EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — In the first game of the Scotty Walden era at UTEP, the Miners were handed a 40-7 loss by Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday.
Nebraska, who entered the game as 27.5-point favorites took care of business in its 2024 season opener. With the win, the Cornhuskers have won 99 of the 135 season openers. Since 1980, Nebraska has only lost twice when playing its season opener at home (1986 and 2015).
UTEP’s struggles against power conference programs continues. UTEP fell to 0-39 all-time versus power conference programs since 1998 with Saturday’s loss. Walden became the third head coach since 1965 to open his UTEP career with a game against a power conference program.
UTEP could not contain Nebraska’s starting quarterback, Dylan Raiola. The product out of Buford, Georgia completed 19-of-27 passes for 238 yards and had two passing touchdowns in his first career start at Nebraska. Raiola became the second true freshman in Nebraska football history to start a season opener. The other being Adrian Martinez in 2018.
Nebraska recorded 507 total yards in the contest, with 284 coming from the air and 223 coming from the run game. Nebraska’s defense forced two turnovers against UTEP.
Despite a 33-point loss, UTEP did show flashes of their potential to be a solid team this season.
In UTEP’s second offensive drive of the game, the Miners pieced together a three-play, 63-yard drive the ended with a 38-yard Skyler Locklear to Kam Thomas touchdown pass. Ever since Coach Walden’s arrival, he’s preached that UTEP will play “fast, fearless, and physical football” and we saw that in that drive as it ate up a total of 42 seconds of clock.
In his first FBS game of his career, Locklear completed 11-of-17 passes for 115 yards. Locklear’s touchdown pass to fellow Austin Peay transfer Kam Thomas was the only UTEP touchdown of the game. Locklear also recorded an interception. UTEP returnee Cade McConnell also got into the game at quarterback. McConnell completed 3-of-7 passes for only 20 yards and threw an interception. True freshman Shay Smith played a few snaps at quarterback. Smith completed the two passes he threw in the game for 14 yards.
Dorian Hopkins had a day for the UTEP defense. The Tulsa transfer led the team in total tackles on Saturday with 16. He had six solo tackles and one tackle for loss. Defensive tackle Sione Tong’uiha recorded UTEP’s only sack of the game. Landon Hullaby had a forced fumble, which was recovered by Hopkins.
The game played out how many thought it would for UTEP. The Miners were content with some things they did in its first game of the 2024 season and the Scotty Walden era.
“I pointed out the great things that we did today, like the touchdown drive, bigger than that, the defense getting a fumble recovery, the defense’s goal line stand,” Walden said postgame. “Our kids kept fighting and our coaches kept coaching. And that’s what’s important to me. I do not feel like we had a group of coaches or players that, you know, gave up or gave in.”
“There’s positives. We played hard. We need to go home and watch the tape and see the things we did good and the things we need to work on.” Locklear said postgame.
UP NEXT
Nebraska (1-0, 0-0 Big 10) will play one of its most important games of the season. The Cornhuskers will take on Colorado (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7.
UTEP (0-1, 0-0 CUSA) will play its home opener of the 2024 season. The Miners will take on FCS program Southern Utah on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
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