The Cowboys are trying to win three games in a row today as the New Mexico Lobos come to town.
LARAMIE -- For first-year University of Wyoming football coach Dave Christensen, the key to winning today's homecoming game against winless New Mexico -- or any game, for that matter -- comes down to one thing: Execution.
"You don't need to worry about winning and losing and those types of things," he said. "Just worry about executing your assignment and being accountable to your teammates.
"If you do those things, then winning will be part of the process."
That's what the Cowboys (3-2 overall, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) have done in back-to-back weeks. They try to make it three in a row today against New Mexico (0-5, 0-1), which has lost nine straight dating back to last season.
Kickoff is at noon at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.
UW hasn't won three straight games since 2006, and hasn't been a double-digit favorite in a conference game for at least that long. It enters today's game a 10-point favorite.
"You can't feed off that," UW true freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels said of a possible letdown, since UW is a prohibitive favorite.
"We have to hold our own, and I don't think that will be hard. We are 1-0 in the conference, and we want to be 2-0. No, motivation won't be a problem."
Weather could be a factor, though, with temperatures expected to be in the 20s with snow showers.
Preventing turnovers is key in any game, but it could be even more so today. UW has a +7 turnover margin this season, compared to -4 for New Mexico.
Carta-Samuels led UW on game-winning scoring drives in the fourth quarter in its last two victories.
Aside from a last-second 20-17 home loss to New Mexico State on Sept. 26, New Mexico has been blown out in all of its games.
But first-year New Mexico coach Mike Locksley said he doesn't think UW's recent late-game rallies will give it an advantage if today's game is close late.
"Wyoming has an advantage in the fact it is playing at home and in a familiar environment, but each week is a different animal," he said.
"We've got to find a way to execute early, get the game to the fourth quarter, and then lean on some of the experience we gained in the five games we lost."
The Lobos could be without two of their top three running backs due to injury in true freshman Desmond Dennis and sophomore James Wright. Both were listed as day-to-day this week.
Redshirt freshman backup quarterback B.R. Holbrook and senior return specialist Rolando Bruno are out because of injury.
Still, the Lobos have an experienced quarterback in senior Donovan Porterie and a big and experienced offensive line.
Plus, New Mexico has won eight of the last nine over UW, including four straight in Laramie.
But to Christensen, none of that matters.
"If you get caught up in things like that, you have problems," he said. "We're going to play on a 100-yard field, and it will be our team against their team.
"The team that executes at the highest level will win, and that's where our focus will be."
LARAMIE -- For first-year University of Wyoming football coach Dave Christensen, the key to winning today's homecoming game against winless New Mexico -- or any game, for that matter -- comes down to one thing: Execution.
"You don't need to worry about winning and losing and those types of things," he said. "Just worry about executing your assignment and being accountable to your teammates.
"If you do those things, then winning will be part of the process."
That's what the Cowboys (3-2 overall, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) have done in back-to-back weeks. They try to make it three in a row today against New Mexico (0-5, 0-1), which has lost nine straight dating back to last season.
Kickoff is at noon at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.
UW hasn't won three straight games since 2006, and hasn't been a double-digit favorite in a conference game for at least that long. It enters today's game a 10-point favorite.
"You can't feed off that," UW true freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels said of a possible letdown, since UW is a prohibitive favorite.
"We have to hold our own, and I don't think that will be hard. We are 1-0 in the conference, and we want to be 2-0. No, motivation won't be a problem."
Weather could be a factor, though, with temperatures expected to be in the 20s with snow showers.
Preventing turnovers is key in any game, but it could be even more so today. UW has a +7 turnover margin this season, compared to -4 for New Mexico.
Carta-Samuels led UW on game-winning scoring drives in the fourth quarter in its last two victories.
Aside from a last-second 20-17 home loss to New Mexico State on Sept. 26, New Mexico has been blown out in all of its games.
But first-year New Mexico coach Mike Locksley said he doesn't think UW's recent late-game rallies will give it an advantage if today's game is close late.
"Wyoming has an advantage in the fact it is playing at home and in a familiar environment, but each week is a different animal," he said.
"We've got to find a way to execute early, get the game to the fourth quarter, and then lean on some of the experience we gained in the five games we lost."
The Lobos could be without two of their top three running backs due to injury in true freshman Desmond Dennis and sophomore James Wright. Both were listed as day-to-day this week.
Redshirt freshman backup quarterback B.R. Holbrook and senior return specialist Rolando Bruno are out because of injury.
Still, the Lobos have an experienced quarterback in senior Donovan Porterie and a big and experienced offensive line.
Plus, New Mexico has won eight of the last nine over UW, including four straight in Laramie.
But to Christensen, none of that matters.
"If you get caught up in things like that, you have problems," he said. "We're going to play on a 100-yard field, and it will be our team against their team.
"The team that executes at the highest level will win, and that's where our focus will be."
