New Mexico hasn’t always been able to roll with the punches, but in UNM’s 21-9 win over UTSA last Saturday, the team was able to bounce back from a 9-0 deficit to earn its second road win of the season.
Lobo head coach Bob Davie said he hopes the mental toughness that the team showed against UTSA doesn’t disappear when the Lobos host San Diego State today at University Stadium.
SDSU is a four-point favorite over UNM.
“You know, I think that’s the thing we’ve spent the most time talking about, you know, being in a position to either be even, be a little bit ahead, or a little bit behind, but you do you have a locker room that in totality, does it really think it can win?” Davie said.
Now the Lobos will have to deal with the third leading rusher in the Mountain West in SDSU’s Donnel Pumphrey. The sophomore has run for 561 yards this season, averages 112 yards per game, and scored nine times.
The Aztecs (2-3, 1-1 MW) run to set up the pass, but they’ve struggled in the air game this season. Starting quarterback Quinn Kaehler is out with a shoulder injury and Nick Bawden will get the start. It will be Bawden’s second start of the season after he got the nod against Fresno State last week. He completed just 9 of 24 passes, gaining 84 yards while throwing two interceptions and one score against the Bulldogs in a 24-13 loss.
As a whole, SDSU ranks 10th in total offense in the conference.
“Make no mistake: No. 19 is the key to this game, Pumphrey. He’s a guy who can take it every time he touches it,” Davie said. “Can we be mature enough? Can we execute enough to where those glitches don’t come and bite us in the run or the pass?”
SDSU head coach Rocky Long utilizes a 3-3-5 blitzing style of defense that is familiar to Lobo fans. Long coached at UNM from 1998-2008. The Aztecs rank third in the league in total defense, allowing 369 yards per game. SDSU has just allowed 21 points per game good for second in the Mountain West.
“On defense it’s that they are going to force the issue just about on every play. It’s going to be up the field. It’s a little unorthodox style,” Davie said. “We handled it decently last year. Not as good as what maybe the stats looked like.”
UNM (2-3, 0-1 MW) will be without its top running back Crusoe Gongbay, who suffered a foot injury against UTSA and may be out for the rest of the season. David Anaya is listed as the next tailback behind Gongbay.
The quarterback position has been up for debate the past couple of weeks for the Lobos. Cole Gautsche will get the start but freshman Lamar Jordan has been the one who’s propelled UNM to both of its wins this season. Jordan will get a chance to play against SDSU, Davie said.
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“I think Lamar has flourished coming off the bench getting a chance to see what teams are doing early,” Davie said. “I just think Cole in there in this game just the body of work, how much he’s played, how quick he is under fire, particularly in the run game, because things are a lot faster. Things are going to happen a lot fast in this game.”
Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
