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The news may not be all that surprising, though it may derange the thoughts of the fanatical, it will no doubt put a chip on the shoulder of the coaches and of the players. The news that I am talking of is about the University of New Mexico Lobos football team being picked to finish sixth, last, in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference by the media, present company excepted of course. In fact, the points that the Lobos received is good enough, or bad, to put them in last place of the entire 12-team MWC.
This really shouldn’t come as a shock considering how the program was left by the previous regime and how the last three seasons have played out on the football field for UNM. The Lobos ended last season 2-10 and had their first ever winless conference season since joining the MWC. Because of that, and some previous seasons among other things, cost Bob Davie his job as head coach at UNM.
The University made a splash by hiring Danny Gonzales, a former Lobo player and coach, as its new head man. Gonzales brought back a lot of former Lobos as coaches as well, including former Lobo head coach Rocky Long to be the defensive coordinator.
Despite the hire, Gonzales and company know that they have the difficult task of rebuilding the football team that has seen more down days than up since Long left over a decade ago. That rebuilding will take some time according to the media voting in Mountain West Media Days.
The pick to finish last should be a motivating tool for the players and coaches alike heading into 2020. UNM, like everyone else in College Football this season, will have to deal with an ever-changing schedule. As of this writing, the Lobos are scheduled to open the season with Idaho State on August 29th. The following week they will travel to Mississippi State. The following week’s game scheduled to be against Southern California has been cancelled, leaving the Lobos without one of their “money” games for 2020. UNM will end their season with three tough in conference tilts against Boise State, Air Force and Wyoming.