New Mexico
Scouting report: What to know about New Mexico ahead of matchup with Auburn
Auburn football is looking to bounce back in Week 3 after an ugly loss to Cal in Week 2.
The Tigers will face New Mexico, and despite being a heavy favorite, will look to avoid a result similar to when they faced a different team from New Mexico in 2023.
While New Mexico is an 0-2 team from the Mountain West, that doesn’t mean it can’t cause problems. The Lobos scored 39 points in its Week 1 loss to ranked Arizona and are capable of hanging around with Power 5 opposition.
Here’s a closer look at what New Mexico brings:
Dynamic threat Devon Dampier
Everything New Mexico does offensively starts and ends with sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier.
While that’s obviously the case for most offenses and their quarterbacks, Dampier’s versatile skillset makes him unique. A true dual threat, much of what New Mexico does offensively involves getting Dampier on the move whether it be through RPOs, bootlegs or designed quarterback runs.
Dampier was especially effective against Arizona, throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another two touchdowns and 130 yards on the ground.
He’s averaging 9.1 yards per rush through two games this season and is the team’s leading rusher despite having 15 less carries than the next leading rusher.
Dampier to Wysong connection
Through two games, Dampier’s favorite target has undoubtedly been junior wide receiver Luke Wysong.
Wysong leads the team in receptions and yards with 14 and 224, respectively. Against Arizona, he was consistently effective, catching eight passes for 129 yards and a touchdown.
He’s also the second-highest graded player on the team by Pro Football Focus (only trailing Dampier). Wysong isn’t a particularly big target at 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, but still has an impressive ability to make contested catches, highlighted by a play he made in double coverage to set up New Mexico’s first touchdown against Arizona.
The defense
New Mexico’s defense is where the team fell short in its early season losses.
Through two games, the Lobos are giving up an average of 597 yards and 48 points per game. Those numbers rank New Mexico dead last in total defense and 131st out of 133 FBS teams in scoring defense.
Despite the overall poor showings, New Mexico has already scored two defensive touchdowns, both coming on fumble returns in Week 0 against Montana State.
The downside to the Montana State performance was that the Lobos still gave up 567 total yards in the loss, with 362 yards coming on the ground.
Both Montana State and Arizona averaged just under eight yards per rush against New Mexico. With Hugh Freeze voicing his satisfaction with Auburn’s run game against Cal, that may be the place for Auburn’s offense to start against New Mexico.
Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at prauterkus@al.com
New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
New Mexico State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck said the parasite has spread to New Mexico, though officials say they have not found any human cases.
“This is also not a political issue this is a nationwide issue that we all need to address because it affects all warm blooded animals including humans,” Holeck said.
U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez support the Protect America’s Herds Act.
The bill would create a grant program to train people to identify, treat, prevent and report screwworm. It would also support more livestock inspections and education for ranchers.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez said she heard concerns from tribal leaders about the cost of protecting cattle herds.
“I spoke with one of our tribal leaders today and they have cattle operation and they’re worried, and they’re talking about how much more money they’re having to pay to go make sure they check on their herds and there are extra costs,” Leger Fernandez said.
Funding would prioritize states and tribal communities most at risk for screwworm outbreaks.
State health officials said screwworm is not a food safety issue. They also said ranchers should stay alert but not alarmed.
New Mexico isn’t done with Meta yet. After the second phase of a landmark trial, the state is asking a judge to make the company pay almost $1 billion to address harm done to young people in New Mexico, SourceNM reports. In a court filing, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that Meta’s addictive design features and recommendation algorithms “substantially contributed to the increase and severity” of problems including depression and eating disorders. The state wants a judge to order Meta to pay $953 million into a fund for public education and behavioral health programs, reports Fox News.
- After the first phase of the trial in March, a jury found the company endangered children and misled the public about its platforms’ safety. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in damages, $5,000 for each violation.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has argued Meta executives prioritized profit over minors’ safety, ignored internal warnings, and misrepresented what they knew about harms to young users. In the second phase, First Judicial District Court Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid heard arguments on whether the company’s actions created a public nuisance, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Final filings in that phase of the trial were submitted Friday. Beyond potential financial penalties, Biedscheid will also rule on the state’s request for Meta to make changes including stricter age controls and “safer algorithms” that “do not prioritize engagement over well being.”
Meta says New Mexico is overreaching, warning that the proposed mandates are “impractical and ill-considered” and “would risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights, and stifle free expression.” Meta argues that New Mexico hasn’t proven that its platforms affect mental health outcomes. In court filings, Meta has claimed that the state is seeking $3.7 billion, not $953 million, but Chief Deputy Attorney General James Grayson says the higher figure is an expert’s estimate of the cost to fund all child mental health interventions in the state. “We’re not trying to hold Meta responsible for mental health harms in general in New Mexico, only for what social media has cost,” Grayson tells the New Mexican.
-
San Francisco, CA7 minutes agoInjured SFPD officer released from hospital after line-of-duty shooting
-
Dallas, TX10 minutes ago25,000 free Dallas teen passes available June 29 for museums, zoo and more
-
Miami, FL15 minutes ago3 wildfires burn over 20,000 acres in Miami-Dade ahead of long-awaited rain
-
Boston, MA22 minutes agoBoston is opening outdoor drinking areas during the World Cup. Here’s how it works.
-
Denver, CO25 minutes agoClaimed by Christ, Free in Him: Archbishop Golka Celebrates First Juneteenth Mass in Denver
-
Seattle, WA30 minutes ago‘Seattle News Weekly’: FIFA World Cup 2026 at Seattle Stadium
-
San Diego, CA37 minutes agoIt’s NASCAR weekend in Coronado. Here’s what San Diegans need to know.
-
Milwaukee, WI40 minutes agoGiannis’ quiet trade market could keep him in Milwaukee
