The Lobos sit at 3-6 (1-4 Mountain West) on the season and must win its remaining three games in order to be bowl eligible for the first time in seven years. The last time UNM made a bowl game was in 2007 when it won the New Mexico Bowl 23-0 over Nevada.
First, UNM must win at Utah State this Saturday in Logan, Utah. The Aggies are 7-3 (4-1 Mountain West) on the year despite losing their top three quarterbacks this season. Utah State is an 18-point favorite over UNM.
“I think it starts with us: our mindset. We just have to realize in our head that we’re a lot closer than a lot of people said,” linebacker Kimmie Carson said. “We’re just trying to get over the hump. We’re right there about to get over.”
In last year’s matchup the Aggies dominated the Lobos at the line of scrimmage. UNM rushed for a season-low 160 yards in a 45-10 loss at University Stadium.
This season Utah State is once again stout against the run, giving up an average of 96 yards per game. That mark ranks first in the Mountain West and sixth in the country.
Teams haven’t been able to slow down UNM’s triple option offense this year. The Lobos haven’t rushed for less than 200 yards in a contest and average 326 yards per game, which is third in the country and first in the MW. The Lobos will most likely be without running back Jhurell Pressley, who sprained his ankle in last week’s 60-49 loss to Boise State.
Head coach Bob Davie said he expects Utah State, a team that runs a 3-4 alignment, to defend how it did last year with a four-man front.
“They are big and they are powerful, strong guys up in there,” he said. “It’s something that I think our guys are looking forward to just the challenge of that.”
UNM will be without its best defensive player at Utah State in middle linebacker Dakota Cox. The sophomore suffered a significant knee injury in last week’s loss and will miss the remainder of the season. Cox ends the season with 115 tackles.
Carson will move over from his outside linebacker position and will take over at middle linebacker for the injured Cox.
“Everybody knows that Dakota Cox is out. As a defense, we to try our best to replace that person,” Carson said. “With me I can’t be Dakota Cox so I’m going to bring what I got to the table and do the best I can.”
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Utah State’s offense is designed to get to the outside. The Aggies will try to get the ball to wide receivers JoJo Natson and Hunter Sharp. Natson ranks third on the team in rushing (267 yards) and second in receiving yards (399). Sharp is first on the team with 54 receptions for 870 yards.
Like the Lobos, Utah State will be starting a freshman at quarterback in Kent Myers, who became the starting signal-caller when backup Craig Harrison was injured at UNLV on Oct. 25.
Myers will be making his third career start against UNM. He’s completed 30 of 36 passes for 381 yards and three scores this season.
“Their skill plays across the board. Sharp is a guy who is strong and fast. He’s a big time player. They’ve done a good job of getting their skill players the ball in a multitude of ways,” Davie said. “You’ll see No. 9 (Natson) lined up as the running back a lot. It’s a perimeter kind of game. They get the ball to their explosive players and they have a lot of them.”
Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
