College Football

So… How did you enjoy the first weekend of college football?  Around here, I imagine it depends on which shade of red dominates your wardrobe.  If you opt for the cherry of the Lobos, it was a brutal weekend.  If you would rather don the crimson of the Aggies, life is groovin'.  It just proves, when it comes to these two programs, it doesn't matter who you beat; a win against anyone is enormous.  And, what could have been for UNM.  After a horrible first half in their opener against UTEP, the Lobos battled back with a really good second half.  Down 24-7 at halftime, UNM tied the game at 24 only to turn the ball over twice in the last few minutes, including a muffed punt inside their own 10-yard line, and lost to a very beatable Miner team.  Since then, the Lobo fan base has been in a tailspin. Meanwhile, New Mexico State, with a new quarterback and new faces on both sides of the ball, opened up by beating Cal Poly, a team who plays in a lower division of college football, 28-10.  Counting the final game of last season, the Aggies have won two in a row.  The NMSU fan base is borderline giddy.  What does it all mean?  It means that football stirs the emotions unlike any other sport, even in this basketball crazy state.  It means that these two fan bases are yearning for a winning football program to feel good about.  It is only one week of a 12-game schedule for both teams, and honestly, we don't know either team's identity yet.  The Aggies play Georgia State in Atlanta this week and then travel to UTEP before hosting the Lobos on September 20.  Meanwhile the Lobos host 17th ranked Arizona State this weekend, then take a week off before the Rivalry of Enchantment.  September 20th in Las Cruces will be fun.  So will football season, if either one of these teams can get on a roll.