North Dakota State (6-1, 3-1 Mountain West) at New Mexico (5-1, 2-0 Mountain West). Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. Mountain), University Stadium, Albuquerque, The CW.
Your hosts are Inga Halvorsen, a North Dakota State fan and agricultural economist who has tracked every Bison title since she was a girl, and Paloma Begaye-Ortiz, a New Mexico fan who flies a hot-air balloon in the Balloon Fiesta every October.
Inga: Red or green, Paloma? Oh, hon, I'm bringing tater tot hotdish. You'll love it.
Paloma: Hotdish? I'll trade you a tray of green-chile enchiladas, Inga. Christmas style, red and green.
Players to watch
New Mexico running back Scottre Humphrey has 422 yards and eight touchdowns on 85 carries. Quarterback Toa Fa'avae has nearly 700 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Safety Tavian Combs has four interceptions, defensive end Darren Agu has four sacks and linebacker Mercury Swaim leads with 32 tackles.
North Dakota State quarterback Nathan Hayes has 1,272 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. Receiver Jackson Williams has 28 catches for 432 yards. Linebacker Donovan Woolen leads with 51 tackles, defensive end Kelton McCaslin has four sacks and cornerback Marion Moore has four interceptions.
Paloma: Four interceptions from Combs. That's a balloon at full burn.
What happened last week
North Dakota State beat Nevada 31-17 after trailing 11-0 early. Williams caught a missed 57-yard field goal try in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. He also ran for a score and threw a touchdown pass. Matthew Stenbroten returned a fumbled two-point try for two points. Hayes went 19 of 25 for 153 yards.
New Mexico had a week off after winning 21-10 at Hawai'i. Humphrey ran 15 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns, and Fa'avae ran for 77 yards and a score.
Inga: Three ways to score in one game. Oh for cute. That young man gets extra hotdish.
Injuries and availability
The Mountain West doesn't publish an official availability report, and no injury news had surfaced for either team as of Oct. 18.
What the coaches are up to
Jason Eck has led New Mexico since December 2024. His defense has 21 takeaways and 19 sacks in six games, with only four giveaways. All five wins came by 11 points or more, and the only loss was 14-6 at Oklahoma.
Tim Polasek has led North Dakota State since December 2023. His defense has allowed 79 points in seven games, with two shutouts. The Bison have a trophy case so crowded with FCS national titles that Inga has run out of wall space for the framed photos.
Player storylines
This is a defensive showdown. New Mexico allows about 10.5 points a game, and North Dakota State about 11.3. Ball security may decide it: Hayes has five interceptions, and New Mexico's defense feasts on mistakes. Humphrey's running faces a Bison defense allowing about 112 rushing yards a game.
What's happening on campus
It's UNM's Pack Week: Homecoming, Oct. 18-24, honoring the Route 66 centennial. Events include hot-air balloons over Johnson Field, lowriders and live music at Hodgin Hall, and ReUnite Under the Neon U on Thursday. The alumni Homecoming Tailgate starts at 5 p.m. Saturday with live music and Lobo Louie. The kickoff forecast is 58 degrees with a slight chance of showers.
Anything else fun and true
This is the first meeting on record between the schools. North Dakota State's only loss was 13-7 at UNLV. New Mexico visits San José State next, and North Dakota State hosts UTEP.
Paloma: A whole new sky, Inga. Welcome to Albuquerque.
Inga: Practically a heat wave for Fargo folks, hon. Thanks for having us.
The Cover Window
My call: New Mexico Lobos 26, North Dakota State Bison 19.