ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Viruses are in the air and very contagious this time of the year and there are some steps you can take to keep yourself well.

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, now until February is prime time for seasonal viruses like COVID, RSV and the flu. The virus circulating the most now, NMHealth officials say, is COVID. They’re seeing COVID pop up three times as much as flu or RSV but say we could soon see RSV cases rise in New Mexico.

“With RSV, what we’re seeing is the southeast of the United States, the cases are starting to go up, and usually the pattern is, it goes up in the southeast and then shortly we see it in New Mexico,” said Miranda Durham, the chief medical officer at NMHealth.

It can be confusing because they all share similar symptoms, like a runny nose, having a cough and body aches. Durham said flu and COVID both share the symptom of having a fever and a linger cough with RSV.

To prevent these illnesses, officials say washing your hands, wearing a mask if you have symptoms, staying home and getting your vaccines is paramount.

“Number one for prevention is vaccines. And it’s really not too late. We hear a lot about vaccines in the early fall. If you have put it off and think its too late, it’s not too late. Right now, is a great time to go and get vaccinated,” Durham stated.

Durham added your body needs two weeks to build the maximum protection against viruses when you get a vaccine.

For more information about vaccines and where to get them, visit this website.

Associated Press

New Mexico State Aggies (4-5) at Texas Longhorns (7-2)

Austin, Texas; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: New Mexico State plays Texas after Christian Cook scored 27 points in New Mexico State’s 89-83 overtime win against the New Mexico Lobos.

The Longhorns are 4-1 in home games. Texas scores 79.0 points and has outscored opponents by 16.0 points per game.

The Aggies are 2-2 on the road. New Mexico State ranks second in the CUSA with 12.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Robert Carpenter averaging 2.9.

Texas’ average of 7.3 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.7 fewer made shots on average than the 8.0 per game New Mexico State gives up. New Mexico State scores 10.1 more points per game (73.1) than Texas gives up to opponents (63.0).

TOP PERFORMERS: Tre Johnson is shooting 48.2% and averaging 21.1 points for the Longhorns.

Carpenter is shooting 44.1% and averaging 13.4 points for the Aggies.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

For the TCU Horned Frogs, it’s again the most wonderful time of the year – College Football Bowl Season! On Sunday, TCU was selected to play in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (10-3). The New Mexico Bowl kicks off Saturday, Dec. 28, at 1:15 p.m. CT from University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M. Catch the game on ESPN.

What can TCU fans expect from the Frogs’ final foe of the 2024 season? Let’s dive in.

Despite sitting in neighboring states, TCU hasn’t faced Louisiana on the gridiron before. Don’t call them “ULL” or “Louisiana-Lafayette” – that moniker was dumped very publicly a few years back. To be official, the university’s official name is the Univerty of Louisiana at Lafayette, but that isn’t used for athletics.

This season, Louisiana went 10-3 and finished as Sun Belt Conference runners up. Despite a lame duck head coach, Marshall upended them, 31-3, in the title game played in Lafayette.

This year marks the seventh-straight bowl game from a program that recently has been excellent. Head coach Michael Desormeaux took over the program after Billy Napier left for Florida and accrued a 23-17 record over three years. This year may have saved Desormeaux from finding a new position, as he led Louisiana to consecutive 6-7 seasons. He was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year last week.

Starting quarterback and Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Ben Wooldridge unfortunately suffered a broken collarbone in Week 13 and won’t play in this game. His backup, Chandler Fields, is a sixth-year senior with 35 games of experience. Fields exited the Sun Belt Championship with an injury and true freshman Daniel Beale stepped in relief.

Fields’ status for the bowl game isn’t certain. However, this would be his last opportunity to play for Louisiana, as his eligibility expires after this bowl game. Barring serious injury–which it didn’t appear to be–Fields likely starts the New Mexico Bowl.

Six Ragin’ Cajuns were named First Team All-Sun Belt: Wooldridge, tight end Terrance Carter (of Killeen, TX), offensive linemen A.J. Gillie and Landon Burton, linebacker K.C. Ossai, and kicker Kenneth Almendares. Five others earned second and third team honors.

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What makes Louisiana so difficult to defend is how multiple the team is. Two players, WR Lance LeGendre and TE Terrance Carter, combine for over 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns. Three players rushed at least 65 times for over 450 yards, with two–Bill Davis and Zylan Perry–rushing for over 600 yards and 13 combined touchdowns.

Through the air, Wooldridge was an excellent distributor, leading to the success of multiple pass catchers. His absence certainly hurts the Louisiana passing attack. Though undersized (5′ 10″), Fields is experienced and seasoned in the system. He completed about 65% of his career passes with 23 touchdowns and just eight interceptions (compare to Wooldridge’s 61%, 38 TDs, 11 INTs). Either player is capable of running the offense.

Another key to the successful passing game–and run game–is a strong offensive line led by two all-conference selections. That line gave up sacks on fewer than 4.5% of dropbacks, good for the 34th-best number nationally and fourth-best in the Sun Belt.

As efficient as the offense is, the defense lacks. Louisiana surrendered 30 points four times this year, including most recently in the Sun Belt Championship. While the points per game measure is solid (24.5 ppg allowed is 55th), teams move the ball better against this defense than most. Louisiana ranks 108th in rushing efficiency allowed.

The weakness to the defense is in the front seven, meaning TCU may have to lean more into the ground game to find offensive success. The Louisiana secondary is the strength of the unit, but the Ragin’ Cajuns rank just 64th in passing efficiency allowed.

Per ESPN’s strength of record metric, Louisiana ranks 48th, behind 7-5 Boston College and 6-6 Washington.

Team: Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns

Record: 10-3 (7-2 Sun Belt)

Coach: Michael Desormeaux (third season)

Scoring Offense: 32.5 points per game (28th)

Scoring Defense: 24.5 points allowed per game (55th)

*Notes Sun Belt Championship game.

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