Texas Longhorns Way-Too-Early Week 3 Preview: UTEP Miners

The Texas Longhorns are looking for another successful season on the gridiron after back-to-back college football playoff appearances. Though the team begins the season with perhaps its most difficult matchup, the Ohio State Buckeyes, they will have some games that should yield guaranteed wins. One of these games comes in the third week of the season against Utep.

UTEP is coming off of a disappointing 2024 season in which the team finished with a 3-9 record. This will be the Miners' second straight year facing an SEC team, after playing Tennessee late last season. The Volunteers dominated in the matchup, winning 56-0.

The Miners will see the return of the team’s starting quarterback, Skyler Locklear, who finished his sophomore season with 1,583 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Locklear also ended the year sacked 15 times. Facing an impressive Texas defense in week three, the Longhorns should give him a hard time getting the ball off on time.

Texas Longhorns in the college football playoff — Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates with linebacker Barryn Sorrell (88) and linebacker Trey Moore (8) after a play during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The UTEP offense struggled throughout the season, averaging 19.7 points per game and converting nearly 33 percent of its third downs. The Longhorns defense should have an easy time stopping the Miners after allowing opponents only 15.7 points per game last year.

UTEP also returns its leading receiver Kenny Odom, who recorded 741 receiving yards last season and eight touchdowns. But, despite the return of a few key players, the Miners did lose starting running back Jevon Jackson who accounted for 754 rush yards and four touchdowns.

This is a Miners team that had a hard time scoring last year. Locklear’s 10 passing touchdowns were the second least in Conference USA. Texas is slated to have one of the best secondaries and linebacker cores in the nation and should have little trouble against this Miners team.

Texas returns this season with loads of talent on both sides of the ball. A team projected to earn more than 10.5 wins in 2025 and make a third straight college football playoff appearance, the Longhorns should find themselves scoring easily and often.

No game should be considered a fly-by, but this week three matchup is as close as it comes. Arch Manning and the Texas offense should use this game as an opportunity to test how dominant a team they can be and implement some experimentation in its plays.

Texas should take an easy win and defeat UTEP by more than a few touchdowns.