The University of New Mexico football team will have a fresh face at quarterback and will be missing its leading tackler when it hosts the San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday evening at Dreamstyle Stadium.
Colton Gerhart, who has dealt with the injury for most of the season, is expected to get the start over Sheriron Jones at quarterback.
The Lobos will be without linebacker Evah Tohi on Saturday after he was suspended from all team activities indefinitely after allegedly beating up a teammate of his. The teammate, who remains unnamed, was left hospitalized. KOB 4 first reported the news.
Tohi led the Lobos with 57 tackles. He also had a fumble return for a touchdown last weekend against Utah State.
However, New Mexico has lost three straight games stemming back to Oct. 13, when it lost on the road to Colorado State on a last-second field goal. UNM also lost at home to Fresno State the weekend after and in the process, were only able to put up a touchdown in the game.
Most recently, however, the Lobos (3-5, 1-3 MW) were blown out by Utah State on the road in Logan, 61-19.
If there was a bright spot for New Mexico in that game, it was the fact that it put the first points of the game when kicker Andrew Shelley nailed a 53-yard field goal—the second longest in school history to take a 3-0 lead.
If there was a point of concern, though, it was UNM’s defense. The Lobos gave up 704 yards of total offense to the Aggies, 516 of which was through the air.
But when the Lobos host SDSU come Saturday, things may not be any easier. Rocky Long’s Aztecs enter the match with a record of 6-2 and just one loss in conference.
The Aztecs are expected to see the return of QB Christian Chapman who sprained his MCL against Sacramento State earlier in the season. Still, Ryan Agnew will start at quarterback, with Chapman playing during a designated time in the first half, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
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SDSU will also hope to see the return of Juwan Washington, a standout running back who has been out since late September with a fractured clavicle. Before that, in the four games he had played, Washington was electric, rushing for 513 yards and five touchdowns on 99 carries.
Still, SDSU poses a running back in Chase Jasmin who has played solid in Washington’s absence. Jasmin, on 122 carries this season, has rushed for 546 yards and four touchdowns.
Kickoff for the game is set for Saturday, Nov.3 at 8:15 p.m. The game will be aired live on ESPNU.
Matthew Narvaiz is a senior sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers football, however, he also contributes content to other sports. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz.
