New Mexico Football Thrashes UTEP 61-7 in Historic Mountain West Opener

The University of New Mexico Lobos moved to 4-1 with a dominant 61-7 blowout over UTEP in their Mountain West opener at University Stadium. Powered by QB Toa Fa’avae’s 249 passing yards, Austin Brawley’s 65-yard pick-six, and a nation-leading defense forcing five takeaways, head coach Jason Eck has UNM off to its best start since 1997 as the Lobos head into their bye week.

Thirty-eight years is a long time to wait for history to repeat itself, but Jason Eck’s Lobos are on the verge of making it happen.

Standing at 3-1 with the nation’s most absurd turnover margin (+14 with zero giveaways), New Mexico enters Saturday’s long-awaited conference clash against UTEP eyeing its best five-game start since 1997—and taking another massive step toward the program's first 10-win season since 1982. But to keep the march toward a historic Mountain West title alive, newly entrenched starting quarterback Toa Fa’avae must navigate a fiery rivalry, settle a score nearly three decades in the making, and do the hardest thing in football: keep the slate spotless.