New Mexico Hosts Colorado State as Both Teams Look for a Win

New Mexico (0-10, 0-6) look to get in the win column versus Colorado State (3-7, 0-6).  Good news for one team is they will get their first win in a long time, bad news is one team will keep an ugly losing streak alive.  For all intents and purposes this is New Mexico's last shot at a win this year as they travel to #4 TCU next week.  CSU is in a seven game skid and this is their best chance to get out of it.  Catch the rest after the jump...

For Colorado State Grant Stucker has kept his job as the starting quarterback.  What remains to be seen is if Steve Fairchild has any confidence in him what so ever to pass the ball more then 5 yards.  Luckily they have emerging running back Leonard Mason and a bye week to prepare for the worst team in the MWC.  Mason would be a more common name around the MWC had his emergence not come during a 7 game losing streak.  Mason leads the Rams with 647 yards and has yet to fall below 4 yards per carry average in a game. 

On defense CSU has been awful.  From the play calling to the execution it has not been pretty to watch.  This week they need to get back to fundamentals they got them wins early in the season.  Stopping the run game should be the priority for the Rams so they can stick in this game.

New Mexico is the only team worse then CSU at converting 3rd downs and if they want to win they needs to change.  Their running game will need to step up so QB Donovan Porterie is not stuck in 3rd and long situations.  That job will fall to RB James Wright and his 6.5 yard per carry average.  New Mexico out gained BYU last week in a close loss, they should try and build on that effort.

As I just mentioned New Mexico almost pulled off an upset last week over BYU.  That was mainly due to two forced turnovers by the defense.  If they can pick off Grant Stucker then they have a legitimate shot at their first win.  Stopping the Rams running game should be the focus as the coaching staff has lost faith in Stuckers deep ball.  The Lobos should be able to stack eight in the box and stop the Rams short game.

It might be an entertaining game just cause the teams are evenly matched.  Great football? Not exactly, but watchable as two teams should be wearing each other out for a victory they both desperately want.