UCLA Football vs. New Mexico State: A Preview By The Numbers

After a “statement win” over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, the 13th-ranked UCLA Bruins are set to take on a lowly New Mexico State squad at the end of the week.

NMSU, led by Doug Martin (who replaced former UCLA coach DeWayne Walker this year), already looks pretty bad, too. The Aggies are 0-3 on the season and have been beaten soundly each game, with only one of those teams being ranked at the time. (None are ranked currently.)

With that, let’s preview this team with some key numbers you should know.

93.

The total combined points of loss margins for the Aggies through three games. To put it simply, NMSU has lost each of their three games by an average of 31 points. The Aggies have yet to score above 21 points this season and have not yet held an opponent to under 40. These Aggies, 1-11 last season, are poised to have a worse season than they did last year, believe it or not.

42.5

The amount by which UCLA is favored to win this game. The Bruins have beaten their two opponents by a combined 58 points and given how awful NMSU appears to be, this line looks accurate. If UCLA can cover, this wouldn’t be the largest victory of the Jim Mora era; that would go to their November 3 tilt against Arizona, in which the Bruins won by 56 (66-10).

576.7

The number of yards per game that New Mexico State allows. Not only is that an unbelievably high number, but the Bruins average 575.5 yards per game; a yard less than what a NMSU opponent earns. The UCLA offense is on a path to juggernaut status and has done well against two other teams with mediocre-at-best defenses.

So that’s why UCLA is favored by six touchdowns!