After a brutal season opener against Oklahoma, UTEP finally gets the kind of matchup where the Miners can show what they learned.
It’s time to turn the page.
The 51-0 loss to Oklahoma was about as rough of a season opener as UTEP could have imagined. The Miners struggled to move the football, gave up big plays and never found a rhythm.
But that game is over.
Now UTEP has to respond.
The Miners return home Saturday night to face Texas Southern at the Sun Bowl, and honestly, this is a game where UTEP needs to look different.
Not perfect.
Just different.
Texas Southern enters the matchup at 1-1 after opening the season with a 42-30 win over North Carolina Central before falling 52-14 to Prairie View A&M. UTEP enters 0-1 following the loss to Oklahoma.
For UTEP, this isn’t about proving it can beat Oklahoma.
It’s about proving that Oklahoma didn’t break its confidence.
The Offense Needs to Get Going
This is probably the biggest thing to watch.
UTEP couldn’t get much going offensively against Oklahoma, and the Miners were shut out for the first time in the 2025 season.
EJ Colson Jr. needs a much more comfortable night.
The quarterback doesn’t need to throw for 400 yards.
He needs to get into a rhythm.
Short completions.
First downs.
A couple of explosive plays.
And, most importantly, points.
UTEP needs to make things easier for Colson instead of asking him to constantly create something out of nothing.
Get Tavorus Jones Involved
This feels like an obvious one.
Tavorus Jones is one of the biggest offensive weapons on this roster, and the El Paso native should be a major part of the game plan.
The Miners need to establish the run early.
If Jones can consistently move the chains, it changes everything.
It takes pressure off Colson.
It keeps Texas Southern’s defense honest.
And it gives UTEP an opportunity to control the pace of the game.
After what happened against Oklahoma, establishing the run should be one of the biggest priorities.
The Offensive Line Has to Set the Tone
This is another area worth watching closely.
UTEP needs to give its quarterbacks time and create running lanes.
Against Oklahoma, the Miners struggled to sustain drives.
Against Texas Southern, there shouldn’t be the same level of talent disparity across the line of scrimmage.
That means this is an opportunity for the offensive line to establish some confidence.
If UTEP can run the football and keep Colson clean, the offense should have a much better chance of finding its identity.
The Defense Needs a Response
The other side of the football has plenty to prove too.
Giving up 51 points to Oklahoma is understandable to a degree given the opponent.
But UTEP can’t allow that performance to carry over.
Texas Southern scored 42 points in its season opener, showing that the Tigers are capable of putting points on the board.
The Miners need to tackle better, eliminate explosive plays and get off the field.
Most importantly, they need to play with confidence.
A defense that gives up an early touchdown can’t immediately start thinking about what went wrong.
It needs to respond with a stop.
Then another.
That’s how momentum changes.
Jayden Wilson Needs to Be a Leader
Jayden Wilson enters the season as one of UTEP’s most important defensive players after leading the team with 92 tackles last season.
This is the type of game where his leadership matters.
UTEP needs its experienced players to set the tone early.
Get everyone lined up.
Make the tackles.
Communicate.
And don’t allow one mistake to turn into another.
The Miners need their defense to play with the kind of energy that was missing at times against Oklahoma.
Special Teams Can’t Be Forgotten
One of the biggest plays against Oklahoma was the 88-yard punt return for a touchdown.
That simply can’t happen again.
Special teams needs to be clean.
No busted assignments.
No unnecessary penalties.
No giving Texas Southern easy points.
It sounds simple, but these are the little things that can determine close games.
This Is About More Than a Win
Obviously, UTEP needs to win this game.
But there’s something else that matters.
How they win.
If UTEP wins 17-14 after struggling offensively for four quarters, there will still be questions.
If the Miners come out aggressive, establish the run, create turnovers and play with confidence, that’s a completely different story.
This is the first opportunity to see whether the team has actually learned from Oklahoma.
Three Things I’m Watching
1. Can UTEP Score Early?
A fast start would do wonders for this team.
A touchdown on the opening drive would immediately give everyone some confidence.
2. Can the Defense Create Turnovers?
UTEP needs some short fields.
A turnover deep in Texas Southern territory could completely change the game.
3. Can Colson Find His Rhythm?
This is probably the biggest individual storyline.
The quarterback needs confidence, and confidence comes from completing passes, moving the chains and putting points on the board.
A Chance to Reset
There’s no point pretending the Oklahoma game didn’t happen.
It did.
And it exposed some serious problems.
But that’s what the next game is for.
UTEP gets to come home, play in front of its fans and show what kind of football team it actually wants to be.
Texas Southern isn’t Oklahoma.
And that’s exactly why this game matters.
The Miners should have a chance to control the line of scrimmage, run the football and make plays.
Now they have to actually do it.
The 51-0 loss is in the past.
Tonight is about the response.
And for UTEP, a strong response could be the first step toward putting the Oklahoma game behind them and starting to build some confidence before the Mountain West schedule gets serious.
