Five years ago, the Miners were 30-point underdogs against the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners, whom would host their season opener, and they were inexperienced, under head coach Mike Price, who was on the hot seat. Despite the early neck-and-neck start, the Miners did not have enough grit to stay with the Sooners and fell 24-7.
This year the Sooners, who play host to the Miners for the opening game on Sept. 2, are coming in as a near 45-point favorite over UTEP. Similarly to 2012, the Miners are still searching for an identity on offense after losing standout running back Aaron Jones to the NFL.