EL PASO, Texas -- The first home football game for the UTEP Miners kicked off at 8:15 p.m. Saturday. The game against the University of Texas Longhorns was much anticipated among fans because the teams haven't faced off since the 1930s. The game sold out more than a week ago, and officials were expecting a crowd of more than 55,000 people.

The heart of the UTEP campus was packed with fans shoulder to shoulder all afternoon. It was arguably the biggest party on campus.

"When we tailgate we are usually five or 10 feet away from the next party, but today we're actually right here jammed on each other," said Christian Molinar, of east El Paso.

As many geared up for the game, alcohol played a big role. In the crowd, there were a couple of groups playing beer-pong as they geared up for the game.

"What you do is toss it (the ping-pong ball) in the cup, and if you make it in theirs, they have to drink the beer," said Juan De Avila, of the Lower Valley.

Although alcohol was prevalent, some worried it could lead to fans getting out of line.

"I just hope people don't get too drunk. I've already seen vomit on campus. That's gross," said Raquel Mena, who traveled from Austin for the game.

"It is kind of crazy because some people can't control themselves," said Molinar.

"I'm just trying to limit myself. I'm never the designated driver," said Andrew Rodriguez, of Horizon City.

As many enjoyed the festivities, there was a strong presence of law enforcement. UTEP police had assistance from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, El Paso police and the Department of Public Safety. Officers watched over the crowds, and they told KFOX everything remained under control. However, they said there's only so much they can monitor with a crowd this large.

"Underage drinking? Are we exactly checking for it? No. But if we see a violation we'll enforce it. We're so busy right now ... it's something we focus on, but not as much as we wish we could," said officer Michael Licon, of the El Paso Police Department.