Scouting Report: Aztecs face New Mexico team that has played way into title picture

by Kirk Kenney

The San Diego State football team was picked to finish eighth in the Mountain West’s preseason media poll.

New Mexico was picked to finish 11th in the 12-team league.

Neither team listened.

SDSU (9-2, 6-1 MW) leads the Mountain West by one game and the Lobos (8-3, 5-2) find themselves in a three-way tie for second place in the final week of the regular season.

Berths in the Mountain West championship game are on the line this week when the teams get together in Albuquerque. SDSU will host the championship game, potentially at Petco Park, if it wins. Computer rankings will determine the participants and host site if the Aztecs lose.

SDSU leads the all-time series 29-16 against the Lobos. The Aztecs had won nine straight before New Mexico beat them 21-16 last year at Snapdragon Stadium.

Here’s what you need know about the Lobos ahead of Friday’s game:

About the Lobos

New Mexico has had more head coaches (4) than winning seasons (1) over the past decade.

First-year Lobos coach Jason Eck, who was hired this season after Bronco Mendenhall left after one year for Utah State, gets credit for turning things around. He has guided New Mexico to eight victories, the Lobos’ highest win total this century outside of nine-win seasons in 2007 and 2016.

Half the roster turned over after Eck’s arrival from Idaho. He brought in more than 50 new players, including nearly three dozen transfers.

Immediate results included several firsts:

• New Mexico’s 35-10 win over UCLA was the program’s first road win over a Power Four program, and its first victory over a Big Ten team.

• The crowd of 37,440 that came out for New Mexico’s game against New Mexico State represented the Lobos’ first home sellout in more than a decade.

• The Lobos are eligible for a bowl game — likely the New Mexico Bowl unless they win the Mountain West championship game — for the first time since 2016.

New Mexico opened the season with a respectable showing in a 34-17 loss to Michigan. Three straight nonconference wins followed, against Idaho State, UCLA and New Mexico State.

New Mexico opened Mountain West play with losses at San Jose State and Boise State. The Lobos have won five straight games since, highlighted by a 40-35 win at UNLV.

Eck came to New Mexico after leading Idaho to three straight FCS playoff appearances. He shares ties to Wisconsin with SDSU coach Sean Lewis. Eck was an offensive lineman for the Badgers from 1995 to 1998, and a graduate assistant there from 1999 to 2001. Lewis played tight end at Wisconsin from 2004 to 2007.

The offense

New Mexico ranks 63rd in the nation in scoring offense (28.4 ppg) and 79th in total offense (375.2). The Lobos would be more productive if they were more effective in the red zone, where they rank 94th with an 80.5% conversion rate.

Quarterback Jack Layne (185-for-277, 2,271 yards, 12 touchdowns) leads the offense. He has spread the ball among a dozen teammates, led by wide receivers Keagan Johnson (54 catches, 693 yards, 3 TDs), tight end Dorian Thomas (48-514, 4 TDs) and running back Damon Bankston (25-366, 3 TDs).

New Mexico is averaging 152.7 yards a game rushing. Like SDSU, the Lobos have some depth at running back with D.J. McKinney (105 carries, 408 yards, 6 TDs), Bankston (94-522, 5 TDs) and Scottre Humphrey (77-349, 5 TDs). Layne also can tuck the ball and run, rushing 66 times for 141 yards and four touchdowns.

A key stat: New Mexico has lost 12 fumbles on the season. SDSU has three.

Luke Drzewiecki is among the nation’s most accurate field goal kickers this season, converting 14 of 15 attempts. The longest make is 46 yards, so there remains some question about his range.

The defense

New Mexico’s defense is allowing 23 points per game, which ranks 54th in the nation. The Lobos have been much more effective against the run (106.2 ypg, 21st) than the pass (242.7, 104th). That bodes well for them against an Aztecs offense that has relied on the run this season, averaging 187.6 yards a game.

Linebacker Jaxton Eck, the coach’s son, is second in the Mountain West with 115 tackles. That more than doubles his nearest teammate, safety Tavian Combs, who has 56 tackles.

New Mexico leads the Mountain West with 29 sacks. Defensive tackle Keyshawn James-Newby leads the Lobos with seven sacks.

The defense has intercepted eight passes and recovered six fumbles. The offense has made 21 turnovers, however, resulting in a minus-7 turnover margin that is among the worst in the nation.

Did you know?

New Mexico has a chance at only its second 10-win season in school history. The 1982 team went 10-1. Despite that success, the Lobos finished second to BYU in the Western Athletic Conference and were not invited to a bowl game. There were only 16 bowl games then.