New Mexico Game Notes | Notre Dame Game Notes
| Broadcast Information | |
| TV: NBC | |
| Play-by-Play | Mike Tirico |
| Analyst | Doug Flutie |
| Sideline Reporter | Kathryn Tappen |
| RADIO: Lobo Radio Network | |
| (770 KKOB-AM flagship in Albuquerque) | |
| Play-by-Play | Robert Portnoy |
| Analyst | DonTrell Moore |
| Satellite: XM/SIrius | |
| (Channel 129 – Notre Dame feed) | |
Weekly Media Schedule:
Bob Davie Weekly Press Conference: 12:30 MT Tuesday via Facebook Live
Lobo Talk: 7-8 pm, 610 AM/95.9 FM The Sports Animal Listen Live
The Opening Drive: 7:30 am, Jeff Siembieda and J.J. Buck Player Interview Listen Live
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Bob Davie has joked about it often in the lead-up to the season when asked about facing the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish. “It seems like a good idea four years ago”. That game was announced August 13, 2015, and four years and a few weeks have passed, and the New Mexico Lobos will head to historic Notre Dame Stadium to take on the No. 7 Fightin’ Irish at 2:42 Eastern, 12:42 Mountain Time on NBC.
Both teams will enter the game at 1-0, but UNM will be without its head coach. Bob Davie will not travel after a serious medical situation arose after UNM’s 39-31 win over Sam Houston State that saw Davie hospitalized for a few days. While he is back around the offices, he will not be at practice this week, nor make the trip to the stadium he coached in, including a head stint from 1997-2001.
Davie led Notre Dame to its first BSC bowl appearance, and he was the first Notre Dame head coach to make a bowl in his first year as head coach. However, it will be Saga Tuitele who will heading the acting coaching duties for the game. Tuitele, who has never been a head coach, has been UNM’s offensive line coach since 2016, and he turns 40 the day after the Notre Dame game.
LOBOS WIN! pic.twitter.com/J4FTvikDEz
— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) September 1, 2019
New Mexico will be taking on a top 10 team on the road for the second straight year. Last year UNM lost 45-14 to No. 5 Wisconsin in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate. UNM trailed just 10-7 midway through the third quarter and were in field goal range before an interception turned the game in favor of the Badgers. UNM is coming off a 39-31 win over Sam Houston State that saw Brandt Hughes throw 29 times in the first half for 218 yards. Overall, UNM had 485 yards of offense and the defense held tough despite Sam Houston running 95 plays, 101 counting penalties. Alexander “Moana” Vainikolo was on the field for all 101 plays, the sixth-most defensive snaps by any FBS player in week one.
The game is an important one, but it’s also the start of three straight for UNM against independents. That stretch also included a home matchup with New Mexico State on September 21 at 2:30 p.m. For tickets to that game, which are selling fast, fans can purchase ahead of time and online right here.