No. 9 Oklahoma hosts UTEP in season opener

UTEP (0-1) at No. 9 Oklahoma (0-0), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (FS1)

Line: Oklahoma by 30 1/2, in response to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sequence document: Oklahoma leads 4-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Oklahoma seeks a robust begin below new coach Brent Venables. New offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and new defensive coordinator Ted Roof try to ascertain themselves in a program the place 41% of the roster is new and 52% has by no means taken a snap for the workforce. Even with all the brand new faces, the Sooners count on to be within the playoff hunt, to allow them to’t afford to slide of their opener.

KEY MATCHUP

UTEP receivers Reynaldo Flores and Tyrin Smith vs. Oklahoma’s secondary. Flores caught eight passes for 122 yards within the opening loss to North Texas and Smith caught seven for 127 yards and a landing. Oklahoma counters with an skilled secondary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UTEP: QB Gavin Hardison. The veteran handed for 293 yards and rushed for 29 within the opener. His 3,217 yards passing final season had been fifth on the college’s single-season checklist.

Oklahoma: QB Dillon Gabriel. The switch from Central Florida has handed for 8,037 yards and 70 touchdowns in his profession, however it is going to be his first begin for the Sooners.

FACTS & FIGURES

Venables has coached in eight nationwide championship video games as an assistant coach and received three. … Oklahoma RB Eric Grey is poised for a giant season after gaining 412 yards speeding and 229 yards receiving final season. … Oklahoma defeated UTEP 56-7 in 2017. … UTEP WR Walter Daybreak had 56 yards receiving and scored a landing for the Miners in opposition to Oklahoma in 2017. … Oklahoma is within the preseason prime 10 for the seventh consecutive 12 months. … Each Venables and UTEP coach Dana Dimel are former Kansas State assistant coaches.

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