UTEP at Nebraska Preview and Prediction
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
It's the first game of the rest of Nebraska's life.
It has a quarterback, it has the coaching in place, it has the team that's been building enough to start making some noise.
UTEP has a new head man in Scotty Walden who's going to crank up the tempo of the offense with a new group of players in a fun style that might be sneaky-good in Conference USA play.
UTEP (0-0) at Nebraska (0-0)
Saturday, August 31 - 3:30 PM (ET) - FOX
Why UTEP Will Win
The new offense will keep on pushing.
At Austin Peay, Walden's offense was ultra-efficient, had a ground game, and found ways to keep everything moving. The receiving corps coming in from the transfer portal is strong, the O line is okay, and it's all around a defense that was the best in Conference USA last season.
Yeah, it'll take something special to pull this off, but there might be just enough pieces in place to be sneaky.
Why Nebraska Will Win
Let's go, Dylan Raiola.
All that's expected out of the freshman quarterback is everything.
The Nebraska offense should be far better behind an improved line that should give Raiola and company time to work. And even if this bunch struggles, it has the defense to pick up the slack.
Yeah, the UTEP offense should be far better, but it's going to take a little bit. The Husker front three should be a wall against the Miner ground game, and the deep linebacking corps should take over against the midrange throws.
Who Will Win?
UTEP will be fun, and everyone will see what's coming as the season goes on, but the excitement and the energy from the Nebraska crowd will come through in a strong all-around performance.
It won't be perfect, but it'll be a win on Opening Day for the first time since 2019.
Prediction
Nebraska 40, UTEP 10
Spread
Nebraska is favored at home by 27.5 points. The O/U is set at 48.5
