By the Numbers: New Mexico hosting Air Force

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As New Mexico gets ready to take on the United States Air Force Academy and the Falcons in a batter of two teams looking for both their second wins of the season and first Mountain West wins, here 10 number to get you ready for the game.  It kicks off at the appropriate time of 5:05 pm on Saturday, October 12 at University Stadium.

1 – That’s how many more conference championships UNM has (4) than Air Force (3).  The Lobos have not won a title since winning three WAC titles in a row in 1962, 1963, and 1964, and Air Force also has three WAC titles.  Its titles are much more recent, having won in 1985, 1995 and 1998, all under Fisher DeBerry.  Neither program has a Mountain West title to its credit.

2 – That’s the number of touchbacks for punter Aaron Rodriguez over the last two seasons.  He had one for all of 2023 and just one in 2024. Ironically, that touchback was on the very first punt of the season that he hit.

4 – That’s the number of 40-yard gains that UNM had in its last game against New Mexico State.  The four plays of 40 yards or more (Ryan Davis catch for 40 yards, Nic Trujillo catch for 41 yards, Caleb Medford catch for 47 yards and a Javen Jacob run for 50 yards) doubled UNM’s season total, as over the first four games of the season, UNM had four such plays.

5 – That’s where UNM guard Baraka Beckett ranks nationally among all FBS offensive guards in pass blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus.  Beckett has a 90.0% mark, and he is first among the Group of 5 guards, and he is fifth overall.

6 – That’s the amount of non-quarterback rushing yards that is on New Mexico’s team that returned and is currently active.  Those six yards are split between Jaylen Morgan (who hasn’t played in a game yet this season and had four yards last year) and tight end Trace Bruckler (who took a snap at quarterback and got two yards rushing).

13 – That’s the number of times UNM has had a negative yardage play this year, over 362 plays.  UNM is tied with The Ohio State University for third nationally, and those two programs trail two option teams in Army and Navy.

23 – That’s the offensive yards per game rank for The University of New Mexico in its first year with offensive coordinator Jason Beck at the helm.  The Lobos are averaging 461.2 yards per game, which not only ranks 23rd nationally in the FBS, but it would rank at the fourth-best offense in terms of yards per game in the history of UNM.

52 – That’s the combined number of first-time FBS starters for the two teams.  Air Force has the most first-time starters in the nation this year with 30, and New Mexico amazingly enough is next with 22.

205 – That’s the season-high in rushing yards for Air Force, which is averaging 173.0 yards per game.  Last year Air Force averaged 281.5 yards per game on the ground.  The Lobos are allowed 242.6 rushing yards per game in 2024.

234 – That’s the number of points for Air Force kicker Matthew Dapore, who is 20 points away from besting Luke Strebel’s career mark of 254 points.  UNM fans should know Strebel’s name, as his missed field goal against Hawai’i on the last play of regulation (after hitting a Mountain West record 22 in a row) sent the game to overtime, and Hawai’i eventually won that game.  That meant Air Force finished a game behind UNM, Wyoming and Boise State in the Mountain Division, and Wyoming won the tiebreaker and advanced to the Mountain West championship game.  Had Strebel made the field goal, UNM would have won the tiebreaker and advanced to the championship game.