New Mexico will be without its top offensive, defensive player against Rutgers

The New Mexico Lobos will be traveling to take on New York City’s one true football team Rutgers without their best offensive and defensive player. New Mexico will be without starting running back Teriyon Gipson and linebacker Dakota Cox. Both players are out after taking big hits and are now in the concussion protocol and are on the bench this week.

Cox has been the leader for the defense the past few years and this year leads the Lobos in tackles with 20 and he also has 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. Pickng up that production will truely be a team effort on defense.

Gipson is the leading rusher on the team and has 243 yards and four rushing touchdowns this year on just 20 carries which comes out to a monster 12.15 yards per carry which leads the nation with players who have at least 20 carries, and third overall with players who have 13 rushes.

To say this is a big loss is an understatement as Gipson is one of the biggest playmakers not just in the Mountain West but in the nation.

Even after the loss to rival New Mexico State last week, this seemed like a game that New Mexico could win this game but without two key players that seems a lot less likely. For the Lobos it is the next guy on the ground game and those who will pick up the slack and in Richard McQuarley and Tyrone Owens. These two have combined for 191 yards with McQuarley scoring three times on the ground with Owens having yet to find the end zone.

There could be a few more snaps for backup quarterback Lamar Jordan in a wildcat package and Perhaps even starting quarterback Austin Apodaca could get a few more yards on the ground.

Prior to the injuries, it would not be out of the question that New Mexico could pull off the road upset over Rutgers with the line opening at four and now it moved to 5.5 points. This is not an impossible win but losing their two tough players will make it more difficult to get the win.