NEWS
Mountain West Mania: Takeaways From The Fourth Week of Mountain West College Football
Double-overtime thrillers, rivalry beatdowns, and a hierarchy fast taking shape - Week 4 of Mountain West football delivered all the chaos and clarity college football fans crave. As New Mexico solidifies its quarterback situation and Air Force pulls off a gutsy high-wire act, the conference title race is heating up. Meanwhile, bounce-back performances and early-season shocks are completely shifting the tier list. Here are the top five takeaways from a wild weekend of Mountain West action.
More Defensive Thievery Helps Fa’avae, Lobo Football Team +Throttle NMSU Aggies
When the offense sputters, let the nation’s top ball-hawking defense take the wheel. The University of New Mexico football team leveraged back-to-back third-quarter takeaways to blow open a rivalry matchup, pulling away for a dominant 42-18 victory over New Mexico State at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
Behind a season-high 253 rushing yards and an explosive second-half surge from newly named starting quarterback Toa Fa’avae, the Lobos extended their staggering season turnover margin to plus-14. Head coach Jason Eck trimmed the playbook, locked in his signal-caller, and watched his squad improve to 3-1, proving that while the offense is still a work in progress, this defense is more than capable of handling the heavy lifting.
Staff Predictions for the Rio Grande Rivalry: New Mexico Lobos vs. New Mexico State Aggies
The Pit Press staff predictions ahead of the New Mexico and New Mexico State on Saturday 9/26 in Las Cruces, NM.
Rio Grande Rivalry War: What Are the Aggies Good For? New Mexico Football Will Find Out
Nothing snaps a football team out of a missed opportunity quite like a bitter rivalry.
Fresh off a frustrating 14-6 loss at Oklahoma—where the defense shined, but an unstable quarterback situation left points on the field, the University of New Mexico Lobos (2-1) are shifting their focus to Saturday’s Rio Grande Rivalry matchup at New Mexico State. UNM enters as a 13.5-point favorite for the nationally televised showdown, but questions under center remain as head coach Jason Eck juggles pass-first Luke Moga and dual-threat Toa Fa’avae.
With the Aggies (1-2) aiming to play spoiler at home and Mountain West play right around the corner, this rivalry battle serves as UNM's final high-stakes dress rehearsal. The Lobos can’t afford a slip-up in Las Cruces, because a loss would confirm every UNM fan's worst fear: that the Aggies really are good for nothing.
New Mexico Football: Coach Nowinsky’s defense is turning heads and Power Four programs may be watching
Spence Nowinsky has built a monster in Albuquerque. After turning New Mexico into one of the nation’s most improved defenses in 2025, the Lobos’ coordinator has leveled up again in 2026 - holding nationally ranked Oklahoma to just 14 points and anchoring an opportunistic unit that ranks fourth in the FBS in total defense (201 yards per game) and leads the country with 11 takeaways. Head coach Jason Eck calls him the best Group of Five defensive coordinator in America, and if the "Mutts" keep playing with this level of relentless physicality, Power Four programs won't be able to look away for long.
Mountain West Mania: Takeaways From The Third Week of Mountain West College Football
Discover the top 5 takeaways from Week 3 of Mountain West college football. From North Dakota State’s dominant 4-0 run to New Mexico’s defensive stand against Oklahoma, see who impressed, who struggled, and what it means for the conference title race.
New Mexico Football vs. Oklahoma: For the First Time, Lobos Beat the Lobos
A stellar defense and three forced turnovers gave New Mexico eight separate drives in Oklahoma territory, but self-inflicted wounds and red-zone stalls condemned the Lobos to a agonizing 14-6 loss against the 24th-ranked Sooners. Gone are the days when UNM settled for moral victories; inside the locker room, this was a squandered opportunity against an SEC power they dominated for long stretches. From dropped passes and crucial penalties to six brutal sacks, the offense repeatedly got in its own way, proving that on a night built for a program-defining upset, the only team capable of stopping the Lobos was themselves.
Staff Predictions for New Mexico Lobos vs. Oklahoma Sooners
The Pit Press staff predictions ahead of the New Mexico and Oklahoma matchup on 9/19/26 in Norman, OK.
Monumental Upset vs. Oklahoma in the Air for New Mexico Football? Dumb and Dumber Things Have Happened
They are 22.5-point underdogs stepping into a historic powerhouse's backyard, but Jason Eck and the New Mexico Lobos aren't heading to Norman just to take photos. Riding an 11-4 stretch, boasting the nation's third-ranked total defense, and armed with the quiet confidence of past giant-killings, UNM travels to face No. 24 Oklahoma believing in the impossible. They’ll need near-flawless execution and a few big breaks to pull off the biggest signature road win in program history - so you’re telling us there’s a chance?
Tuesday’s Edge: Lobos’ key ingredients against Oklahoma are revealed after dominating Mercyhurst
Riding the high of a 91-year record home win streak and a 70-7 dismantling of Mercyhurst, the New Mexico Lobos are trading fast food for fine dining as they head east to face No. 24 Oklahoma. Head coach Jason Eck knows stepping up to the SEC’s "nicest steak house" brings the risk of getting embarrassed, but the Lobos hold a few high-stakes ingredients for an unprecedented upset. To shock the Sooners, UNM must overcome early passing slumps, rely on their nation-leading takeaway defense, and leverage freshman sensation Marco Beltran Jr.’s explosive punt returns to flip the field.
Mountain West Mania: Takeaways From The Second Week of Mountain West College Football
From humiliating FCS upsets to statement road victories, the Mountain West turned into absolute chaos last weekend. While conference newcomers North Dakota State continued their dominant FBS transition by dismantling Air Force, stalwarts like UNLV hit an unexpected brick wall, and two other programs suffered embarrassing home drops to lower-subdivision foes. But amidst the wreckage, a few programs took care of business, racked up record-setting blowouts, and found their footing.
Here are the top five takeaways from a wild, unraveling week of Mountain West college football with Colton Pool.
Judge New Mexico Football by Its Potential, Not by Routs of Central Michigan, Mercyhurst
Despite opening the season with a dominant 108-14 combined margin over Central Michigan and Mercyhurst, the University of New Mexico football team faces a critical reality check heading into next week's matchup against Oklahoma. Head coach Jason Eck’s squad demonstrated explosive potential in Saturday’s 70-7 blowout - highlighted by a school-record 42-point second quarter and a suffocating defense, yet lingering inconsistencies in passing precision, secondary pursuit, and special teams penalties remain. To transform early-season momentum into a legitimate threat against a higher-tier opponent, the Lobos must clean up the details and prove their potential holds up out of their current weight class.
Sooners Rather Than Later, New Mexico Football Should Put Away Mercyhurst
For Head Coach Jason Eck, Saturday isn't just about padding the win column; it's an exercise in execution, depth, and staying healthy. With key starters nursing injuries and a looming marquee matchup against No. 11 Oklahoma, the Lobos must put away the Lakers early, clear the bench, and avoid unnecessary drama. If UNM wants to keep its ambitious postseason aspirations alive, they need to take care of business swift and early, because looking past Mercyhurst is a gamble New Mexico simply cannot afford.
Tuesday’s Edge: New Mexico’s defense suffocates Central Michigan; freshmen deliver encouraging performances
Suffocate, throttle, or dominate—pick your verb, because New Mexico’s defense executed them all on Saturday night.
In front of 24,126 fans, their largest home-opening crowd since 2014, the Lobos dismantled Central Michigan 38-7 to secure their most decisive season-opening victory against an FBS opponent in 42 years. Defensive coordinator Spence Nowinsky’s unit delivered a masterclass in relentless execution, holding the Chippewas without a single first down for nearly the entire first half and surrendering just three yards across CMU's opening 12 plays.
Mountain West Mania: Takeaways From The First Week of Mountain West College Football
Week 1 in the Mountain West didn’t just nudge preseason storylines off course—it blew them to pieces.
From New Mexico’s dominant, defensive masterclass, to North Dakota State proving its FBS transition is built for immediate contention, the opening slate brought absolute chaos to the league. Add in UNLV’s crucial, defense-led rebound, Hawaii’s frustrating slow start, and a statement blowout from a hyper-physical Nevada squad, and the hierarchy of the conference has already been reshuffled.
Here are Colton Pool’s top five takeaways from a wildly unpredictable opening week in Mountain West college football.
New Mexico Lobo Football Fans Must See Program's Unicorn, as Central Michigan Witnessed
Forget the old playbook. While past coaches preached that rebuilding UNM football was a slow, agonizing marathon, Jason Eck is treating it like a high-octane drag race. With a dominant 38-7 dismantling of Central Michigan, Eck became the fastest head coach in Lobo history to reach 10 victories - stretching UNM’s home winning streak to an unprecedented eight games while unleashing a versatile three-quarterback attack that has Albuquerque buzzing. The Eck era isn't just resetting expectations - it’s proving that New Mexico has finally found its football unicorn.
Great Expectations, Central Michigan Could Be Handful for New Mexico Football Season Opener
With unprecedented hype, a 10-win benchmark, and playoff dreams floating through Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico enters 2026 under a whole new kind of pressure. But as the 10.5-point favorite Lobos prepare to host Central Michigan for Saturday’s opener, head coach Jason Eck is pumping the brakes on any overconfidence. For a program unaccustomed to the burden of high expectations, looking past a bowl-tested Chippewas squad could turn a night of celebration into a costly trap.
