Lobos, Aggies Renew Rio Grande Rivalry
By SBRForum.com

The state of New Mexico hasn’t seen much good football played over recent seasons, but at least it’s got something a lot of states don’t have; an in-state FBS college football rivalry. This weekend Land of Enchantment football fans turn their attention toward Las Cruces, where the New Mexico Lobos and New Mexico State Aggies will get together for the 104th edition of the Rio Grande rivalry (8 pm Eastern, ESPN3).

The early college football picks line on this game opened with New Mexico State at -7, but as of Thursday morning the Aggies had dropped to -6.5.

The Aggies only returned seven starters this season, just three on defense, from a team that went 4-9 last year. State opened its season with a 49-19 win over Sacramento State (FCS), then fell at Ohio 51-24, and last Saturday lost at UTEP 41-28.

Meanwhile, the Lobos got back 14 starters this season, eight on offense, from a team that went 1-11 last year. In fact, New Mexico has gone 1-11 each of the last three seasons. This season, their first under new HC Bob Davie, the Lobos are off to a 1-2 start. They opened with a 66-21 beating of Southern University (FCS), but have since fallen 49-14 at Texas Tech and 45-0 at Texas.

New Mexico is now the not-so-proud owner of a 24-game road losing streak.

On an injury note Lobos senior DBs Freddy Young and Destry Berry are both doubtful for Saturday’s game. New Mexico is starting at least one red-shirt freshman in their place, and that doesn’t bode well going up against the Aggies, with their passing combo of quarterback Andrew Manley and WR Austin Franklin.

The Lobos, meanwhile, will try to control the ball with their running game against a NM State defense that allowed UTEP to rush for 177 yards last week.

New Mexico leads this series all-time 66-32-5, but State has won the last three games. Last year the Aggies jumped out to a 21-0 lead and cruised to a 42-28 victory.