UTEP has new football schedule, to open at home Aug. 27 against North Texas
The UTEP football team will play its earliest game in school history when it opens its 2022 season at home against North Texas on Aug. 27 in a new schedule released by Conference USA on Wednesday.
The new schedule comes 20 hours after C-USA announced three schools (Old Dominion, Southern Miss and Marshall) were leaving the conference effective at the end of this school year, rendering the schedule it released last month obsolete. UTEP had been slated to play Old Dominion and Southern Miss.
In the new schedule, UTEP plays eight of the other 10 teams in the league, as it will not play league power UAB and defending East champion Western Kentucky. Those two teams UTEP doesn't play went a combined 13-3 last year in league games.
In addition to being the earliest opener, the UNT game will also mark the first time since 1994 UTEP has opened with a conference game.
Because it plays in Week 0 against North Texas, it will have two byes.
“This year's schedule is unique with our earliest start date ever on August 27th," athletic director Jim Senter said. "It is also a thrill to open the season with a conference game for the first time since 1994. Our football program made tremendous strides in 2021, and with 14 starters returning we are expecting to take another big leap forward this fall.”
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Said coach Dana Dimel: "We are very much looking forward to our 2022 schedule starting off in Week 0 with a conference home game, followed by a matchup at perennial national power Oklahoma, which should be a great challenge. It will be an exciting start for our fans and team."
C-USA said it is still working on a format for the Dec. 2 championship game, which presumably will be played between the top two finishers in the 11-team league.
UTEP closes its regular season at UTSA on Nov. 26, the last football game currently scheduled against its UT system rival before the Roadrunners leave with five other teams for the American Athletic.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
2022 UTEP Football Schedule
Aug. 27, North Texas*
Sept. 3, at Oklahoma
Sept. 10, New Mexico State
Sept. 17, at New Mexico
Sept. 24, Boise State
Oct. 1, at Charlotte*
Oct. 8, at LA Tech*
Oct. 15, Bye
Oct. 22, Florida Atlantic*
Oct. 29, Middle Tennessee*
Nov. 5, at Rice*
Nov. 12, Bye
Nov. 19, FIU*
Nov. 26, at UTSA*
Home games in bold
*Indicates Conference USA game
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP Miners football schedule, to open at home Aug. 27 against UNT
