As much as Lobo fans hate the Aggies, they might just owe them a Hallmark thank-you card at the end of the season.
After a 35-24 win over NMSU pulled the Lobos to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the Mountain West Conference, UNM cornerback Glover Quin said this week's Homecoming game against Wyoming might be the defining point in the Lobos' season.
"We had a tough nonconference schedule, and to come out of that non-conference schedule with a chance to go into our Homecoming, a chance to play a good team like Wyoming and hopefully get a win and get back to .500, that's a big point in the season for us," he said
UNM and Wyoming are both 2-3, and the Cowboys triumphed over UNM 14-10 in the Lobos' 2006 Homecoming game.
Turnovers could be a deciding factor for the Lobos and Cowboys.
Wyoming has committed 19 turnovers: 10 interceptions and nine fumbles.
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Don't be surprised if UNM plays hot potato with the football. The Lobos, too, have thrown 10 interceptions.
"I think the two teams - Wyoming and us - are carbon copies of each other," head coach Rocky Long told GoLobos.com. "We are both struggling football teams that have had difficulties with turnovers, and turnovers have caused us to win or lose games."
So far this season, the Lobos have been dependent on the running game, the defense and special teams to collect their two wins.
Are the Lobos running too much?
Last week, Rodney Ferguson suffered a stinger in his shoulder. The Lobos then turned to Paul Baker to carry the burden, handing him the ball 37 times.
"(Ferguson and Baker) both practiced (Monday), but they were both sore, and they weren't full-speed," Long said. "We will be really careful this week. There'll be no contact, and we'll limit the number of reps both of them will get, so hopefully they'll be good enough to play on Saturday. If not, (redshirt freshman) James Wright might get a whole bunch of carries."
There's no doubt the Lobos have been successful employing their smash-mouth brand of football: UNM averages 183.2 yards on the ground, compared to 128.6 in the passing game.
UNM has also been blessed with a gifted and talented defense.
"I think back to the 2006-07 Chicago Bears," Quin said. "They went all the way to the Super Bowl off of their defense. The way we look at it is, if the opposing offense can't score, and we can get a field goal by causing a turnover to set up our offense in good field position, then we win 3-0."
Special teams has compensated for the Lobos' offensive deficiencies.
But anytime a kicker is leading the team in scoring - James Aho has 38 points - that's cause for concern.
UNM has been unable to punch the ball into the end zone. On 16 red zone visits, the Lobos have scored just seven touchdowns - a 44 percent success rate.
"Some games (the offense) has to carry us; some games (the defense) has to carry them," Quin said. "(Against NMSU) they put up 35 points."
Quin has done his part, too.
In addition to his three interceptions, Quin has pumped a pulse into the Lobos' return game.
UNM is 30th and 14th in the nation in punt and kick returns.
Quin is the X factor, Devin Hester's equivalent on the Lobos' special teams - minus Hester's six returns for touchdowns.
Frankie Solomon makes a strong case for the Hester tag, racking up 252 yards off 11 kick returns.
But statistically speaking, Quin has done more with the four returns he's had this season.
He has gained 145 yards, an average of 36.2 per return, his most recent coming last week when twice Quin set up UNM with excellent field position, reeling off a 38-yard kick return and a 63-yarder.
Everything the Lobos have needed to go right in other aspects of the game has gone right.
The Bears made a living out of that type of football, going 13-3, but ultimately lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl.
So, the question that will continue to loom for the rest of the season is: How long can the Lobos ride the Big Three - running, defense and special teams?
Quin said he doesn't envision encountering any problems.
"I think we'll be all right," he said. "Some games they might put up 21 points, but we need to hold a team under 21 points. It's just a team thing."
Football vs. Wyoming
Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
University Stadium
