FSU bringing its buzz-saw ‘D’ to town

Lobos seek to end six-game losing streak to Fresno State, which is a 13.5-point favorite today

Last year, New Mexico entered its game against Fresno State at 3-3.

This season, the Lobos (3-3, 1-1 Mountain West Conference) have the same record as they ready to play host to the Bulldogs (5-1, 2-0) today. But UNM coach Bob Davie says his team is much different from a year ago: “We’re at a different place. We’re an improved team from last year.”

Davie wants to see how that improvement plays out over the second half of the season.

The Bulldogs (5-1, 2-0), 13½-point favorites, will be a huge challenge for the Lobos, who are home for the first time since the 52-43 loss to Liberty on Sept. 29. As of late Friday afternoon, 14,839 tickets had been sold for today’s game.

Davie saw what Fresno State is capable of doing last year. The Bulldogs dominated and

won, 38-0, their sixth straight win over UNM.

“When you go back and look at the tape from last year, it was bad,” Davie said. “It was bad schematically on our part. They got after us.”

Davie said he showed last year’s game tape to his team, but not in terms of motivation. It was more for technique and game-planning. The Bulldogs also seem improved from last year. For all the attention its defense has received, especially by holding Nevada and Wyoming to three points two straight weeks and ranking No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense, FSU’s offense has been formidable.

“They hit the jackpot on the quarterback,” Davie said of Marcus McMaryion, a central California native who transferred from Oregon State shortly after coach Jeff Tedford arrived. “Ever since he’s arrived, he’s done nothing but get better.”

McMaryion has thrown for 1,578 yards and 11 touchdowns at a 71 percent completion rate (130 of 182) with two interceptions. He’s also a running threat, as he leads the Bulldogs with seven rushing touchdowns.

UNM’s offense will be challenged as well. The Lobos have shown they have playmakers with quarterback Sheriron Jones, and wide receivers Delane Hart-Johnson and Elijah Lilly.

At the beginning of this week, UNM offensive coordinator Calvin Magee said they continue to learn in their first year in the spread. Magee said there were missed opportunities in the Lobos’ 20-18 loss to Colorado State last week, but that they continue to work hard to correct mistakes.