Air Force Falcons vs New Mexico Lobos Football Preview

The Air Force Falcons unsurprisingly won last weekend. The New Mexico Lobos surprisingly won last weekend. One of these teams must lose on Nov. 13, and while New Mexico is clearly the inferior ballclub, there is one reason why this game might be – as Lee Corso always says – “closer than the experts think.”

The visiting Lobos will enter Colorado Springs and Falcon Stadium with newfound energy. The team might have found an answer to its offensive problems by selecting a new and better quarterback. The emergent leader of Coach Mike Locksley's bunch is quarterback Stump Godfrey. Given his first start of the campaign in UNM's best (and perhaps only) chance to win a Mountain West game, Godfrey made the most of his grand opportunity this past Saturday against Wyoming. The youngster hit 16-of-20 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a bravura performance. Godfrey was solid throughout this game, but he was cash-money in the clutch, as the Lobos won their first game of 2010 by a 34-31 score. New Mexico's offense – which had not exceeded 20 points in the first two months of this season – scored 17 points in the first three quarters under Godfrey's leadership. However, "Los Lobos" were even more prolific and terrific at crunch time. 

After producing 17 points in the first three stanzas, Godfrey kept excelling under pressure, as the Lobos roared to 17 fourth-quarter points against Wyoming. With the score tied at 31, Godfrey led his teammates downfield and got the Lobos in position for a field goal that snapped a nine-game losing streak. Now New Mexico is a newly confident team, and the Lobos just might catch the Falcons at the right time, too.

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It’s asking a lot out of Air Force to be at its best on Saturday, especially since the Falcons have just come off an emotional win on the other side of the country against Army. Air Force will be physically and mentally tired after playing in West Point, New York, and winning its first Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy since 2002. This is certainly a letdown game for Air Force; the Falcons should win, but they’ll be hard-pressed to blow the Lobos completely out of the water. The visitors from Albuquerque really could hang around for three quarters and maybe even all four.

Yes, one must hasten to say that the Falcons’ triple-option offense is hard for any team to prepare, and after New Mexico allowed 392 rushing yards to Wyoming, just imagine how many rushing yards Air Force can accumulate against the Lobos. Navy rolled up 521 rushing yards in a 76-35 win over East Carolina this past weekend. Some folks are certainly thinking that Air Force can do something very similar against a genuinely overmatched New Mexico defense. Moreover, if Stump Godfrey handles his second collegiate start a lot worse than his first one, this game could indeed get away from New Mexico early, and the rout could be on in Colorado Springs.

However, the point still remains: New Mexico will take the field with confidence after winning its first game of the season. Godfrey is helping the Lobos’ offense improve, and Air Force will be mentally tired. The Falcons aren’t in a position that’s conducive to a first-rate performance. This contest could provide a lot more drama than many casual fans are ready to expect.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer