NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — John Mateer threw three touchdown passes, Isaiah Sategna returned a punt 88 yards for a score and No. 10 Oklahoma overpowered UTEP 51-0 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Sooners scored on their first eight possessions and limited UTEP to 198 yards. Sategna scored twice and finished with 215 all-purpose yards.
Mateer looked sharp, completing 11 of 17 passes for 225 yards before being pulled late in the third quarter. He threw scoring passes of 40 yards to Colorado State transfer Rocky Beers, 34 yards to Sategna and 48 yards to Virginia transfer Trell Harris.
“He played like you want your quarterback to play,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. "Just do what we need the quarterback to do. You know, manage things, take what's there, make good decisions, protect the football, getting us out of negative plays. He did a lot of really good things.
Oklahoma drove 76 yards for a score on its first possession then forced a punt that was returned for a touchdown by Sategna to make it 14-0 midway through the first quarter. It was the first punt return for a score by OU since the 2023 season opener.
“I thought we competed hard, but I give a ton of credit to OU," UTEP coach Scotty Walden said. “That's a really good football team. Watching them on tape and then seeing them live in person, I think this is a better version of what they were last year. I think they're going to be a force. Kudos to coach Venables, a ton of respect for that football team.”
The Sooners led 27-0 at halftime, then the defense went to work. Peyton Bowen forced a fumble that was recovered by Taylor Wein on UTEP first possession of the the third quarter. Two plays later, Mateer connected with Sategna to make it 34-0.
The Takeaway
UTEP: The Miners didn't play like an offense with 11 new faces, driving 50 and 43 yards on successive possessions in the first half. Both drives ended with missed field goals.
Oklahoma: The Sooners rushed 39 times for 170 yards, about 52 yards more than they averaged last season.
Middle man
Beers, the brother of former OU basketball player Reagan Beers, made his presence felt right away, grabbing a pass from Mateer and hurdling a defender near the goal line before scoring to put OU up 21-0.
“I lost it in the lights a little bit,” he said. “I saw that guy starting to dip down and I did not want to take another hit below the waistline.”
Beers had a second touchdown wiped out on a pick play by fellow tight end Jack VanDorselar.
Oh, yeah, that was a pick play and Jack got a little overzealous there,” Beers said. “He just had to get some first game jitters out and just de-cleated a guy, my guy.”
Beers also blocked on Sategna's punt return touchdown.
Up next
UTEP: Hosts Texas Southern next Saturday.
Oklahoma: At No. 16 Michigan next Saturday.
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Tim Willert, The Associated Press
