There’s something familiar about facing Power Four opponents in Week 3 for the New Mexico Lobos.
A year ago, as 16-point underdogs, Head Coach Jason Eck and the Lobos marched into Pasadena, Calif. and stomped the UCLA Bruins 35-10 in Week 3. They took the state of New Mexico by storm and never looked back.
Fast forward 372 days, and UNM is met with another Power Four conference opponent: The No. 24-ranked Oklahoma Sooners — On the road, in primetime, resembling last season’s match against the Bruins.
“This is a much different football team than that (UCLA) team last year,” Eck made clear about Oklahoma.
Through two games, Eck’s evaluation appears spot on. The 2025 UCLA Bruins were one of the most disappointing teams in college football, while the 2026 Oklahoma Sooners currently possess one of the best defenses in the nation.
But that doesn’t change what New Mexico accomplished with all odds against them a season ago, and to nobody’s surprise, UNM isn’t favored in this matchup (23.5-point underdogs). What lies ahead of Eck and UNM this weekend is an opportunity to prove they belong in the upper threshold of college football.
Saturday’s circumstances are similar to their trip to UCLA last season, but the quality of the opponent more closely echoes the 2025 season opener against Michigan.
“(Oklahoma) is probably similar to the Michigan team we played last year,” Eck said. “A winning team — a team that knows what they’re doing…a team that was in the College Football Playoff.”
The belief began in Ann Arbor, Mich. Despite losing by three scores (34-17), UNM’s Week 1 performance was a testament to the foundation Eck quickly built within the program, and it carried on throughout the season and led them to a bowl game.
“There’s obviously great opportunity,” Eck said regarding this week’s game. “I think we have more to gain than we have to lose in a game like [this]. They can’t really take away any of our goals that we have this year, but it’s a very good football team…we’ll have less margin for error in this game than against UCLA.”
“I think if [we] can play well and clean…even if they beat [us] and you don’t beat yourself, I think there are some positives you can build on going forward,” Eck said.
The fate of UNM’s season doesn’t fall in the hands of Oklahoma, nor should it. A loss in Norman doesn't erase what the Lobos have and can accomplish this season, just as the loss in Ann Arbor didn't derail their 2025 campaign — but Saturday can still tell New Mexico plenty.
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The matchup is a measuring stick for the program, another opportunity to evaluate the team’s overall progression since scaring Michigan and announcing itself against UCLA.
Oklahoma (1-1) is coming off of a 17-10 defeat to Michigan. They dropped from No. 11 to 24 in the Week 2 AP poll. They’ll travel to Athens, Ga. next week to face the Bulldogs, but before then, they’ll host a hungry New Mexico squad with almost nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Edge Garcia is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @ByEdgeGarcia
