Nebraska has not won a season opener in five years. Saturday afternoon, the Huskers will try to snap that streak with a showdown against UTEP.
But UTEP won’t be a team to drop the pickaxe and rollover. It’ll battle Nebraska throughout the game, searching for any signs of success it can carry into the rest of the season.
The Miners begin the Scotty Walden era, who takes over at UTEP after going 26-14 at Austin Peay. Walden is bringing a fast-paced offense to El Paso. Last year, the Governors ranked 14th in the FCS in total offense, averaging 426.8 yards per game.
This led to Austin Peay averaging over 34 points per game last season, towering over UTEP’s mark of just under 20. The Miners have announced that redshirt sophomore Skyler Locklear will start the game at quarterback. Locklear transferred to UTEP after spending the last two seasons at Austin Peay.
Trey Goodman should be a primary target in the receiving game. In 2023, he had 34 catches for 721 yards and seven touchdowns at Austin Peay.
The Miners are bringing back multiple veteran players on defense, including edge rusher Maurice Westmoreland, who finished second in Conference USA last season with 7.5 sacks.
They also bring in transfers in the secondary. Kory Chapman of Austin Peay and AJ Odums of New Mexico can cause fits for the Huskers’ passing game.
However, an upset for UTEP in front of 90,000 people in Lincoln is not likely. This isn’t the 2018-2022 period where Troy and Georgia Southern pulled out the win or where South Alabama, Buffalo, and North Dakota gave Nebraska headaches.
Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is entering his first game with an arsenal of talented players, which should translate into success against a Conference-USA defense.
Though there are bound to be mishaps in this opener, the Nebraska offense should be expected to light up the scoreboard throughout the game.
The same can be said for the Blackshirts. Finishing as one of the top defenses in the country last year brings high expectations for the season. Though it, too, will likely slip up here and there, nothing should happen that will raise alarms.
Score Prediction: Nebraska 38, UTEP 13
