No. 9 Oklahoma beats UTEP 45-13 in Venables’ coaching debut

By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Dillon Gabriel passed for two touchdowns and ran for another and No. 9 Oklahoma rolled past UTEP 45-13 on Saturday for Brent Venables’ first career victory as a head coach. Venables was a full-time assistant for the previous 26 years in stints at Kansas State, Oklahoma and Clemson. He took over after Lincoln Riley left to take the Southern California job last December. Gabriel, a transfer from Central Florida, connected on 15 of 23 passes for 233 yards. Eric Gray rushed for 102 yards, Brayden Willis caught two touchdown passes and Marcus Major rushed for two scores for the Sooners. Gavin Hardison passed for 244 yards  for the Miners (1-1).