Houston Baptist Huskies at New Mexico Lobos 9/2/21 - College Football Picks & Predictions

The Houston Baptist Huskies visit Albuquerque, New Mexico on Thursday September 2 to play the New Mexico Lobos in the opening game of the 2021 college football season for both teams. Houston Baptist will have a new quarterback under center this season. Last year's backup QB Blaise Bentsen is competing with Desmond Young and Orion Olivas for the starting stop.

New receivers will line up for Houston Baptist this season including DJ Dormeus, Jaylon Johnson and Vernon Harrell and are expected to give the Huskies quarterback plenty of weapons to throw to. Last season Dormeus caught 10 receptions for 131 yards with one touchdown. Houston Baptist’s defense will use multiple fronts including the 3-4 and 4-3 in an attempt to confuse opposing offenses and slow them down.

Last season New Mexico was 2-5 overall and in the Mountain West Conference in the first season under Danny Gonzales. Quarterback Terry Wilson transferred from Kentucky and will compete with returning QB Tevaka Tuioti, who struggles with injuries. The receiving corps is led by Emmanuel Logan-Greene who last season had 30 receptions for 277 yards. Andrew Erickson will also stretch the field for the Lobos. New Mexico is thin at running back with Bobby Cole the leader. Cole last season rushed for 548 yards and six touchdowns.

The New Mexico defense in 2021 could not stop any opponent from throwing the ball in the first three games of the season and then could not stop any opponent from running it the next three games of the season. Joey Noble was the leading pass rusher last season and returns as does Ben Gansallo. Devon Sanders will lead the linebacker corps and can play inside or out. The Lobos secondary has Jarrick Reed, who had four interceptions and 33 tackles last season.