Oregon State Inks Home-and-Home Series with UTEP Starting in 2026
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Yesterday, Oregon State placed another puzzle piece in the portrait of its 2026 football schedule, their first in the revamped Pac-12.
First reported by Kevin Kelley of FootballScoop, Oregon State agreed to a 2026-27 home-and-home series with the University of Texas at El Paso, also known by their acronym UTEP. That report cites a copy of the contract obtained from UTEP, and states that the two schools will face off at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso on Saturday September 26th, 2026.
A follow-up game at Reser Stadium in Corvallis is slated for 2027, with the date and time still to be determined.
MORE: State of the Beavs: Oregon State's Biggest Problem in 2026
The scheduling agreement signals UTEP's push west; following the completion of the 2025 Spring sports like baseball & softball, UTEP will leave their old league Conference USA and join the revamped Mountain West Conference, along with the Northern Illinois Huskies.
In the 2026 season, it is very likely that this game sends off UTEP's new conference schedule: before playing Oregon State, the Miners have games scheduled with Oklahoma, Texas Southern, and Michigan. Oregon State currently have four opponents lined up: at Houston on September 5th, home versus Texas Tech the following Saturday and staying home with Montana the week after, then the aforementioned UTEP game. With eight Pac-12 football schools (and at least seven conference games), there is a chance the Beavers add one more opponent to next season's slate.
MORE: Oregon State Adds Award-Winning Quarterback Transfer Braden Atkinson
2026's matchup between Oregon State and UTEP will mark the first time those schools have ever played each other in football. On the hardwood, their men's basketball programs have faced off three times. So far, the advantage has gone to the Beaver State, with the orange & black winning two of three contests.
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