An Early Look at Non-Conference Football Opponent: UTEP
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The UTEP Miners have had their struggles in the football program as of late, but look to have a huge upset win to kick off the 2026 season. It will be UTEP's debut in the Mountain West Conference after being a member of Conference USA for 20 years.
UTEP Quick Outlook:
Location: El Paso, Texas
Stadium: Sun Bowl
Head Coach: Scotty Walden, 2nd season (Overall record 5-19)
Conference Championships: Two (1956 in the Border Conference and 2000 in the WAC)
2025 Record: 2-10 (1-7 in CUSA)
2026: First season in the Mountain West
While the Miners step into a new challenge in the Mountain West, they aren't the only new members of the conference. Northern Illinois will also be making its debut after being in the Mid-American Conference from 1997-2025. North Dakota State also joins the Mountain West and makes the jump to the FBS level ( NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision) after being one of the most successful football programs in the FCS (NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision).
Players to Watch:
EJ Colson, QB Redshirt Sophomore (6-2, 190): UTEP struggled on offense in 2025, especially in the passing game. Colson joins the program after a strong 2025 season with Incarnate Word. He began his collegiate career at UCF in 2024 and made just one start in three appearances. But last season, he started in 10 games and did not disappoint. During his time with Incarnate Word, he threw for 2,142 yards with 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Colson completed 70.9% of his passes. He is a dual-threat which could help UTEP on the ground. The Miners averaged just 3.7 yards per carry for the entire 2025 season.
Carver Cheeks, WR Senior (6-2, 197): The Miners might have found their guy at wide receiver after losing their top six leaders in receiving yards from 2025. Carver is coming off of a massive season with Northern Colorado. His brother, Cash Cheeks, transferred to UTEP prior to the 2025 season but missed the year due to an injury. During his junior year at Northern Colorado, Carver had 71 receptions for 929 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games.
Sterling Miles, DE Senior (6-4, 238): Miles comes to UTEP after a solid year at Eastern Michigan. He brings size and physicality on the defensive side. In 2025, he had 34 total tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack. With that season under his belt, he'll be a key contributor on defense especially if the offense can improve and help keep the unit off the field.
Oklahoma will host UTEP on Friday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 3-0. The last time these teams met was in the 2022 opener where Oklahoma won in Norman 45-13.
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