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Friday, October 17, 1997

Record crowd expected for Owls-Lobos collision

By PETE HERRERA / AP Sports Writer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- There is never a question what the Rice Owls do on offense. They run the option time and time again, and every opposing defense knows it's coming.

But stopping the Owls' intricate offensive schemes has been a nightmare for most opponents this season. Northwestern couldn't do it in a 40-34 early-season loss to Rice. Texas barely survived it in a 38-31 win, and last week the option dismantled then-No. 21 BYU in the Owls' 27-14 win.

Saturday night in Albuquerque, it's unbeaten New Mexico's turn.

"It's an offense that when they execute well, it's very difficult to stop," New Mexico coach Dennis Franchione said this week. "And right now, they're executing it as well as you can."

New Mexico, off to its best start in school history, is 6-0 overall and the surprise leader of the Western Athletic Conference's Mountain Division with a 3-0 record. Rice is second in the league at 2-1 and 4-2 overall.

Rice is running the option so well that the Owls rank second nationally in rushing with an average of 376.3 yards per game -- second only to Nebraska (401.8). Its backfield trio of halfback Michael Perry, fullback Benji Wood and quarterback Chad Nelson all are having a sensational year.

Perry leads the nation in all-purpose yards (213.3 per game) and is the WAC's rushing leader with over 119 per game. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Wood is the WAC leader in scoring with 10 touchdowns and is third in the league in rushing (108.8 ypg). Nelson is sixth in the league in rushing (88 ypg).

"Nelson is making all the right decisions. Wood is a big tough runner and Perry is their big-play guy," Franchione said.

A year ago in Houston, Rice beat New Mexico, 38-21, rushing for 481 yards.

To beat Rice, said Franchione, the Lobos may need a little help from the Owls.

"What we have to do is get them to stop themselves once in a while," Franchione said. "We have to create some things and hope they throw the ball on the ground. Nobody has stopped them this year and they throw 400 yards on the board like it was just another Saturday."

This will not be just another Saturday for New Mexico football.

The Lobos' winning streak has peaked fan support in a city where sellouts are usually the product of the Lobos' basketball teams. UNM is planning to add bleachers behind both end zones and are predicting an all-time record crowd of more than 35,000 will turn out as New Mexico tries to enhance its hold on the Mountain Division lead.

New Mexico has gotten to this point with a solid defense and an efficient offense led by quarterback Graham Leigh. Leigh ran for two touchdowns last week and threw for three more as New Mexico ended its 13-game losing streak against San Diego State with a 36-21 road win.

"They're aggressive and fly to the ball on defense. Offensively they run the ball well and just don't beat themselves," said Rice coach Ken Hatfield.

The six-game winning streak assures New Mexico of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1971. But that milestone is now secondary to the improving possibilities of a WAC title and bowl bid.