Texas is hosting UTEP on the Saturday afternoon of Week 3. The game will take place at 4:15 P.M. ET in Austin, Texas. The Hoosiers are looking to keep the momentum rolling after a 2-0 start to the season.
The Longhorns are 40.5-point home favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 51.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this UTEP-Texas non-conference matchup.
UTEP vs. Texas Preview
UTEP Preview
UTEP has a big task ahead of them against Texas this week. The Miners are coming off a 3-9 2024 season in Conference USA. This is their second season under head coach Scotty Walden. They made a big splash in the transfer portal by acquiring former 5-star quarterback Malachi Nelson. Nelson was unable to break through at USC or Boise State, so he chose a program where he could try to prove himself. So far, it’s clear why Nelson was unable to win the starting job at those big programs because he has struggled at UTEP. He had just 178 passing yards in a loss to Utah State to open the season. He looked better in their Week 2 win over UT-Martin, but that is a rare game where UTEP has a significant talent edge. It will be tough sledding for Nelson against one of the nation’s best defenses.
Texas Preview
Texas is one of the best teams in college football. They opened their season with a loss against Ohio State, putting the pressure on them if they want to be a College Football Playoff team. A road loss to the national champions is nothing to be ashamed of, but the more concerning aspect was how shaky Arch Manning looked. Manning was the preseason Heisman favorite and has insane levels of hype around him. In the Longhorns’ second game of the season against San Jose State, Manning started to find a groove and finished the game with big numbers. Texas has one of the best defenses in the nation, and if Manning can hit the potential that some believe he has, Texas will still be a national title contender this season.
UTEP vs. Texas Pick
While some programs have three easy non-conference games before diving into conference play, Texas started their season with Ohio State. Following that opener, they did schedule three cupcake games before heading into SEC play. After handling San Jose State, they have this game against UTEP and then a matchup with Sam Houston State. During this stretch, Steve Sarkisian will want to get Arch Manning some confidence and work on some things with his team. However, this stretch is largely about staying healthy, getting three wins and gearing up for SEC play. San Jose State had to work hard just to get seven points on the board against Texas. UTEP ranks 104th in the nation in offensive EPA/play and will be fortunate to get any points on the board. Texas shouldn’t look to run up the score in this game, which should keep it under the listed total of 51.5 points.
