Way Too Early Michigan Football Opponent Preview: Week 3 vs. UTEP Miners

A Get-Right Game Before Big Ten Play

After a pair of tone-setting non-conference games to open the season against Western Michigan and Oklahoma, Michigan will stay right where it started — Ann Arbor — for a Week 3 matchup against the UTEP Miners. Much like the Western Michigan game, this one profiles as a chance for the Wolverines to build momentum and pad the win column before Big Ten play begins in earnest. Here’s an early, way-too-early look at what Michigan can expect from UTEP this fall.

UTEP Enters 2026 Off One of the Worst Seasons in the Country

It’s hard to overstate just how difficult a season UTEP had in 2025. The Miners finished a dismal 2-10 overall and just 1-7 in Conference USA play, with their only two wins coming against New Mexico State in Week 1 and UT Martin in Week 3. It wasn’t always a blowout, though — UTEP actually hung with a ranked Texas team into the second quarter of a Week 4 matchup, trailing just 7-3 with under two minutes left in the first half before the Longhorns pulled away for a 27-10 win.

The offense was where things really fell apart. Former five-star recruit Malachi Nelson began the year as UTEP’s starting quarterback before losing his job midway through the season and re-entering the transfer portal. By year’s end, the Miners ranked 99th nationally in scoring offense and a brutal 112th in total offense — numbers that reflect just how far this program has to climb.

A Program in Transition: New Conference, New Pieces

UTEP isn’t just trying to bounce back from a rough season — it’s also stepping into a completely new competitive landscape. After years in Conference USA, the Miners officially join the Mountain West Conference for the 2026 season, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already rebuilding roster. Head coach Scotty Walden enters his third season at the helm, now working with a retooled offensive and defensive staff, including new co-offensive coordinators and a new defensive coordinator.

At quarterback, UTEP has turned to Incarnate Word transfer EJ Colson as a likely answer under center. Colson, who began his career at UCF, earned the starting job at Incarnate Word last season, completing over 70% of his passes to go with 19 total touchdowns against just four interceptions. He also carried the ball 108 times, giving him a dual-threat element that could make him a tougher cover than UTEP’s quarterback situation a year ago. Beyond Colson, the Miners are also leaning on transfer running back Tavorus Jones from Missouri and hoping for a healthy, more productive season from receiver Kam Thomas.

Defense Might Be UTEP’s Best Chance to Stay Competitive

If there’s a silver lining for UTEP heading into 2026, it’s on the defensive side of the ball. The Miners actually held opponents to a respectable 5.4 yards per play a season ago, and while just four starters return from that group, the unit gives UTEP at least a puncher’s chance of avoiding total embarrassment against a talented Michigan offense. Still, replacing the majority of a starting lineup while adjusting to a new conference is a tall order, and there’s no guarantee that respectability carries over into 2026.

Where UTEP struggled most last season was generating any real explosiveness on offense, finishing 129th nationally in success rate and averaging just 5.1 yards per play. If Colson and the retooled offensive staff can’t fix that quickly, this defense may find itself on the field far too often against a Big Ten opponent like Michigan.

Early Betting Lines Suggest a Lopsided Matchup

Nothing about the current outlook suggests UTEP is ready to spring an upset in Ann Arbor. The Miners are currently sitting as roughly 49.5-point underdogs against Oklahoma in their Week 1 matchup, a number that gives a clear sense of just how far behind Power Four competition UTEP is expected to be this season. While a specific betting line for the Michigan game isn’t yet public, it’s reasonable to expect a similarly lopsided spread once oddsmakers release it.

For a Michigan team looking to build confidence and get valuable reps for its rotation before diving into Big Ten play, a home matchup against a rebuilding, newly-relocated UTEP squad looks like exactly the kind of game to accomplish both.

What to Watch For in This Matchup

With Michigan likely to be a significant favorite, the more interesting storylines in this one may revolve around individual development rather than final score suspense. Keep an eye on:

• How much Michigan leans on backups and younger players once the outcome is no longer in question, especially with a Big Ten opener looming the following week.
• Whether EJ Colson’s dual-threat ability creates any real issues for Michigan’s defense, even in a game the Wolverines are heavily favored to win.
• How UTEP’s defense holds up against a Michigan offense that will be looking to build rhythm early in the season.

Final Thoughts

UTEP’s move to the Mountain West arrives at a complicated time for a program still trying to figure out its identity on offense after one of the worst statistical seasons in the country a year ago. For Michigan, this Week 3 matchup profiles as a clear opportunity to keep building momentum in Ann Arbor before the far tougher stretch of Big Ten play begins. Unless UTEP’s retooled offense makes a significant leap under new leadership at quarterback, this is shaping up to be one of the more comfortable games on Michigan’s 2026 schedule.