The 2024 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Bronco Mendenhall in his first and only season as head coach, the Lobos compiled an overall record of 5–7 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing in a five-way tie for fifth in the MW. The team played home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Following the season, Mendenhall left the team to accept the head coaching position at Utah State University. On December 14, Idaho head coach Jason Eck was hired as the Lobos' new head coach.
Schedule
Preseason Mountain West media poll The Mountain West's preseason prediction poll was released on July 10, 2024. New Mexico was predicted to finish 11th in the conference.
Game summaries No. 4 (FCS) Montana State
Statistics MTST UNM First downs 2719 Total yards 567324 Rushing yards 47–36228–152 Passing yards 205172 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–32–018–26–0 Time of possession 34:4025:20 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana State Passing Tommy Mellott21/32, 205 yards, 2 TD Rushing Adam Jones17 carries, 167 yards, TD Receiving Ty McCullouch7 receptions, 66 yards, TDNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier18/26, 172 yards, TD Rushing Eli Sanders17 carries, 87 yards Receiving Luke Wysong6 receptions, 95 yards
Entering the game, the Bobcats were double-digit favorites to win the game. It was the first time since 2013 that an FCS team was a double-digit favorite to win against an FBS opponent.
at No. 21 Arizona (rivalry)
Statistics UNM ARIZ First downs 30 22 Total yards 471 672 Rushing yards 38–211 26–205 Passing yards 260 422 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–42–2 19–31–1 Time of possession 34:58 25:02 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 24/42, 260 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Devon Dampier 15 carries, 130 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luke Wysong 8 receptions, 129 yards, TDArizona Passing Noah Fifita 19/31, 422 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Jacory Croskey-Merritt 13 carries, 106 yards, TD Receiving Tetairoa McMillan 10 receptions, 304 yards, 4 TD
at Auburn
Statistics UNM AUB First downs 22 26 Total yards 448 503 Rushing yards 157 268 Passing yards 291 235 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 32:31 27:29 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 22/44, 291 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Eli Sanders 7 rushes, 72 yards Receiving Ryan Davis 6 receptions, 100 yardsAuburn Passing Hank Brown 17/25, 235 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jarquez Hunter 20 rushes, 152 yards, TD Receiving Camden Brown 4 receptions, 33 yards, TD
vs. Fresno State
Statistics FRES UNM First downs 21 25 Total yards 345 485 Rushing yards 93 147 Passing yards 252 338 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 31:17 28:43 Team Category Player StatisticsFresno State Passing Mikey Keene 26/33, 226 yards, TD Rushing Elijah Gilliam 18 carries, 54 yards, TD Receiving Raylen Sharpe 6 receptions, 49 yardsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 33/53, 338 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Devon Dampier 9 carries, 67 yards Receiving Luke Wysong 10 receptions, 126 yards
at New Mexico State (Rio Grande Rivalry)
Statistics UNM NMSU First downs 28 27 Total yards 579 474 Rushing yards 331 285 Passing yards 248 189 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 33:36 26:24 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 13/28, 248 yards Rushing NaQuari Rogers 21 carries, 122 yards, 3 TD Receiving Caleb Medford 2 receptions, 91 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Santino Marucci 13/29, 189 yards, TD Rushing Larenzo McMillan 1 carry, 84 yards, TD Receiving T. J. Pride 3 receptions, 63 yards
vs. Air Force
Statistics AFA UNM First downs 21 21 Total yards 474 434 Rushing yards 325 255 Passing yards 149 179 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 35:59 24:01 Team Category Player StatisticsAir Force Passing Quentin Hayes 4/7, 79 yards Rushing Quentin Hayes 18 carries, 103 yards, TD Receiving Quin Smith 3 receptions, 82 yards, TDNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 14/19, 179 yards, TD Rushing Eli Sanders 5 carries, 80 yards, 2 TD Receiving Nic Trujillo 4 receptions, 85 yards, TD
at Utah State
Statistics UNM USU First downs 28 23 Total yards 552 503 Rushing yards 280 143 Passing yards 272 360 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 31:06 28:54 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 17/27, 272 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Devon Dampier 15 rushes, 105 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luke Wysong 10 receptions, 156 yardsUtah State Passing Spencer Petras 32/47, 360 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Rahsul Faison 24 rushes, 79 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jalen Royals 11 receptions, 188 yards, TD
at Colorado State
Statistics UNM CSU First downs 25 14 Total yards 453 334 Rushing yards 134 192 Passing yards 319 142 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 29:35 30:25 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 23/40, 319 yards, 2 INT Rushing Eli Sanders 15 carries, 70 yards Receiving Ryan Davis 9 receptions, 146 yardsColorado State Passing Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi 11/20, 142 yards, TD Rushing Avery Morrow 16 carries, 89 yards Receiving Caleb Goodie 3 receptions, 62 yards, TD
vs. Wyoming
Statistics WYO UNM First downs 30 22 Total yards 604 576 Rushing yards 262 412 Passing yards 342 164 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 37:13 22:47 Team Category Player StatisticsWyoming Passing Kaden Anderson 20/29, 342 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Harrison Waylee 27 carries, 170 yards, TD Receiving Jaylen Sargent 6 receptions, 186 yards, TDNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 16/31, 164 yards, TD, INT Rushing Devon Dampier 12 carries, 207 yards, 3 TD Receiving Ryan Davis 6 receptions, 74 yards, TD
at San Diego State
Statistics UNM SDSU First downs 21 26 Total yards 475 341 Rushing yards 300 146 Passing yards 175 195 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 24:58 35:02 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 16/24, 175 yards, TD Rushing Eli Sanders 16 carries, 173 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ryan Davis 5 receptions, 47 yards, TDSan Diego State Passing Danny O'Neil 26/41, 195 yards, TD Rushing Marquez Cooper 35 carries, 123 yards Receiving Jordan Napier 9 receptions, 63 yards
vs. No. 18 Washington State
Statistics WSU UNM First downs 27 27 Total yards 547 534 Rushing yards 172 360 Passing yards 375 174 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 28:48 31:12 Team Category Player StatisticsWashington State Passing John Mateer 25/36, 375 yards, 4 TD Rushing John Mateer 9 carries, 65 yards, TD Receiving Kyle Williams 9 receptions, 181 yards, 3 TDNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 11/25, 174 yards, TD Rushing Devon Dampier 28 carries, 193 yards, 3 TD Receiving Luke Wysong 5 receptions, 71 yards
at Hawaii
Statistics UNM HAW First downs 30 28 Total yards 481 586 Rushing yards 305 102 Passing yards 176 484 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19-31-0 39–59–0 Time of possession 29:00 31:00 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico Passing Devon Dampier 19/31, 176 yards Rushing Eli Sanders 17 carries, 121 yards Receiving Luke Wysong 9 receptions, 69 yardsHawaii Passing Micah Alejado 37/57, 469 yards, 5 TD Rushing Micah Alejado 10 carries, 54 yards Receiving Spencer Curtis 7 receptions, 100 yards
Personnel Transfers Outgoing Christian Washington RB Coastal Carolina DJ Wingfield OT Purdue Tavian Combs S Withdrawn Devon Smith OT Louisiana–Monroe Jacob Trussell TE Unknown Jermarius Lewis S UTSA Christian Ellis S Withdrawn Andrew Henry RB Withdrawn J. C. Davis OT Illinois Zach Morris CB UTSA CJ James TE UTSA Ezra Sexton WR East Tennessee State Reese Steele IOL Louisiana–Monroe Wyatt McClour TE Louisiana–Monroe Sam Telesa IOL Louisiana–Monroe Jacob Godfrey WR Louisiana–Monroe Austin Ackel TE Louisiana-Monroe Shancco Matautia IOL Arizona State Marvin Covington S TBD Aidan Armenta QB Louisiana-Monroe Duece Jones WR Grambling State Hunter Sellers CB TBD Alec Marenco LB Kansas State D'Arco Perkins-McAllister CB TBD Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB Arizona
Incoming Javen Jacobs RB Arizona State Elvin Harris OT Campbell Richard Pierce IOL East Carolina Wallace Unamba OT Florida Atlantic Shawn Miller WR Illinois Eli Sanders RB Iowa State Noah Avinger CB San Diego State Isaiah Jones WR Syracuse James Bailey IOL Texas A&M Lajuan Owens IOL Tulane Okiki Olorunfunmi EDGE Weber State
Notes
References