近距离内射合集

Why did the Mountain West eliminate its annual preseason predicted order of finish?

According to conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez, the Lobos played as big a role in that decision as maybe any team in the league.

Despite being picked to finish 11th in last year鈥檚 predicted order of finish, UNM finished last season in a four-way tie for first place with eventual league champion Boise State, runner-up UNLV and San Diego State. But the Lobos did not qualify for the Mountain West Championship game, missing due to their placement in a 鈥�composite average of selected predictive and results-based computer metrics鈥� chosen by the league.

In her opening remarks Wednesday morning, Nevarez compared the hit UNM took last season 鈥� presumably in the computer metrics 鈥� to what Arizona State went through in 2024 after the Sun Devils were picked last in the Big 12. ASU won the Big 12 Championship game that year and qualified for the College Football Playoff, but were seeded lower than 鈥� of all teams 鈥� Mountain West champion Boise State.

Last year, the Big 12 axed its preseason poll in large part due to Arizona State鈥檚 situation. This year, the Mountain West is ditching its poll partially because of what happened to UNM last season.

鈥淲e decided that, although preseason polls are fun and drive some buzz, the risk or detrimental brand impact of being (picked in) the bottom half of the league or last is more detrimental than the (benefit) of having a preseason poll,鈥� Nevarez said. 鈥淏ecause it鈥檚 harder, in hearts and minds, to move up if you鈥檙e last.

鈥淲e went away from it this year. We weren鈥檛 the only one to do so.鈥�

And while it might sting some that there isn鈥檛 a poll the one year UNM might鈥檝e been picked to win the league, the Lobos themselves didn鈥檛 mind the change.

鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 best for the conference to not have that poll,鈥� said Lobos quarterback Jack Layne.

鈥淚t鈥檚 probably good for us,鈥� said linebacker Jaxton Eck. 鈥淚 think that can soften a team or it can harden a team. Last year, we kinda used that as fuel, being picked 11th out of 12 (teams).鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 not even too worried about a preseason poll,鈥� said defensive lineman Brian Booker. 鈥淓ither way, every team鈥檚 gotta work day in and day out to get to where they wanna be.鈥�

Notes and quotes

• Layne said his right elbow 鈥� on his throwing arm 鈥� is in a good spot after he underwent offseason surgery to repair a torn tendon and didn鈥檛 throw during spring practice: "It's feeling good, man. Elbows are tricky. You got to be careful with them, and I think our training staff is so good 鈥� probably the best in the Group of Six, in my opinion. I spent probably too much time with them."

• Eck stands to gain another year of eligibility after the NCAA moved to a 5-for-5 model last month, but has received some early NFL interest. Has he given the latter option some thought? 鈥淚 have some,鈥� he said. 鈥� 鈥� But I鈥檓 really just focused on this year. Because ultimately, I鈥檓 not at that point yet, so I need to keep getting better.鈥�

• A Rouen, France native, offensive lineman Malik Aliane said France鈥檚 2-0 loss to Spain on Tuesday, 鈥渂roke my heart 鈥� (I) thought we were gonna get our revenge against Argentina, but nope. We didn鈥檛 even get the chance to get there.鈥�

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .