Blatant Homerism: What to watch in Oklahoma-UTEP
The season opener against the severely outgunned UTEP Miners should allow the Oklahoma Sooners to ease into what again appears to be one of the most daunting schedules in the country. Oddsmakers have installed OU as a 41.5-point favorite, which usually means we’ll see plenty of Sooners in action. In fact, it would offer reason for concern if OU doesn’t dominate this matchup.
Even if UTEP doesn’t put up much of a fight, we can still glean some insights on Friday night from what the Sooners do and how they do it. Here’s a quick rundown of what to monitor when OU takes the field versus the Miners.
How often does the offense operate with two tight ends?
OU head coach Brent Venables and general manager Jim Nagy went to great lengths in the offseason to improve a TE corps that struggled badly throughout the 2025 season. The depth chart released this week shows two of their acquisitions, Florida transfer Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers from Colorado State, sharing the first-team line. Why not play them both together at the same time? The Sooners can also work Tennessee transfer Jack Van Dorselaer into the mix, and redshirt freshman Trynae Washington could get a look at H-back.
Pay attention to how many times they have at least two of those four players on the field together, especially in standard offensive situations.
Cole Sullivan’s role
It came as a surprise that OU included a Sam LB position on the first depth chart of the season, given that modern defenses rarely play traditional 4-3 personnel anymore. It’s less surprising that Cole Sullivan’s name was on the first line.
Clearly, Venables and his staff want to get the Michigan transfer on the field. The unexpected return of veteran Owen Heinecke ended hopes of Sullivan winning a starting job as an inside LB, so it appears as though he will get a chance to show what he can do playing in space as a result. At 6-4, 230 pounds, Sullivan’s presence could prove useful against some of the more rugged offenses on the schedule this year. Maybe we will get a chance to see what that looks like in application against the Miners.
A reconstituted offensive line
OU avoided disaster in the preseason when it was determined that a knee injury suffered by center Jake Maikkula wouldn’t end his season. The development did leave offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh searching for a temporary fix, though, and he’s turning to sophomore guard Ryan Fodje to fill the void while Maikkula recuperates. Shifting Fodje to center temporarily means some combination of senior Heath Ozaeta and touted freshman Noah Best will hold down the fort at right guard.
It seems unlikely that Fodje will stay at center once Maikkula returns, but it’s not out of the question. More importantly, Best will get the equivalent of an extended audition in the early going. With Michigan on deck, Bedenbaugh needs to know if the rookie can run with the first team.
Meanwhile, Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris will get his first action at right tackle. The fifth-year senior won the job by all accounts since joining the program, but Fodje saw extended time at right tackle in ‘25. If Harris stumbles out of the game, could Bedenbaugh replace him with Fodje down the line?
Who’s going deep?
OU already has a go-to target in the passing game in slot Isaiah Sategna, the leading returning receiver in the SEC this year. The senior’s speed makes him a threat to turn catch-and-run scenarios into big gains, which he did often enough a year ago to drag the Sooners over the finish line in plenty of games. Without a legitimate threat in the passing game to take the top off the defense, however, moving the ball on offense will remain a slog.
Venables and Nagy attempted to add some punch to the throwing game by adding transfers Trell Harris from Virginia and Parker Livingstone from Texas to the roster. Both showed an ability to come up with completions down the field last year. Notably, Livingstone averaged nearly 20 yards per reception, turning six of his 29 catches into touchdowns.
In addition to the newcomers, sophomore wideout Elijah Thomas caused a stir in August camp with his penchant for explosive plays. Here’s hoping quarterback John Mateer connects with at least one of the trio on a bomb versus UTEP to inspire some confidence going forward.
Head of the committee
It would make Mateer’s job easier if the Sooners could run the ball effectively in 2026. Venables instructed offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and assistant Kevin Wilson to prioritize giving the ground attack some juice in the offseason. We’ll get our first look at the results of their efforts against the Miners.
OU clearly plans to take a committee approach to toting the rock this year. The first depth chart lists CSU transfer Lloyd Avant as the starter at running back, along with junior Xavier Robinson. Running backs coach Deland McCullough has indicated Avant’s reliability gave him an advantage over the other players competing for carries, including sophomore Tory Blaylock and true freshman Jonathan Hatton.
The bet here is that Robinson and Hatton will end the season as the team’s most effective rushers, all things being equal. They will get an early chance to stake out their roles on Friday night.
Other games on my radar
A year ago, college football treated us to a loaded opening weekend. We’re getting the opposite this time around, as a tilt between Clemson and LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday night looks like the marquee matchup. I’m already complaining about not being entertained enough, but there’s hardly any meat on the bone in this slate.
Colorado at Georgia Tech
Feeling very “beginning of the end” for Deion Sanders’ time in Boulder.
Oklahoma State at Tulsa
The last time these two teams met on the field, it signified the literal end of Mike Gundy’s time at OSU. How badly do the Cowboys want payback?
UCLA at California
Do these two schools count as in-state rivals? They’re both in California, but have you ever heard them described as rivals, or even hostile towards one another. Both built some buzz in the offseason with new coaching hires, so maybe that will ratchet up the tension.
UNLV at Hawaii
Jackson Arnold showed some signs of life at quarterback for the Runnin’ Rebels last week – before everything ended as predictably as possible. UNLV can’t afford to lose here if it wants a bid to the College Football Playoff.
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Nashville)
Jeff Brohm engineers upsets. Pete Golding… never misses a Sunday show? Watch your backs, Rebels.