by Phil Parker
Daily Lobo
A win is essential to the bowl hopes of both UNM and the Air Force Falcons, which should make for a solid match-up Saturday.
The Falcons (7-3, 3-2) are coming off a win over Army last weekend, but have lost their last two MWC games to Colorado State and Utah.
The Lobos (6-4, 3-2) are fresh off a thrilling win over CSU.
The contest features one of the more intriguing match-ups the Lobos have faced this year. Air Force has averaged just over 300 rushing yards a game this year - by far the most in the conference and third in the nation overall.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
But UNM's rushing defense is equally as formidable. It has allowed only 79 yards rushing per game, the best in the conference and fourth in the nation.
Lobo head coach Rocky Long said the key to the Falcons' running is their option offense.
"There's no one else in the country who comes close to running an option game like theirs," Long said. "In fact, they're the best to ever run it."
Long said that out of each type of play the Falcons will run including power plays, isolations, zone plays and sweeps, Air Force can always run the option.
"They've really added a lot to their offense," he said. "And they can run the option out of all of their formations. Their formations don't give away their plays as much as they used to."
Senior linebacker Daniel Gawronski said that stopping Air Force's rush will be a matter of sticking to assignments.
"Everyone has a different assignment," he said. "For us to come out with a victory, everyone is going to have to be assignment-sound, from our D-line, linebackers, to the corners not biting up playing the pass. If we all stay assignment-sound I think we can be successful."
Aside from the tough task of stopping AFA's rushing, the game is important for Gawronski and fellow seniors, who will play for the last time in front of a home crowd.
"I want to come out of my last game at home in front of our home crowd with a 'W'," Gawronski said. "It's a big game. We have to get to a bowl this year."
Senior defensive linemen D.J. Renteria has similar sentiments about playing his last game at University Stadium.
"There will be a lot of emotions," he said. "Especially with me being from this state."
Renteria added that he will have around 30 family members in attendance to watch his last home game and hopes to see a large crowd send off the seniors.
The Lobos will kick off their last home game of the season at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at University Stadium.
