Lobos visit Wyoming

What:

New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys

When:

Saturday September 30^th, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time

Where:

Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, WY

Coverage:

The game will be streamed online on the Mountain West Network. On the radio waves, the Lobo Sports Radio Network will have the call. The flagship station is 96.3 FM/770 AM KKOB in Albuquerque.

Series:

This is the 76^th meeting between the two schools. Wyoming leads 40-35 in the series history, including 20-16 in Laramie.

Breakdown:

In the Mountain West Conference opener for both, the New Mexico Lobos will visit the Wyoming Cowboys today in Laramie.

The Lobos come into the contest with a record of 2-2, following a 34-31 overtime win over the Massachusetts Minutemen last Saturday.

In that game the Lobos blew a 28-14 lead in the second half but were able to eek out the win in the extra session.

Wyoming enters the contest with a 3-1, following a 22-19 win over Appalachian State last Saturday. The Cowboys only loss of the season is to Texas earlier this season.

This is Homecoming for Wyoming. The Cowboys are 48-46-3 in their Homecoming games in their history.

What to expect from the Cowboys:

The Cowboys’ offense has been up and down this season. Last Saturday against the Mountaineers of Appalachian State, Wyoming gained just 208 yards offense, seven first down, and needed a blocked field goal return for a touchdown to grab the win. Against Portland State earlier this season, the Pokes had a balanced attack and gained 201 passing yards and 170 yards on the ground.

If Wyoming is leading, they will lean on the running game. Starting quarterback Andrew Peasley has thrown more than 20 times only once this season, and that was a come from behind win against Texas Tech. The Cowboys will limit their throws if they can and rely on Harrison Waylee and the running game.

Waylee ran for 156 yards on 17 carries against Appalachian State. He also had 110 yards on the ground against Texas.

The Lobos Can Win if:

They can force Peasley to throw it more than 20 times and force him into mistakes.

Wyoming tries to limit Peasley to a game manager and will try again to do it in this game. If New Mexico can shutdown the running game, Peasley will need to throw it more, which could lead to more turnover potential.

On offense, the Lobos need to keep their foot on the gas. Last week the offense disappeared in the second half and nearly cost the Lobos the win. That has to change this week if the Lobos want to walk out of this two-game road trip with two wins.

The Lobos will lose if:

They do not slow down the running game. Not only will Waylee get carries, Peasley can run as well, so it is pertinent for UNM to slow the running game.

Without the running game, the Cowboys will struggle to move the ball. If UNM cannot stop the run, it will get tough for them to win because it will limit possessions for their offense and squeeze the clock which will lead to the Cowboys winning.

Final Thoughts and Prediction:

The Cowboys are favored by 14 ½ on DraftKings as of this writing. This is a measuring stick for both teams. There have been games where both offenses struggled, and some games where they have been high flying. This will give us a good measure of how both will be in conference play. Wyoming has one of the top defenses in the conference, while the Lobos bolster a decent, quick strike offense. This will be closer than the experts think, but I like Wyoming 24-17.