UTEP starts the second half of its 2026 season in a tough place, with a 1-5 record and a four-game losing streak where they have yet to competitively extend a game into the fourth quarter.
San Jose State, at 3-3, has been average all year, which does represent a big step up from a 3-9 record in 2025. The Spartans are coming off back-to-back close games (a 20-16 win in their conference opener at Hawaii and a 16-13 home overtime loss to Wyoming) and have been in three one-score games this year.
San Jose State comes in as a 7.5-point favorite, the closest spread in a UTEP football game this year. The 7 p.m. start time at the Sun Bowl was voted on by fans.
UTEP football reaches crossroads after Nevada loss
UTEP Miners
Where: El Paso
2026 Record: 1-5
Streak: Lost 4
Coach: Scotty Walden, third season (6-24 at UTEP, 40-44 career)
Total offense: 257.0 yards per game (138th)
Total defense: 393.7 yards per game (110th)
UTEP offense
EJ Colson seems likely to be back at quarterback this week after missing the Nevada game on concussion protocol, though UTEP is keeping it secret and officially says it will be a game-time decision.
The overreaching priority will be keeping him upright, as the offensive line is struggling in pass protection (UTEP is 137th out of 138 teams nationally with 25 sacks allowed) and could be missing its top two left tackles, Tyler Roberts and Preston Perkins. For what it's worth, Roberts, who left the Nevada game with an apparent ankle or leg injury, is listed as a starter and UTEP could use him.
If the Miners are to budge their last-in-the-nation rating in total offense, their offensive line will have to take a huge step forward.
UTEP defense
Lost in the misery surrounding the Nevada loss was the fact that the defense had its best game (actually, its first good one) against FBS competition. Their top four tacklers were: linebacker Isaiah Bogerty, safety Kode Lowe, and linebackers/captains Jayden Wilson and Garrett Hawkins.
They also recorded two sacks and a turnover from linemen Sterling Miles and Leander Parrish.
Where UTEP has the most to improve is on third down, where it ranks 132nd nationally. Of course, that stat is tied to overall defensive efficiency, so what the Miners need to do is build on their best showing.
UTEP special teams
The special teams are coming off their best showing of the year, where, against Nevada, they once again had good kicking from placekicker Carlos Arreola and punter Brady Braun, and this time didn't give up a big play in the return game. Next on the to-do list is eliminating penalties they struggle with on their own returns.
The improvement of the special teams from horrid to acceptable has been a bright spot in a season that hasn't had many.
UTEP players to watch
Quarterback EJ Colson. Given the shots Raymond Moore III took last week, it might have been best if Colson had been out, but he was missed, particularly in his accuracy on short passes. What Colson needs to do to get the offense to step up a level is create explosive plays in the passing game.
Receiver Jaden Smith. After missing the last two years with knee injuries, Smith had his breakout last week against Nevada, scoring a touchdown on one of his four catches. He also had a 28-yard catch for UTEP's longest play from scrimmage, the type of big play the offense has been missing this year.
Linebacker Isaiah Bogerty. The transfer from Texas Southern had his biggest game as a Miner against Nevada with 15 tackles. He's nominally listed as a backup middle linebacker behind Jayden Wilson but Bogerty's a piece that can be moved around.
Key stats
1-14. UTEP’s third-down conversions in the 30-7 loss to Nevada last week. For the season UTEP has converted on third down 23.3% of the time, ranking dead last out of 138 teams in nationally.
25. Sacks allowed. UTEP ranks next-to-last (ahead of Old Dominion) in that and has not allowed fewer than four sacks in a game.
5-5. Fumbles forced and recovered (UTEP has gotten on every fumble it has forced). UTEP is 10th nationally in fumble recoveries.
San Jose State Spartans
Where: San Jose
2026 Record: 3-3
Streak: Lost 1
Coach: Ken Niumatalolo, third season (13-18 at San Jose State, 122-101 career)
Total offense: 377.8 yards per game (81st)
Total defense: 375.5 yards per game (93rd)
San Jose State offense
Quarterback Luke Weaver has been above average (63% passing, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions for the nation's 47th-ranked passing offense) and is coming off perhaps his best outing of the year against Wyoming when he went 26-of-38 passing for 251 yards. His top target is Carson Clark at 67.5 yards per game.
Jabari Bates keys a running attack that hasn't been great (113th nationally at 123.0 yards per game) but the per-rush average of 4.0 is decent. Both teams are poor in time of possession so something has to give there.
San Jose State will look to balance its attack and find more consistency that it has shown so far.
San Jose State defense
San Jose is at its best defensively in the red zone (46th nationally), where UTEP has been poor on offense (137th). Linebacker Dylan Lee has been their best player with two sacks, two interceptions and a team leading 54 tackles that ranks him 16th nationally.
Cornerback Caleb Womack is next in tackles with 41 and also had two interceptions. Like their offense San Jose is balanced, about equally good against the run and the pass.
San Jose State special teams
Indicative of a 3-3 team, San Jose has been mediocre in the kicking game. Trent Carrizosa has been a little above average punting (43.4 average) but San Jose's punt coverage has been a little below average. Kicker Trajan Sinatra is a perfect 6-of-6 under 40 yards and has made all his extra points, but he's 5-of-9 from 40-49 yards and hasn't tried anything longer.
The Spartans are undistinguished in the return game.
San Jose State players to watch
Quarterback Luke Weaver. The inter-conference transfer from Hawaii is in his first year as a full-time FBS starter and has put up solid numbers, completing 63% of his passes for 1,529 yards with 11 touchdowns.
Receiver Cason Clark. The true freshman leads the Mountain West with 67.5 receiving yards per game. He averaged 10.9 yards per catch so he combines possession receiving with a high volume of catches (more than 6 per game).
Linebacker Dylan Lee. The junior appears at the top of San Jose's stat sheet just about everywhere. His 53 tackles is second in the Mountain West, his two interceptions are tied for second in the league and he has three breakups, a hurry and four tackles for loss.
Key stats
16. Sacks, the leading total in the Mountain West. San Jose State leads the league in sacks while UTEP is worst in the MWC at allowing them.
12. Players who have started a college game for the first time this season, tying them for sixth most nationally.
69. Points scored by San Jose State against UTEP in the Sun Bowl in 2003, a 69-41 Spartan victory. That is the most points ever scored by a visiting team in the Sun Bowl and the third most ever given up by UTEP. In their last three wins against UTEP San Jose is averaging 55.7 points per game.
How to watch San Jose State at UTEP
- TV channel: MW+
- Time: 7 p.m. MT, Saturday, Oct. 17
- Where: Sun Bowl
How to listen to San Jose State at UTEP football
- Radio station: 600 ESPN El Paso
- Time: 7 p.m., Oct. 17
- Where: Sun Bowl
UTEP vs. San Jose State football tickets for the Sun Bowl
Ticket prices for the San Jose State at UTEP game at the Sun Bowl start at $12.83 through UTEP, $16 on SeatGeek, $16 on StubHub and $16 on VividSeats.
UTEP vs San Jose State odds
From Fan Duel
- Spread: San Jose State -7.5
- Over/under: 46 1/2
- Money Line: San Jose State -300; UTEP +250
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Scouting report for San Jose State at UTEP. How do Miners match up?
