 4-1) to lose again at least once more, preferably twice.

The visiting Miners are in the same boat. They lose, they're out.

But for them, playing with purpose in November is a thing of wonder. They haven't been involved in a title race this late under coach Charlie Bailey, now in his fifth season. Now, they're not only in the race, they're indignant over Utah's 56-3 win last year.

"This is the biggest game they've had that I can remember," says Utah coach Ron McBride, in his ninth season and calling this the best Miner team he's seeen since then.

For the Utes to control UTEP's exuberance, they must crack down from the opening kickoff and not let up. The Miners are fast starters. Let them get rolling, and the Utes will be in trouble. "They like to build momentum at the beginning," says Thomas. "They hung in there with Oregon and Colorado State."

For those who doubt UTEP, the Miners rank directly behind Utah in rushing, which is where the game may be played if the weather's bad. Utah is fourth in the WAC and 19th in the NCAA at 209.5 yards a game. UTEP is fifth in the WAC, 25th in the NCAA at 196.6 with a good offensive line and two good backs.

Utah's Mike Anderson, the WAC leader and 10th in NCAA rushing, says he wouldn't want to line up against UTEP right tackle Jonathan Ruiz, his former teammate at San Jacinto (Calif.) Junior College. "He helped me rush for 1,000 yards in junior college," Anderson says.

Miner Paul Smith is 10th in the WAC with a 75.6 average, and Joseph Polk is coming off a career-high 168 yards last week. The Utes complement Anderson with Omar Bacon (69.1) and mobile quarterback Darnell Arceneaux, who has four rushing touchdowns.