One-on-one with UTEP’s Dana Dimel: Miners prepare for season opener at Jacksonville State

EL PASO, Texas - UTEP head coach Dana Dimel spoke exclusively with ABC-7 as the Miners prepare for Saturday's season opener against Jacksonville State.

Jacksonville State is a newcomer to Conference USA, and Saturday's game against the Miners will mark their first game as an FBS program.

The Gamecocks are expecting a big crowd when they play host to UTEP.

For the second straight year, the Miners will begin their season with a conference game.

Coach Dimel previews the matchup against the Gamecocks as well as the expectations for the season as he enters his 6th season as head coach of the Miners.

UTEP is coming off a 5-7 record in 2022.

During Dimel's five seasons at UTEP, he's taken the Miners to one bowl game.

It was back in 2021 when the Miners took on Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.