Lobos Host North Dakota State in Matchup of Nation's Top Two Defenses

Lobos Host North Dakota State in Matchup of Nation's Top Two DefensesLobos Host North Dakota State in Matchup of Nation's Top Two Defenses
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Lobos boast the nation's No. 1 scoring defense, and the North Dakota State Bison have the No. 2 scoring defense. This Saturday, the two teams squad off in a Mountain West showdown that could put New Mexico two games clear of most of the Mountain West, or muddle the championship race with five 1-loss teams in the conference.

The game is the first of three straight home games for UNM on The CW. Jack McMullen, the radio voice of the Miami Marlins, will call the game with Cody Kessler and Marshall Newhouse. Robert Portnoy and DonTrell Moore will call the game on the Lobo Radio Network. 

The Lobos are 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Mountain West, the league's only team left unbeaten in play. North Dakota State, in its first season as a full-time FBS team, is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Mountain West. With a win, UNM will be bowl-eligible, marking back-to-back seasons. North Dakota State is already bowl-eligible. 

It's the first meeting between the two programs, but not the first time for UNM head coach Jason Eck, who regularly faced NDSU as the offensive coordinator at South Dakota State. The nation's top two defenses meet for the second straight season. Last year, Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, and Indiana was No. 2 when they met in the Big Ten Championship game.

GAME 7 INFORMATION TV: The CW (Stream on ESPN+)

• Play-by-Play: Jack McMullen
• Analysis: Cody Kessler
• Sidelines: Marshall Newhouse
• The CW
• Stream: www.espn.com/watch

RADIO: Lobo Radio Network

• Play-by-Play: Robert Portnoy
• Analysis: DonTrell Moore
• Online: player.listenlive.co/22401

SOCIAL MEDIA: #GoLobos | #RealOnes26

• X/Instagram/Facebook: @UNMLoboFB
• YouTube: @NewMexicoLobos
• Live Stats: golobos.com/FBStats

FAST FIVE

• New Mexico is 2-0 in the Mountain West for the first time in its history.
• The Lobos have won eight straight conference games, tying for the third-longest current conference winning streak, and it is the longest in school history.
• Darren Agu was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week, and UNM has won a weekly conference honor in four straight weeks.
• UNM is the only team in the nation with multiple takeaways in every game they have played this season.
• UNM is averaging 39.7 points per game on offense, despite 30.8% of all offensive snaps being taken by freshmen, and 21.5% by true freshmen.