Opponent Preview - UTEP
Welcome to the Opponent Preview, a weekly article featuring insights from experts on the Oklahoma Sooners’ upcoming opponents. For week one, Payton Guthrie spoke with Steve Helwick, from Underdog Dynasty about what to expect from the Miners as they take on the Oklahoma Sooners.
Opponent Preview: OKLAHOMA VS. UTEP
Payton Guthrie - With the season kicking off for a, mostly, new UTEP team what kind of expectations do the Miners have?
Steve Helwick - It’s hard to assign expectations to a UTEP program that has become so accustomed to losing. The Miners only have two winning campaigns in the past 20 years, and both were 7-6 finishes with New Mexico Bowl losses in 2014 and 2021. Bowl eligibility would be a rousing success in El Paso, but that task might become more challenging in the short term with the realignment to the Mountain West.
However, this move might benefit the program long-term. The Miners now find themselves in a more geographically convenient conference than the CUSA, which features the likes of East Coast programs Delaware, Liberty, and FIU. That could help establish a more fertile recruiting ground, and UTEP already landed the fourth-best Mountain West class in 2026, per 247Sports.
But for 2026, all UTEP fans desire to see is progress and improvement upon last year’s 2-10 finish.
Payton Guthrie - Who should OU fans keep an eye on when UTEP has the ball?
Steve Helwick - UTEP has been renowned as a passing team that relies on verticality over the years, and it introduces former UCF quarterback EJ Colson to the offense. However, I’m most intrigued by the Miners’ run game this year after the Miners landed a former consensus four-star recruit in Tavorus Jones from Missouri. It’s not exactly an indictment of Jones that he rarely saw the field at Mizzou when sharing depth charts with Cody Schrader, Nate Noel, Marcus Carroll, Ahmad Hardy, and Jamal Roberts. Jones is an El Paso native, and he arrives equipped with 111 rushing yards and 82 receiving yards. He could be their best running back talent since Aaron Jones.
His co-starter, per the initial depth chart, is Buffalo transfer Lamar Sperling, who averaged 6.0 yards per carry in the MAC last year. My main concern with the run game is the lack of experience up front. There is one combined FBS start across the offensive line, but the size is at least intriguing. Left tackle Tyler Roberts is 6’8”, 307 and right tackle Grayson Johnson is 6’9”, 324. And their center Brian Williams Jr. is 6’2” and 341 pounds.
Payton Guthrie - How will UTEP try to stop the rebuilt OU offense?
Steve Helwick - It’s going to be an uphill battle. But UTEP has returning starters in each level of its defense, featuring Ashton Coker at nose tackle, Jayden Wilson at inside linebacker, Justin Content at cornerback, and Xavier Smith at strong safety. Wilson is the player to keep tabs on, as he should replace Micah Davey as the team’s leading tackler this year. Unlike the offensive line, the defense presents a foundation of experience, which could be useful in a hostile Norman environment.
The formula to success is selling out against the run. Oklahoma’s Week 1 opponent, Illinois State of the FCS, performed about as well as possible by doing this last year. The Sooners generated just 103 rushing yards on a 3.2 average, forcing John Mateer to throw 37 passes in his debut. UTEP needs to bring some level of doubt to Oklahoma’s run game early, and the Miners should make it their mission for Mateer to beat them with his arm.
Payton Guthrie - How do you see the game flow unfolding?
Steve Helwick - Oklahoma dominates. From an eye test standpoint, this will be a more assertive showing than the Sooners’ previous two openers, which both left doubts about the offense’s capabilities. This should be one of those games where the Sooners create a 14-0 lead in under six minutes of action, and half the student section is in line for Logies by the middle of the fourth quarter.
UTEP could show progress this year with its completely refurbished offense, but that progress won’t materialize against one of the best defenses in the country. This has shutout potential, but I think UTEP notches a late touchdown.
Payton Guthrie - Score Prediction?
Steve Helwick - Oklahoma 50, UTEP 7