Our Washington State Cougars are in the Land of Enchantment today, preparing for an evening affair with the New Mexico Lobos, a team that started the season horribly before righting the ship somewhat. The Lobos opened with a loss to FCS Montana State (who might go on to win the FCS national championship) and then lost three more before snapping that streak and winning three in a row. They’ve gone 2-1 since then, so you could say they’re a streaky team.

The Cougs, meanwhile, are working on their own. After opening the season 4-0, they lost to Boise State on the road before knocking off four in a row. They sit 8-1 and no. 18 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Jesse has already explained who you need to root for to miraculously get the Cougs into the top twelve by the end of the season. The chances are high, but they are not zero.

But those chances increase slightly with a win today in Albuquerque. And to win, the Cougs will have to contain New Mexico dual threat quarterback Devon Dampier. WSU hasn’t faced a true dual-threat QB yet this season, and if Dampier doesn’t run through the WSU defense, it will be Lobos’ running back Eli Sanders. He has rushed for 834 yards (7.1 yards per carry) on the ground this season, just behind Dampier’s 872 yards (7.9 yards per carry).

The Lobos will certainly get their rushing yards tonight, whether it’s Dampier or Sanders. WSU will have to limit the explosives and jams and get off the field as the Lobo defense gives up 477 yards and 38 points per game, good enough for….checks notes….fifth worst in the country .

WSU, of course, has its own dual-threat quarterback in John Mateer. He needs to keep the WSU offense on the field (and in the end zone). The cliché goes that the best defense is a good offense, and the less the WSU defense is on the field and misses tackles (a huge struggle this season), the better chance WSU has of getting to 9-1.

Talk about it here, and go Cougs!

When

This is WSU’s sixth game to start under the lights this season, as kickoff is at 6:30 PM PT, 7:30 PM New Mexico time.

Where

University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you’re like me and wonder why a stadium has such a boring name, apparently it was named Dreamstyle Stadium after a local construction company bought the naming rights in 2017 for ten million dollars over ten years. But in 2020, the relationship between the university and Dreamstyle soured for some reason, and off went the naming rights.

How to watch

FS1, with Dan Hellie and Petros Papadakis on the line.

The line

WSU, -10.5, O/U is 72.5

Do you remember him?

Former WSU edge rusher Gabriel Lopez is now suiting up with the Lobos. Lopez had just one tackle in 11 appearances over three seasons while in Pullman. At New Mexico, Lopez started all 12 games last season and had 26 tackles on the defensive line. This year, Lopez has eclipsed that mark with 27 tackles, including eight against Wyoming.

New Mexico also has Dominic Tatum on the roster, a one-time Coug. Tatum was still on the WSU roster last season after transferring from Utah State and recorded no stats in the crimson and gray. In New Mexico, the safety has recorded just two tackles.

All the best to Lopez and Tatum….BUT NOT TODAY.

Great (and not so great) moments in WSU history at University Stadium

Let’s start with the good memory.

After their third straight 10-win season, the Cougs opened the 2004 football schedule with a trip to Albuquerque with a mostly new roster, including quarterback Josh Swogger. After the teams entered halftime with the always exciting 0-0 score, the game suddenly started when Swogger hit Chris Jordan for a touchdown. New Mexico scored the next 14 points to take a one-score lead in the fourth quarter, then extended the lead to 17–7 on a field goal. A Trandon Harvey touchdown got WSU within three and the WSU defense came up big. Omowale Dada blocked a punt that set up the game-winning touchdown from tight end Troy Bienemann.

WSU was 1-0 and we all thought we were on our way to another 10-win season. Unfortunately, we only got halfway through, as the Cougs finished a disappointing 5-6.

The not-so-great moment at University Stadium? I don’t even have to remind you.