UTEP vs. Oklahoma Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners Cover this Massive Spread?

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners Cover this Massive Spread?

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners Cover this Massive Spread?

We got a small taste of college football this past Saturday with the sport’s 11-game week zero schedule. Now it’s time to dive into the deep end as week one rolls around and the rest of the country’s programs get underway. Below you can find everything you need to prepare you for Saturday’s matchup in Norman between the UTEP Miners and the Oklahoma Sooners. 

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UTEP VS. OKLAHOMA START TIME, WHERE TO WATCH, AND ODDS

When: September 3

Time: 3:30 PM EDT

Where: Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK

Where to Watch: FOX

Click here for the latest UTEP vs. Oklahoma odds

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Line Movement

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Prediction

University of Texas at El Paso already has a game under its belt and it didn’t go well for head coach Dana Dimel and the Miners. They dropped their season opener to North Texas on Saturday in a 31-13 rout at home and failed to cover the +1 spread. Gavin Hardison was under center in the loss and went 21 for 48 for 293 yards and a touchdown. The Miners added another 107 yards on the ground and actually outgained the Mean Green 400-399 in the game. 

There are a lot of question marks in Norman as the Oklahoma Sooners get ready for the 2022 season. However, there’s also reason to be excited as Brent Venables makes his return to Oklahoma and will get his first opportunity as a head coach. 

Offensively, Oklahoma will turn to Dillon Gabriel, a junior transfer from UCF, to handle the starting quarterback responsibilities. He brings plenty of experience to a potentially explosive Sooner offense. During Gabriel’s time at UCF, he accumulated 8,037 yards through the air and posted a 70/14 TD/INT ratio. His main target will likely be Marvin Mims, who hauled in 32 receptions for 705 yards and five touchdowns in 2021.

Personally, I’m most excited to see what the Oklahoma Sooners' defense has in store. Brent Venables is a defensive mastermind, as we all witnessed what he was able to accomplish at Clemson over the years. As is the new normal in college football, OU lost some players to the transfer portal; but, they’ll return their third-leading tackler from a year ago in DaShaun White (66 tackles). It’ll be interesting to see if Venables is able to implement a respectable defense in a Big 12 conference that has been notorious for lacking impact on the defensive side of the ball in recent years. 

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Pick

31 points is a lot to lay in a season opener, but I’m going to roll with the Sooners in Norman on Saturday and back them to cover. This is a veteran offense that boasts a ton of experience. All five starting offensive linemen are in at least their junior year and this group should be able to steamroll a UTEP defense that was gashed for 163 rushing yards last week against North Texas. Furthermore, I expect them to hold up nicely and provide time for Dillon Gabriel in the passing game. There should be no shortage of points for Oklahoma this weekend and I think Venables will want to start his new reign in Norman with a dominant victory. Let’s lay the 31 points with the Sooners. 

• PICK: Oklahoma -31 @ -105 (Bet $105 to win $100)