Lobos football: Everything to know about New Mexico-Air Force, Lobos' last road game of the season

Who: New Mexico (7-3, 4-2) at Air Force (3-7, 4-2).

When and where: 5 p.m. Saturday at Falcon Stadium, located on the U.S. Air Force Academy’s campus near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

How to watch/listen: CBS Sports Network will carry UNM-AFA with Chris Lewis (play-by-play) and Randy Cross (analyst) on the call. Robert Portnoy (play-by-play) and DonTrell Moore (analyst) will also broadcast the game via radio on the Lobo Radio Network (770 AM/96.3 FM).

Who’s favored: UNM is a 3½- point favorite over Air Force, per Draft Kings. The over/under is set at 55½.

Top storyline(s): In a season that’s seen UNM snap years-long streaks and end decade-plus droughts on a near-weekly basis, the Lobos have the opportunity to end another this weekend.

That’s because UNM has not beat Air Force on the road since 2000, a drought older than just about every player on the roster (punter Daniel Hughes is 27). And while the Falcons’ record might not look like it, Eck thinks this is a team that’s improved throughout the season and could “easily” have six wins.

“They’ve lost three games by three points,” head coach Jason Eck said in a news conference Tuesday. “ … Early in the year, they had a lot of games where they were giving up 40 and 50 (points). I think they did some good coaching — they tweaked some things and (have been) playing better defense here the last few weeks.”

UNM also has plenty to play for this weekend in terms of its Mountain West Championship hopes. Out of every team in the 12-team league, only San Diego State could clinch a title game berth this weekend; if the Aztecs beat San Jose State and get losses from UNM, Boise State and Fresno State this weekend, they would be locked in.

As for the Lobos? They’re still tied for second in the league standings with UNLV, Hawaii and Boise State, and ideally need to win out with the other three 4-2 teams taking at least one loss.

Impossible? Far from it. But as he’s said before, Eck isn’t making much of the conference championship talk until UNM actually controls its destiny.

“No one’s gonna win the conference this weekend,” he added. “Next weekend is where all that stuff comes into play. I’ve always had a feeling that if you work really hard and take care of your business, usually life works out.

“I’ve been pretty blessed that way, and I hope it’ll happen for our team if we take care of business.”

Falcons to watch: After quarterback Liam Szarka suffered what’s expected to be a season-ending arm injury against UConn, all signs point to Air Force starting Kemper Hodges against UNM. The 6-foot, 245-pound converted fullback (aptly nicknamed “Big Bad Basic” during basic training) has rushed for only 70 yards on 15 carries in the Falcons’ triple-option scheme this season, but Eck was focused far more on what he saw on tape than any statistics.

“I mean, he’s a load (when) he gets downhill … Probably the biggest option quarterback I’ve ever seen,” Eck chuckled. “So you gotta really get your pads behind you and run your feet on contact against him.”

Defensively, Air Force also has a potential All-Mountain West selection in nose tackle Payton Zdroik (29 total tackles), a mainstay of the Falcons’ defense over the last few seasons. “He really caught my eye,” Eck said of the 6-0, 275-pound senior. “I think he could play for anybody in our conference.”

Lobos to watch: Quarterback James Laubstein’s status is still up in the air, Eck said, but the 6-3, 211-pound senior was set to return to practice Tuesday. Laubstein has been sidelined with a leg injury suffered against UNLV; he has completed 10 of 14 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns this season, but thrived in rushing packages (192 yards) designed to take advantage of his skill set.

“I don’t think I’d quite say he’s probable yet or anything, but he’s gonna do some things today,” Eck said. “He’s a tough sucker who really wants to go.”

What happened the last time these teams played: Quarterback Devon Dampier accounted for 229 total yards, wide receiver Luke Wysong returned a punt for a touchdown and the Lobos scored on seven straight drives en route to a 52-37 thumping of the Falcons on Oct. 12, 2024. That represented UNM’s first win over Air Force since 2018; the Falcons lead the all-time series 26-15.

After that game, UNM stood and listened to Air Force players sing the program’s alma mater, a semi-tradition among league programs. Eck said he was interested in making sure the Lobos did much of the same Saturday.

“I gotta brush up on exactly what the proper etiquette is, but we want to honor that,” he added. “Though we certainly wanna beat these guys on the field, (I) have a lotta respect for what they do to serve our country and represent our country. I’m glad these guys are tough and gritty and competitive and smart, because that’s what you want to protect your country.”