Wyoming at New Mexico 12/5/20 - College Football Picks & Predictions

The Wyoming Cowboys travel to Dream Style Stadium to take on the winless New Mexico Lobos. Wyoming is in the midst of a three-game road-trip and are coming off a dominating win over UNLV, the Cowboys jumped out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and never looked back on the way to a 45-14 win improving to 2-2 on the year. New Mexico was dominated by Utah State on Thanksgiving night losing 41-27; their fifth straight loss to open the season and 13th straight loss dating back to 2019.

Junior quarterback Levi Williams will lead the Cowboys offense and comes in completing 55.3% of his passes this season. Williams has totaled 759 yards through the air passing for just one touchdown and two interceptions. Wyoming has relied heavily on their rushing attack all season long and Williams has the ability to make plays with his legs as well, he’s totaled 81 yards but found the endzone a team-high six times on the times.

Wyoming boasts one of the best rushing attacks in the Moutain West averaging 238 team rushing yards per game, which trails only the triple-option heavy Air Force Falcons. Leading Wyoming in rushing is junior Xazavian Valladay who is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, has totaled 567 total yards and found the endzone four times.

New Mexico has a middle of the pack offense in the Mountain West and have often been able to move the ball up and down the field averaging 389.2 yards; it hasn’t always turned into points as the Lobos rank 10th in scoring offense in the Mountain West averaging just 20.2 points per game. New Mexico starting quarterback Tevaka Tuioti has missed the last two games with a concussion but is expected to be back in this game.

Tuioti is clearly the more refined quarterback for the Lobos, despite completing just 56.1% of his passes he’s totaled 475 yards and four touchdowns to just one interception. He’s also more mobile than back up Trea Hall, Tuioti is averaging 7.4 yards per carry for 140 yards and has found the endzone once on the ground. Fellow junior, running back Bobby Cole, leads the New Mexico rushing attack averaging 4.9 yards per carry for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

Wyoming is a better defensive unit than New Mexico as well, allowing 23 points per game which ranks the Cowboys 5th in the Mountain West in scoring defense. Wyoming has been especially good against the run allowing a shade over 100 yards per game and boasting the second-best total rushing in the MWC. New Mexico opponents are scoring 34.6 points per game and opponents are averaging 469.6 yards per game.