New Mexico

Key Takeaways From Arizona’s Dominant Week 1 Victory Against New Mexico

Published

6 months ago

September 1, 2024

Key Takeaways From Arizona’s Dominant Week 1 Victory Against New Mexico

Starting off the year with a win is the goal of every program around the country, but it especially feels good for Arizona after they joined a new conference in the offseason and are led by a new coaching staff.

Because the expectations are so high surrounding this team since many of their star players returned instead of transferring, leaving Week 1 with a comfortable win is a great way to get this campaign underway.

But, even amid all the excitement that came from their offense putting up 61 points that was powered by their star quarterback Noah Fifita and the record-breakout output by Tetairoa McMillan, there are still plenty of things that need to be cleaned up before they face some of the best opponents on their schedule in the next few weeks.

So, here are the key takeaways after the Wildcats opened up their season with a dominant victory.

Superstar Duo Isn’t Slowing Down

While New Mexico isn’t exactly the best team to gauge the results of anything offensively, it’s clear the chemistry between Fifita and McMillan continues to drive this unit, and could take them to their first ever College Football Playoff.

One could only wonder what numbers these two would have put up last year if Fifita had been the starter from the beginning, but after a historic 300-plus yard receiving performance by McMillan in Week 1, there’s a chance the superstar wide receiver puts up the most prolific single-season numbers in program history.

Defense Has Issues

Coming into the year, there were some question marks about how the Wildcats might look on defense with a new coordinator in charge. Despite some high-end talent back in the mix, the pass rushing threat was viewed as the weakest link on this team.

Well, the entire defense has some improvements to make after they gave up 39 points and 471 total yards of offense that included 211 on the ground.

They struggled at the point of attack, getting gashed for 5.6 yards per carry as the Lobos quarterback ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

Arizona has to come up with answers or else they are going to have a hard time contending in the Big 12, let alone for a College Football Playoff spot.

Running Game is Loaded

Much of the attention surrounding Arizona’s offensive attack was centered around what Fifita and McMillan were going to do this season. While they certainly turned heads with their performance on Saturday, another area of the offense flew under the radar.

The Wildcats rushed for 205 yards on 26 carries with four touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry as their top two running backs of Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Quali Conley were gashing New Mexico’s defense for almost a first down every attempt.

There was some thought throughout camp this could be a major strength of the team, providing them with a balance between their potent passing attack and effective running.

Even though this output came against an inferior opponent, seeing how well this running game looked in live action was huge for this team going forward.

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New Mexico

New Mexico resident tests positive for measles after dying, cause of death under investigation

Published

2 hours ago

March 6, 2025

Press Room

New Mexico resident tests positive for measles after dying, cause of death under investigation

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An unvaccinated adult in New Mexico tested positive for measles after their death, health officials announced Thursday.

The New Mexico Department of Health said that the official cause of death is still under investigation, and the individual did not seek medical care before they died.

There has not been a measles death in New Mexico in at least 40 years, according to a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Health.

The deceased New Mexico resident who tested positive for measles lived in Lea County, which is just over the border from Gaines County, Texas, where a measles outbreak that is still underway has mainly been concentrated.

The first measles-related death from that outbreak was reported on Feb. 26 after a child in West Texas who was hospitalized due to the illness died. The Texas outbreak is primarily affecting children and teenagers, nearly all of whom were unvaccinated.

The largest outbreak so far this year has been in West Texas, where 159 cases have been identified since late January, with 22 of those patients requiring hospitalization, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. At least 10 cases of the disease have been reported in New Mexico.

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