by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
If Rocky Long's prediction about the Mountain West Conference is correct, then the UNM football team can still win the conference championship.
But if the Lobos want a realistic shot at winning the MWC, they must be just about flawless the rest of the season.
Long said the MWC champion will have at least one conference loss by season's end, meaning UNM is still alive with a 3-2 overall record, 0-1 in the conference.
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Lobo center Vince Natali said the team knows each game is a must-win the rest of the season.
"We're going to take it one game at a time, of course, but we really have to play every game mistake-free," he said. "We have to win this game to just get momentum going into the next weeks."
Winning at Wyoming this Saturday will be difficult. The Cowboys have been the best team in the MWC, boasting an overall record of 4-1, 1-0 in the conference.
Wyoming's conference win was a 24-21 victory over TCU, which was favored to win the MWC in a coaches' preseason poll. The Cowboys' only loss came at Boise State.
Statistically, Wyoming is solid. It is allowing just 267 offensive yards per game, and the 84 rush yards per game it allows is the best in the conference.
The Cowboys also have the leading rusher in the MWC in Devin Moore, who averages 114 yards per game.
UNM is close behind Wyoming in both categories, giving up 89 rush yards per contest while Rodney
Ferguson is rushing for 112 yards per outing.
Long said there is no clear favorite in the conference, but Wyoming is as dangerous a team as any UNM can play.
"They're playing as good as anybody in the conference," he said. "Wyoming's as hot as any team in the league right now."
The past few years, the Lobos have succeeded against the Cowboys on the road. UNM has won the last three contests in Laramie.
However, Wyoming has been on a roll at home, winning its last six games in Wyoming.
And in last year's meeting in Albuquerque, the Cowboys left University Stadium with a 14-10 win, holding UNM to a season-low 190 yards.
Natali said the Lobos have last year's loss on their minds.
"That was our homecoming weekend, and I remember feeling pretty sour about that," he said. "We got to really bring it to them to win this one."
Winning against Wyoming will require the Lobos to stay sharp, especially late in the game. The Cowboys have scored 127 points so far this season with 97 coming in the
second half.
UNM defensive end Michael Tuohy said the Lobos will have to focus for all four quarters Saturday.
"They look real good on film," he said. "We've got to play the whole game. They're just tough guys. They keep going, so we've got to do the same."
Football at Wyoming
Saturday, Noon
Laramie, Wyoming
