The Oklahoma Sooners are hosting the UTEP Miners in a non-conference showdown to open the season. The game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday in Norman, Oklahoma.
The Sooners are listed as 41.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 51.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this Week 1 matchup.
Oklahoma vs. UTEP prediction, preview
Oklahoma Preview
This is a big season for Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners. After a disappointing 2024 season, the seat was starting to get very hot under Venables. He responded by leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019. However, Oklahoma was bounced by Alabama in the first round. Venables will want to get his team back to the CFP to show that last season was not a fluke. It would be even better to go a step further in 2026.
John Mateer provided some solid quarterback play for Oklahoma, but it was really the Sooner defense that led the way last season. Mateer is back for a second season in Norman and is hoping to go from a game manager to a quarterback who can elevate the Sooners to the next level. Mateer gets his WR1 from last season back, Isaiah Sategna III, but lost WR2 Deion Burks to the NFL. Trell Harris transferred in from Virginia to try to fill that role. Parker Livingstone also transferred in from Texas to join that receiving corps. Oklahoma will have a harder time replacing its four NFL Draft picks from the defense, including R Mason Thomas.
UTEP Preview
This season begins a new era of UTEP football. The Miners have had a run of very disappointing seasons in Conference USA. They have not made a bowl game since 2021 and have not won more than three games since 2022. Scotty Walden has retained his job despite those poor recent seasons. Walden will be leading the Miners to the Mountain West Conference this season.
It could be another rough season for UTEP. The Miners massively struggled in Conference USA and the level of difficulty will only go up in the Mountain West. The Miners currently have the worst odds of any team to win the conference, at 110/1. EJ Colson Jr. has transferred in from Incarnate Word to play quarterback for UTEP, and it will be an even bigger step up in competition for him.
Oklahoma vs. UTEP Pick
My best bet for this game is for UTEP and Oklahoma to finish under the listed total of 51.5 points. The Sooners should have an excellent defense once again. It will be hard for EJ Colson Jr. and the UTEP offense to move the ball at all. Last season, Oklahoma dominated in these non-conference spots as big favorites. In 2025 non-conference matchups against against Oklahoma, Illinois State scored three points, Temple scored three points and Kent State was shut out. UTEP should also be kept out of the end zone.
If UTEP only puts up three points, that would require 49 points from Oklahoma. The Sooners have no reason to try to run up the score. Oklahoma has a massive game next week against Michigan and would likely rather have their players fresh. In those three non-conference games last season, Oklahoma never scored more than 44 points. The Oklahoma offense should be very conservative and this game should finish under the total.
