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“I think Coach Eck has done an excellent job this week emphasizing that this is not a vacation trip... It’s a business trip, and we’re going out there to win a football game.”
Palm trees, ocean views, and island adventures aren’t on the Lobos’ minds as they travel to Honolulu. Neither is ESPN’s College GameDay, nor any national attention for that matter.
New Mexico is heading west, fresh off its bye week, to face the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (1-5), where it will look to improve to 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 1997—when they were a part of the Western Athletic Conference—and the first time since joining the Mountain West.
Despite no game action last week, the Lobos had the attention of ESPN’s College GameDay host, Rece Davis, who mentioned Albuquerque as a potential spot for the biggest college football pregame show ahead of UNM’s matchup against North Dakota State on Oct. 24.
With the Bison falling to UNLV 13-7 three days after Davis’ hints, the dream of hosting ESPN’s nationally recognized show—though still a small possibility—has started to fade.
Head Coach Jason Eck said it was likely the first time he ever rooted for the Bison. “With it being a bye week, I was tuned in and watching that game. I was rooting for North Dakota State, but again, you can’t control it, so you can’t dwell on it too much.”
Although Eck admitted he was pulling for NDSU, he isn't dwelling on the possibility of hosting College GameDay. With the outcome out of his hands, he said the Lobos’ attention remains on preparing for the Rainbow Warriors.
“Not really,” Eck said when asked if he had any thoughts about College GameDay possibly coming to University Stadium. “I think it would be awesome if they did, but again, we have to control what we can control, and that’s playing really good [against Hawai’i] and getting a win.”
Does the national attention provide any benefits inside the locker room? Does it provide more confidence?
“I really don’t want any outside noise to be the nature of our confidence at all,” Eck said. “The outside noise could love you, and the outside noise could hate you one week later. You can get humbled in this game really quick.”
“Coach Eck and [offensive coordinator Luke] Schleusner talked about it last year… We were picked to be second to last or last in the conference,” tight end Cade Keith said on Tuesday when asked about the national attention UNM is receiving. “This year we were picked to finish higher, and we kind of realized that stuff really doesn’t matter.”
Outside recognition isn't what’s driving UNM’s confidence—especially with another conference test ahead.
The Lobos left Thursday morning, a day earlier than usual, making a pit stop in Oakland before officially landing in Honolulu. Eck said the early departure gave the team more time to recover and acclimate. UNM is holding a practice on the island on Friday.
What kind of challenges does the team face with having to travel earlier than normal?
“[It] means we have to be extra on top of our plays—on top of the game plan,” Keith said. “From a health standpoint, we have to be on top of our bodies and make sure we’re ready to go for a long flight. It’s definitely physically challenging, but I think it’s also going to be mentally challenging—preparing our minds and playing at a high level.”
Much has been made of the potential distractions Hawai’i offers as a vacation destination, too, but Eck made it clear the Lobos have no interest in extra diversions.
“I think Coach Eck has done an excellent job this week emphasizing that this is not a vacation trip,” Keith said. “It’s a business trip, and we’re going out there to win a football game.”
Viewing this conference clash as anything other than a business trip would be a mistake. Eck said looking at Hawai’i’s 1-5 record is “deceptive,” adding that they’ve played two Power Four teams in Stanford and Arizona State.
“I think they certainly are a different team at home as well,” Eck said. “I think they play very hard; they fly around; [they have] very good team speed.”
Hawai’i celebrates its annual homecoming game this weekend against the Lobos, where it has won seven of its last eight homecoming matches.
“[It's] gonna be a challenging game, and you know, a game I had circled all along,” Eck said.
Hawai’i was among the Mountain West preseason favorites. Quarterback Micah Alejado was named MW preseason offensive player of the year. The Rainbow Warriors’ expectations for 2026 have fallen significantly after six games. For UNM, facing a desperate conference foe on the road can lead to unexpected outcomes.
“They’re like a wounded animal,” Eck said of Hawai’i. “Their backs are against the wall. We’re gonna get their best shot.”
The Lobos know that letting their focus slip on anything other than Hawai’i can be detrimental.
“We’re throwing records out the door; we know Hawai’i is a tough team,” Keith said. “Right now, our focus and attention is all on Hawai’i, and I think our coaching staff has done a really excellent job emphasizing that.”
After allowing 89 points to Oklahoma State, New Mexico responded with a dominant defensive performance in a 92-64 exhibition win over Washington State. The Lobos held the Cougars to 35% shooting, limited them to 12 points in the paint and forced 17 turnovers that led to 23 points. UNM’s defense fueled its transition offense, while Uriah Tenette, Jake Hall and Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi led a balanced scoring attack as 10 Lobos scored from the field.