What: New Mexico Lobos at San Diego State Aztecs
When: Friday, November 24 at 12:30 p.m.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Line: Aztecs -20
Who even cares?
Remember last week? As we discussed, the Aztecs needed to win out and hope for Wyoming and Boise State victories over Fresno State to sneak into the MWC championship game. San Diego State, despite early indicators that it would be a long night, handled their end of the deal last Saturday with a 42-23 victory over Nevada. Wyoming, on the other hand, was incapable of pulling off the last-minute drive and fell to Fresno State 13-7. Conference title game? Done. Not happening this year.
What’s more, the Doak Walker Award finalists were announced, and … despite leading the nation in rushing and all-purpose yards, and it being the award for the nation’s top running back, Rashaad Penny was not among those named. A bit of a shit sandwich of a week, which bodes well for a victory in the finale and the Aztecs’ Circuit City Hey This Store Doesn’t Even Exist Anymore Bowl chances.
Why should we be scared of them?
New Mexico is 1-6 in conference, 3-8 overall, and has lost their last 6 straight. *shrug*
Do they have anyone worth watching?
New Mexico’s senior safeties, Jake Rothschiller and Jacob Girgle, are the leading tacklers on what’s actually a pretty decent run defense (44th in the nation). Look at them.
Why should we hate them?
You likely detest New Mexico, and it all carries over from the basketball court. The Lobos are a generally unremarkable football team, they play in the other division, and their head football coach doesn’t wear a red blazer that makes him look like a realtor (though, sounds like he’s a bit of an asshole … so, maybe that’s a reason to hate them?). Why would you care?
Anyway, fuck those guys.
Do they have any famous alumni we can make fun of?
Roderick “Rocky” Long Jr. (LOL Rod Long) is a former football player who parlayed a successful New Mexico Lobos career and 1971 WAC player of the year honors into a 5-year CFL and WFL career (FUN FACT: Rocky Long and #AztecForLife Carl Weathers were BC Lions teammates in 1972 and 1973). During the offseason, he returned to New Mexico (because why wouldn’t you?) to work as an assistant at New Mexico as well as at nearby El Dorado High School. When his playing career ended, Rocky Long made the long march through the college football assistant coach ranks and eventually ended up the head coach at New Mexico. In 2007, Long’s Lobos defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack in the New Mexico Bowl by a score of 23-0. It was the first bowl victory for the Lobos since their 28-12 victory over Western Michigan in the 1961 Aviation Bowl. The following year, the team struggled and Rocky stepped down.
He then joined some guy’s staff as defensive coordinator, becoming head coach after that guy left for some job. The Aztecs have gone on to an unprecedented run of success. He’s a legend at two Mountain West schools, which is either awesome or hilarious. Rocky has demonstrated a wicked nihilist streak that could have only been honed in a joyless hellscape* like New Mexico. So, he won’t care about any of this garbage.
Will we beat them?
You are in so much trouble, Lobos.
* – New Mexico is a beautiful state. These are (bad) jokes.
KABEER THIRTY 