Lobos Host San Jose State in Key MW Matchup

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Lobos had a weekend without a game, a chance to get some dinged up players healthy, and a chance to recharge for the back-half stretch run that will see UNM (2-3, 0-1 MW) play seven games in seven weeks, four of them at home including back-to-back weekends, starting on Saturday against San Jose State.  Kickoff is at 4 p.m.

The game wil be streamed on the Mountain West Network (www.golobos.com/watch) with Jeff Siembieda and George Carter on the call, and the radio broadcast will be on KKOB (player) with Robert Portnoy and DonTrell Moore on the call.  Tickets can be purchased at golobos.com/tickets.

The Lobos are coming off a 35-26 loss at Wyoming, a one-score game until the final seven seconds.  That loss was one in which UNM nearly pulled off a massive second half comeback, and with Wyoming now knocking on the door of the top 25 and owning two Top 25 wins including last week against unbeaten Fresno State, it shows that this Lobo team is right there in the thick of the Mountain West.

Now, UNM has to go out and show it.  They have to do that against a team in San Jose State that is just 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Mountain West, but….

*They are 0-2 against a pair of ranked Pac-12 schools, losing 56-28 to then No. 6 USC and 42-17 to No. 18 Oregon State.
*They also had leads over Air Force (up 20-14 before falling 45-20) and Boise State (up 27-7 before losing 35-27).
*They trounced Cal Poly 59-3.
*SJSU’s schedule so far is the 14th toughest in the FBS (opponents are 21-8), and the only MW team to play a tougher schedule is Nevada.

So to say San Jose State might be the best 1-5 team in America is probably accurate.  The Spartans have the MW’s most experienced quarterback in Chevan Cordiero who is averaging 224.6 yards per game passing, and who has also rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns.  The Spartans also have Nick Nash, who it feels like has been in the Mountain West forever.  Nash, a former QB himself, has 29 catches for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns.  At running back, Kairee Robinson has been terrific with 345 yards on the season and seven touchdowns.

Defensively it’s hard to ignore Tre Jenkins, who had 30 tackles, 4.0 TFLs and an interception.

The Lobos used the bye week to get healthy, as Luke Wysong is back after missing the Wyoming game and most of the NMSU game with an injury.  Also getting healthy over the break were linebacker Alec Marenco, Lobo Tavian Combs and tight end Magnus Geers, so UNM should have some pieces at full strength.  Dylan Hopkins, who left the Wyoming game at the start of the fourth quarter, is also fully back and ready to go.

NOTES: The game Saturday is UNM’s Pink Game to honor Breast Cancer Awareness.  Additionally, the Lobos will honor survivors of breast cancer during the game, and fans will receive a small giveaway from UNMH while supplies last … the UNM women’s golf team will receive their Mountain West Championship rings during an in-game ceremony … there will be a Junior Lobo performance at halftime … a total annular eclipse occurs from 9:13 am to 12:09 pm, with a total eclipse from 10:34 to 10:39 am on the day of the game.  The next one in Albuquerque is in 2144.