New Mexico vs UMass: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction
Can the Lobos get a win on a long road trip
Contact/Follow @MWCwire
Time for the offense to shine
WEEK 4: New Mexico Lobos 1-2 vs UMass Minutemen 1-3
WHEN: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 1:30 MT/ 3:30 EST
WHERE: Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium
WEATHER: 58.9 degrees, humidity 80%
TV: ESPN+
RADIO: Lobo Radio Network
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting
GAME NOTES (PDF): New Mexico | UMass
SP+ PROJECTION: UMass by 3.5
Odds/Point Spread: Minutemen (-3.5)
Total/Over-Under: The Minutemen are the favorites (-3.5) versus the Lobos with the over/under at 50.5 points.
The New Mexico Lobos (1-2) will attempt to defy oddsmakers when they take on the UMass Minutemen (1-3) on Saturday, September 23, 2023, as 3.5-point underdogs.
This will be the New Mexico’s most extended road trip as they fly 2,164 miles to take on the Minutemen at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium this Saturday.
Interestingly the Lobos come into the game averaging 35.7 points per game with 223 passing yards per game and 180.3 rushing yards per game while going for 44.1% on their third-down attempts.
The UMASS offense is scoring 25 points per game with 234.3 passing yards per game
and rushing the ball at 130 yards while going for 32.7% on third-down attempts.
New Mexico also allows only 31 points per game to the Minutemen’s 37.3 points. Yet, oddsmakers are playing them as a 3.5 underdog. Go figure
UMass has struggled with ball security in week 3, turning it over four times, three interceptions, and a lost fumble, so look for them to keep it from trying, not giving it to the Lobos so easily.
In their most recent game, the Minutemen lost to the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 19-17. The Lobos lost against the New Mexico State Aggies in their most recent contest, 27-17.
The Minutemen have lost three straight games but narrowed the margins from 59-14 at Auburn to 41-28 versus Miami (OH) and a 19-17 loss at Eastern Michigan last week.
New Mexico lost 52-10 at Texas A&M and 27-17 at home to the same New Mexico State team last week that UMass already beat as the road team in Week 0.
UMass’ Defense has a pair of pick-sixes ranks 12th in fumble recoveries, 11th in turnovers gained, and 38th in third-down Defense (13-for-39) through four games.
The matchup is the first between the two teams, but it should be the second as they were supposed to play in the abbreviated COVID-19 2020 season.
It is a matchup of a pair of similar teams. For UNM, it will be about limiting big plays (New Mexico State had two, a 31 and 75-yard touchdown pass) and winning the turnover battle (the only turnover last week was a Lobo fumble inside the Aggie 10-yard line).
The Lobos have given up ten explosive pass plays this season (six resulted in touchdowns) and are tied with 12 other FBS teams, and this has been the Achilles heel of this New Mexico Lobo defensive team.
UMass lone win of the season was in Week 0, a 41-30 win over New Mexico State in Las Cruces. The Minutemen are looking to end a five-game home losing streak, tied for the third-longest streak in the country.
