The UNM football team and its Liberty Bowl hopes travel north Saturday to take on the Colorado State Rams.
Utah, ranked sixth in the BCS standings, will attend a BCS bowl game if its undefeated record stays intact. If the Lobos win their remaining three games, they will secure second place in the Mountain West Conference. Because Utah will be reveling in BCS stardom, UNM will have a New Year's Eve date in Tennessee.
Senior linebacker Nick Speegle knows the Lobos' hopes of attending that New Year's Eve ball hinge upon their next three games.
"We can't think, 'Win two out of three'," he said. "It's, 'Win every game starting with this week.' If we want to play in December, then that's what we have to do."
UNM and CSU started their seasons with tough nonconference opponents. The Rams began conference play with a 3-1 record, while the Lobos are 2-2. Both teams showed signs of nonconference hangovers, as the Lobos and the Rams lost their first MWC games.
However, momentum has changed for both teams. UNM and CSU are riding the waves of two-game winning streaks going into Saturday's battle.
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The conference foes have had strikingly similar seasons up to this point, but tomorrow's matchup will set one apart.
The running game could be a determining factor for both teams. The Rams continue to run the ball, but average only 104.3 yards per game. UNM head coach Rocky Long expects the Rams to attempt to run the ball against the Lobos' strong rush defense, ranked second in the MWC.
"They're going to run it, run it, run it, and then use play-action pass to get a guy wide open," Long said.
If young CSU quarterback Justin Holland chooses to pass the ball, he will be throwing into perilous territory. The Lobos have forced 21 turnovers this season, tying USC and Ohio for second-most turnovers in the nation.
DonTrell Moore will be hard-pressed to duplicate his career-high 242 yards and three touchdowns against the Rams last season. Moore has averaged 211.5 yards in his last two meetings with CSU.
His previous success gives the Rams incentive to stop him, Moore said.
Though CSU will alter its defensive scheme to stop the running game, Moore said his past experience with the Rams' defense is something he can use to his advantage.
A win this weekend would move UNM past CSU into third in the MWC.
