Lobo Football Battles Wyoming Saturday in University Stadium
Nov. 2, 2010
New Mexico vs. Wyoming
Nov. 6, 2010 :: 4 p.m. MDT :: University Stadium (39,229 capacity)
TV: The Mtn. (Tim Neverett, Reggie Rivers and Toby Christensen)
Radio: Lobo Radio Network (Scott Galetti and Greg Remington)
Internet: GoLobos.com
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico football team hosts Wyoming Saturday at 4 p.m. MDT in University Stadium. Saturday is UNM’s annual “Think Pink” game to help create awareness for breast cancer. The game is sponsored by UNM Hospital, Power 106 and Big 98.5.
The game will be televised on the MountainWest Sports Network. The Mtn., can be seen on Comcast channel 276, Cable One channel 329 and DirecTV channel 616. Tim Neverett will be the play-by-play announcer. Reggie Rivers will be the analyst with Toby Christensen on the sidelines.
The game will also be broadcast on 770 AM KKOB and statewide on the Lobo Radio Network. Scott Galetti will handle the play-by-play, while Greg Remington will be the analyst.
New Mexico is 0-8 on the year and 0-4 during conference play. The Lobos have four games remaining on the 2010 schedule including Saturday’s game with Wyoming. The Cowboys are 2-7 overall and 0-5 in league play.
Since 1993, New Mexico has won five of six games played in Albuquerque. However, Wyoming leads the all-time series with UNM, 33-29 but UNM has won eight of the last 10 games. The Lobos won the last meeting with the Cowboys in Albuquerque, 24-0, in 2008. Wyoming beat UNM, 37-13, last year in Laramie in freezing temperatures. The Cowboys lead the series, 17-15, when playing in Albuquerque.
ON THE HORIZON
The Lobos will hit the road after Saturday’s game to face Air Force and BYU. UNM will travel to Colorado Springs on Nov. 13 to battle the Falcons. The Lobos then head into Provo, Utah for a final MWC contest with BYU. Both the Air Force and BYU games will be broadcast live on the MountainWest Sports Network.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
Wyoming has lost four straight contests heading into Saturday’s game. The Cowboys are 2-7 on the season and 0-5 in Mountain West Conference action. Wyoming is coming off a 48-38 loss at home against San Diego State. The Cowboys are 1-3 on the road this season with their only win coming at Toledo on Oct. 2, 20-15.
Dave Christensen is the head coach at Wyoming and is entering his second year. Christensen led the Cowboys to a 7-6 record in his first year and won the 2009 New Mexico bowl over Fresno State in University Stadium.
Austyn Carta-Samuels leads Wyoming and enters his second year as the quarterback. Carta-Samuels has passed for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. He is averaging 147.9 yards per game. Carta-Samuels is the second leading rusher on the Wyoming team with 199 yards and two touchdowns.
Sophomore Alvester Alexander is leading the Cowboys in rushing with 402 yards per game. Alexander is rushing for 44.7 yards per game and has five touchdowns. David Leonard is the top receiver with 372 yards and three TDs.
Safety Shamiel Gary is the top tackler for Wyoming with 90 stops. The Cowboys have four tackles with 50 or more stops. As a team, they have eight sacks and interceptions this season.
LAST TIME AGAINST WYOMING
Austyn Carta-Samuels passed for three touchdowns as Wyoming beat New Mexico 37-13 in a Mountain West Conference game played on an unseasonably cold fall Saturday afternoon after a snowstorm.
Carta-Samuels had TD passes of 31, 28 and 54 yards for Wyoming (4-2, 2-0), which has won three straight for the first time since 2006. New Mexico fell to 0-6, 0-2.The snowstorm dumped close to a foot of snow in southeast Wyoming Friday night and early Saturday, closing major highways in the area. Laramie received 7 inches and the game-time temperature was 15 degrees.
The New Mexico team, which stayed Friday night 50 miles away in Cheyenne, had to be escorted to Laramie over a closed Interstate 80 by two snowplows and a Wyoming Highway Patrol car Saturday morning to make it to the game.
PREVIOUS MEETING IN ALBUQUERQUE
In a way, the game was over about 15 clicks into this rain-drenched Mountain West Conference contest between the New Mexico Lobos and Wyoming Cowboys played Saturday at University Stadium. In the end, UNM pulled out a 24-0 Homecoming victory.
The Cowboys didn’t waste anytime in showing why they led the nation in turnovers as QB Karsten Sween’s first play of the game, a pass, was tipped by Lobo linebacker Carmen Messina and fell into the welcoming hands of UNM’s Frankie Solomon, who galloped 13 yards into the Wyoming end zone.
It was over then because the Cowboys not once reached the Lobos end zone as UNM registered its first-ever MWC shutout and its first league shutout since 1983.
The Lobos dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and ran for 317 yards against Wyoming. UNM totaled 350 yards, but had only 33 passing yards.
Gruner went 8-of-19 through the air for 33 yards. He threw no TDs, but had no interceptions. Wright led UNM with 120 yards on the ground and Paul Baker had 90 and Gruner added 80. Senior Rodney Ferguson did not play, nursing an injured shoulder.
Linebacker Zach Arnett got Player of The Game honors with his 16 tackles.
FANS FEEDING FAMILIES
For the second straight game, the wives of the New Mexico football coaching staff are sponsoring a canned food drive called “Fans Feeding Families”. The event is partnered with the Roadrunner Food Bank to provide meals for families in the Albuquerque area during the holiday season. Fans will receive an $8 discounted cherry level ticket with two donations.
To receive the discounted ticket, Fans must drop off donations at the Lobo ticket office prior to game days. Those wishing to donate on game days will be able to drop off goods at bins located at the entrances of University Stadium.
The non-perishable foods include boxed meal, canned entrees, canned fruit, canned meats, canned vegetables, cereals, jelly, macaroni and cheese, pasta and sauces, peanut butter, rice, soup and sugars. Please make sure all items have a label of ingredients and they are not homemade.
The Lobo ticket office is located at the northwest corner of University and Cesar Chavez. For more information contact Argy Maniatis in the UNM marketing department at (505) 925-5621 or the Lobo football office at (505) 925-5700.
PHIL STEELE’S MIDSEASON AWARDS
New Mexico football had four players named to the Midseason All-American team by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. Offensively, senior WR Bryant Williams, senior OT Byron Bell and sophomore TE Lucas Reed were named third team. Redshirt freshman Myles Daughtry was named third team kickoff return.
LOBOS AMONG TACKLE LEADERS
New Mexico has two defensive players among the best in the Mountain West Conference. Junior safety Bubba Forrest is fifth in the conference in tackles with 71 and is averaging 8.9 stops per game. Junior linebacker Carmen Messina, who has been battling a high ankle sprain all season, ranks eighth in the MWC with 64 tackles. Messina, who led the nation in tackles last year, is averaging 8.0 stops per game. Other Lobos are listed including sophomores Joe Stoner (20th) and Spencer Merritt (22nd).
HERNANDEZ IS MAKING AN IMPACT
Senior wide receiver Chris Hernandez has made an impact this season. The Las Cruces, N.M., native is 10th in the Mountain West Conference for receptions per game with 3.5. Hernandez has 28 catches for 216 yards this season. His impact has not only influenced the offense but he has emerged as an outstanding special teams player. Hernandez recovered the on-sides kick Saturday at Colorado State.
UNM TO HONOR SENIORS ON NOV. 27
The Lobo football program will recognize 14 seniors on Saturday, November 27. It’s the smallest senior class since 2002 (10). The TCU will be the final home game of the 2010 season. The senior activities will take place prior to the game. The game will kickoff at 2 p.m. MDT.