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What to know about UTEP's opponent: Northern Arizona has special potential

Northern Arizona brings the type of team to the Sun Bowl Saturday that coaches, fans and players circle.

This is a Lumberjack team that returns 19 starters from a playoff team — and that doesn’t include NFL-caliber receiver Emmanuel Butler, who missed last year to injury. Throwing to him is an all-conference, national player of the year candidate quarterback in Case Cookus.

The Lumberjacks' 2017 playoff team that finished 7-5 showed character and resilience by overcoming a crazy, potentially demoralizing start to the season, and comes into coach Jerome Souers’ 20th year with expectations higher than they’ve ever been.