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The 2019 College Football season doesn’t kickoff for another four months, but hey, it’s never too early to get a look at the schedule for the New Mexico Lobos.
Now, 2019 is a make or break year for Head Coach Bob Davie and his staff, but we’ll discuss that in a future post, this will be just an early look at the schedule.
The schedule is chalk full of rivals that fans know, some that are beginning to become rivals, and an interesting marquee game. Safe to say the 2019 schedule does see some games that are winnable, but some that aren’t. Only time will tell.
Since the end of the Rocky Long era the Lobos have played a money game every season. Take a beating and get paid. With dwindling home attendance it is a way to make up some revenue. This season is no different. The game that sticks out like a sore thumb on the schedule is this season’s money game, which comes on September 14th when the Lobos pay a visit to Notre Dame. The Irish of course made the College Football Playoff last season, and all early preseason indications are that Notre Dame should make a return trip to the CFP. The Lobos are more than likely going to get beat pretty well in that game, but it is exposure for UNM, and it’s much needed revenue.
Outside of that game there are plenty of other winnable contests. The season starts on August 31st with a visit from FCS Sam Houston State. The Bearkats are normally a tough FCS opponent, though they did finish 6-5 last season. They are two seasons removed from playing in the FCS Championship Game. In fact, in the three seasons prior to last season SHSU was 35-7. Expect the Bearkats to be a formidable opponent this season, especially after only losing 12 players to graduation.
The yearly Rio Grande Rivalry game versus New Mexico State will be on September 21st, one week after Notre Dame, and it will be in Albuquerque. Last season the Lobos beat the Aggies, one of just three wins on the campaign, but nonetheless in state bragging rights for a full year is a must for Lobos fans. The interesting thing about this game will be that it will be the Aggies’ 4th of the season, as NMSU would’ve played Washington State, Alabama, and San Diego State the first three weeks of the season. And you thought the Lobos had it bad going to Notre Dame.
Mountain West Conference play opens on October 5th for the Lobos as they pay a visit to San Jose State. The Spartans are coming off a 1-11 season, and as far as this season, many early publications have them ranked in the bottom 10 of the country. Lobos aren’t much higher in those predictions, with many ranking the Lobos at 107 of 129.
Senior day for UNM will be on November 30th when Utah State comes to town. The Lobos have lost their last two Senior day games, but with a different offense for the Lobos, and a team in Utah State on the rebuild, anything is possible.
Here is the overall schedule:
August 31st…………………Sam Houston State
September 7th…………………Bye Week
September 14th…………………AT Notre Dame
September 21st…………………New Mexico State
September 28th…………………AT Liberty
October 5th……………………...AT San Jose State
October 12th.................................Colorado State
October 19th…………………….AT Wyoming
October 26th………………………Hawai’i
November 2nd……………………AT Nevada
November 9th…………………….Air Force
November 16th……………………AT Boise State
November 23rd……………………Bye Week
November 30th………………………Utah State
Looking at the schedule should make a fan excited about the possibility of making post season play. There are many winnable games on the schedule, and the prospect of winning six contests is definitely not out of the question. The key will be slowing down the opposition enough so as to not put too much pressure on the offense this season.