UTEP at Nebraska, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

BettingMGM College Football Opportunities: Nebraska with 27 1/2.

Series Report: First Meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Nebraska, which hasn’t won a season opener since 2019, is expecting a big jump in Matt Rhule’s second season. The game will mark the debut of freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, the highest-ranked recruit ever drafted by the Cornhuskers. UTEP, which has had just two winning seasons since 2006, is entering the Scotty Walden era. The 34-year-old Walden, who lost three of four games as interim coach at Southern Mississippi in 2020, takes over for Dana Dimel after going 26-14 at Austin Peay. Eleven of his Austin Peay players followed him to El Paso.

IMPORTANT MATCHUP

Raiola will make his first career start against a UTEP defense that returns nine starters but will play in a new 3-3-5 formation. The key for Raiola will be taking care of the ball — turnovers have been the Huskers’ biggest problem for the past two years — and finding a rhythm with an improved receiver group. The Miners will look to pressure Raiola with edge rusher Maurice Westmoreland, who finished second in Conference USA with 7.5 sacks last season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UTEP: QB Cade McConnell or Skyler Locklear. Walden said he plans to name his starter Thursday. McConnell started the final six games of last season and led the Miners with 1,437 yards passing and six touchdown passes. Locklear played a total of four games in two seasons at Austin Peay.

Nebraska: DL Jimari Butler is 15 pounds heavier than his 6-foot-5 frame at 260 pounds and is on the verge of a breakthrough after setting a team-high 5.5 sacks last year.

FACTS & FIGURES

UTEP opens against a power-conference opponent for the first time since 2017. … The Miners are 0-3 against the Big Ten, losing 38-7 at Northwestern last year. Nebraska is 8-1 against Conference USA, with its only loss coming to Southern Miss in 2004. … Nebraska hasn’t won more than five games in a season since 2016. … Rhule says RBs Rahmir Johnson, Emmett Johnson, Gabe Ervin Jr. and Dante Dowdell will all play. … The Huskers’ kicking situation is uncertain. Tristan Alvano, the starter a year ago, is recovering from midseason groin surgery.

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