New Mexico @ Boise State preview

THE STORY: Boise State seeks to keep its slim BCS bowl hopes alive when it closes the regular season against woeful New Mexico on Saturday. The No. 8 Broncos are ranked seventh in the BCS standings and need help to avoid being relegated to one of the Mountain West’s pre-Christmas Day bowl games. The Lobos own the nation’s longest road losing skid at 21 games with their last away-game victory coming against New Mexico State early in the 2008 campaign. New Mexico has already appointed a new coach for next season in Bob Davie, the one-time Notre Dame coach who has been working as a television analyst for the last 10 seasons.

TV: The Mtn. LINE: Boise State - 48.5.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (10-1, 5-1 Mountain West): Senior quarterback Kellen Moore plays his final home game as the unquestioned top player in school history. The Heisman Trophy candidate ranks second in NCAA history with 137 touchdown passes and sixth with 14,061 passing yards. Moore has 38 touchdown passes this season. Senior running back Doug Martin has 1,038 yards and ranks fifth in school history with 3,170 career rushing yards. Senior receiver Tyler Shoemaker has 14 touchdown receptions to match the school record set by Austin Pettis in 2009. Senior defensive end Tyrone Crawford has a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss.

ABOUT NEW MEXICO (1-10, 1-5 Mountain West): The Lobos need a victory to avoid a third consecutive 1-11 season. New Mexico’s lone victory was a 21-14 defeat of Nevada-Las Vegas on Nov. 12. Senior linebacker Carmen Messina has been a bright spot with 121 tackles. Messina is currently tied with UNLV’s Adam Seward (2001-04) as the Mountain West’s all-time leading career tackler with 434. Redshirt freshman receiver Deon Long is New Mexico’s top offensive player and has 39 receptions for 713 yards. The Lobos had a bye last week after losing to Wyoming 31-10 on Nov. 19.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Boise State has won both previous meetings – occurring in 1999 and 2000.

2. Broncos coach Chris Petersen (71-6) will become the school’s winningest coach with a win. He’s currently tied with Tony Knapp (71-19-1 from 1968-75).

3. The Lobos haven’t won a game outside the borders of New Mexico since winning at San Diego State during the 2007 season.

PREDICTION: Boise State 52, New Mexico 0 – The Broncos build a big lead and then take it easy on the hapless Lobos.