The UTEP Miners have added the Texas Southern Tigers to their 2026 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the football game contract with Texas Southern University was obtained from the University of Texas at El Paso via a state public records request.
UTEP will host Texas Southern at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. The Miners will pay the Tigers a $350,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.
Texas Southern competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Tigers are entering their first season under the guidance of head coach Cris Dishman, who was most recently the defensive coordinator for the XFL’s Vegas Vipers in 2023.
UTEP and Texas Southern first met on the gridiron in 2001 and have played a total of three contests. The Miners defeated the Tigers in all three meetings — 52-6 in 2001, 45-0 in 2005, and 52-12 in 2007.
With the addition of Texas Southern, UTEP has tentatively completed its non-conference schedule for the 2026 season. The Miners’ other three non-conference contests are all on the road — at the Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 5, at the Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 19, and at the San Jose State Spartans on Sept. 26.
UTEP is the first scheduled non-conference opponent for Texas Southern in 2026.
Football Schedules