Michigan football continues its 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 19, with a Week 3 matchup against the UTEP Miners at Michigan Stadium. Here is everything you need to know:
Fast facts
Matchup: No. 19 Michigan (2-0) vs. UTEP (1-1).
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: CBS; WCSX-FM (94.7).
Line: Wolverines by 35½.
Michigan football vs. UTEP availability report
Availability reports are estimated off available
information.Michigan
Out: RB Micah Ka'apana (lower body), OL Ace Hamilton (lower body), OL Andrew Babalola (undisclosed); Questionable: OL TE Hogan Hansen (undisclosed); Probable: Edge Carter Meadows, OL Evan Link
UTEP
N/A
Scouting report
When Michigan has the ball: The offense under Jason Beck hasn't exactly been potent through two weeks. The passing attack is averaging just 140.5 yards per game,
while U-M's top two running backs, Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter, have combined to run 35 times for just 98 yards (2.8 yards per carry) and only one touchdown. Michigan has also struggled to get its top wide receiver, Andrew Marsh, involved in the offense; he has just five receptions for 28 yards and one rush for another 15. While quarterback Bryce Underwood showed he can be a threat with his legs, this week should be about everything else: a downfield passing attack, a running back room finding its form and those who were expected to be playmakers entering the season living up to their billing. UTEP runs a 3-3-5 scheme primarily, which should be conducive to a downhill running attack − if the running backs struggle again, that's not a good sign for next week's matchup with Iowa.
When UTEP has the ball: UTEP's offense has struggled mightily this season, ranking No. 129 in total offense (198.0 yards per game) and didn't score a single point in its first matchup against a Power 4 opponent (ironically, Oklahoma). UTEP hasn't been good on the ground, tied for No. 105 in the nation (112 yards per game) and is even worse in the air, ranked No. 129 (86.0 yards per game) nationally. Rain is expected in the forecast, and while that should help UTEP's defense, it will certainly hurt its offense. It would be somewhat surprising if the Miners racked up more than 150 yards of total offense in this game.
Know the foe
Colson conundrum: EJ Colson transferred from Incarnate Word to UTEP, and through two weeks his numbers on the surface seem OK: 60.6% completion rate with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The problem: Almost none of it came against OU. He completed 6 of 12 passes for just 52 yards in the opener and ran 16 times for another 25. He was second-team All-Southland Conference last season, completing more than 70% of his passes with a 4:1 touchdown to interception ratio, but like Oklahoma, Michigan is way too high-powered for him to slice and dice.
Rushing importance: The only hope UTEP has of keeping this game marginally close is to control time of possession. That means converting third downs and running to stay ahead of the sticks, but the attack simply isn't conducive to ball control, given coach Scotty Walden likes to run a hurry-up offense. But UTEP has had some success on the ground. In addition to Colson, who's run for 74 yards and a score this year, the Miners have a reliable running back in Tavorus Jones, who has run a team-high 21 times for 128 yards and a score.
Defensive deficiencies: UTEP's defense is clearly suspect, as evidenced by giving up 51 points to Oklahoma in Week 1. The Miners are No. 108 nationally in rushing defense (170.0 yards per game) and No. 94 in passing defense (231.0) against FBS teams and haven't showed an ability to stop a team that's more talented than itself. UTEP picked it up against Texas Southern, having a seven-drive stretch without giving up a first down while forcing two turnovers, but even with Michigan's early-season struggles, it should be able to move the ball at will on this defense.
Tony Garcia's two cents
Develop depth: Michigan has found itself in two dogfights in the first two weeks, which has required heavy snap counts from the stars.
For example, edges John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols have combined for 200 snaps, while the next two highest snap-getters in the room in Cam Brandt and Nate Marshall have combined for 59.
This should be an opportunity for U-M to work in its two-deep and three-deep players more often and could give us a first look at Tommy Carr in live game action if U-M can run up the score by the middle of the third quarter.
Also keep an eye out for Tariq Boney, Carter Meadows and Travis Johnson, who've played a combined five snaps in two games.
Demand discipline: Michigan ranks near the bottom of the country in penalties, which is not normally the case from a Kyle Whittingham coached team. This is a game for the Wolverines to work on themselves and part of that includes having more discipline in live time. There's no reason Michigan should be looking as sloppy as it has through two weeks. “Cleaning up the penalties would be a good start,” Whittingham said of his Week 3 goals. “We’re never going to be penalty-free, but if we can cut them in half, that’s about what we need to do. If you’re in the 35- to 50-[yard] a game range, that’s acceptable."
Michigan vs UTEP prediction
While the transitive property isn't as consistent in football as it is in math, there's reason to believe U-M should roll here. Michigan beat Oklahoma, which beat UTEP, 51-0, in Week 1. The Wolverines have given up one touchdown in two games against notably better opponents. With U-M likely to have favorable field position and possess the ball frequently, it will give the offense a chance to find its form. The attack will look much better, and Michigan ends the nonconference season undefeated. The pick: U-M 41, UTEP 3.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Predicting Michigan football against UTEP, keys to the game
