PIGSKIN PREVIEW: College football capsules

Freedom New Mexico

New Mexico

Coach: Mike Locksley (1st season)

2008 record: 4-8 (2-6 Mountain West)

Last bowl game: 2007 New Mexico Bowl, beat Nevada 23-0.

Stadium: University Stadium (38,634)

Returning starters: 11 (8 offense, 3 defense)

Key players: QB Donovan Porterie, WR Bryant Williams, WR Roland Bruno, C Erik Cook, LB Clint McPeek, S Ian Clark, S Frankie Solomon, PK James Aho.

Key recruits: RB Kasey Carrier, RB Demond Dennis.

Key departures: RB Rodney Ferguson, LB Zach Arnett, CB Glover Quin, CB DeAndre Wright.

Coach Locksley says: “Leadership is going to be really important. Every team I have been a part of, when a coach has to lead the team you can have a good team, but when leadership comes from a group of players, that’s usually when you have something special.”

Schedule (All times Mountain)

Sept. 5 at Texas A&M 5 p.m.

Sept. 12 Tulsa 6 p.m.

Sept. 19 Air Force-x 5:30 p.m.

Sept. 26 New Mexico State 8 p.m.

Oct. 3 at Texas Tech 5 p.m.

Oct. 10 at Wyoming-x noon

Oct. 24 UNLV-x 6 p.m.

Oct. 31 at San Diego State-x 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 7 at Utah-x 4 p.m.

Nov. 14 BYU-x noon

Nov. 21 Colorado State-x 4 p.m.

Nov. 28 at TCU-x 11 a.m.

x-Denotes Mountain West Conference games.