North Dakota State vs New Mexico Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 24, 2026

North Dakota State visits New Mexico on Saturday for a meeting between two teams near the top of the Mountain West. They'll play at University Stadium in Albuquerque, with kickoff at 10:00 pm ET on CW. North Dakota State is 6-1 and tied for second in the conference at 3-1. The Bison beat Nevada 31-17 last weekend, bouncing back from their first defeat. New Mexico is 5-1 and leads the Mountain West at 2-0. The Lobos have won three straight, most recently beating Hawaii 21-10. Build your bankroll with our free NCAAF picks.

North Dakota State Getting Back on Track

North Dakota State has bounced back from a frustrating trip to UNLV. The Bison managed seven points in a 13-7 loss, then returned home and beat Nevada 31-17. Earlier, North Dakota State had blanked Wyoming 28-0 and won 31-10 at Sacramento State. The team has rushed for 1,223 yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns through seven games. Defense has played a big role, too. The Bison have intercepted 11 passes, with several defenders getting involved rather than relying on one player.

Nathan Hayes has thrown for 1,272 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 65% of his passes. Jackson Williams has 432 receiving yards, while Mekhi Collins has caught three touchdown passes. Myles Mitchell leads the rushing attack with 354 yards, although the backfield is missing players. DJ Scott, who has 306 rushing yards and four touchdowns, is out. On defense, Donovan Woolen has 51 tackles and Marion Moore has four interceptions. Kelton McCaslin leads the pass rush with four sacks.

Injuries: DJ Scott, Nyeoti Punni, B. Toliver, D. Schlosser, K. Schlichting and C. Danner are out. C. LeGrant and B. Walton are questionable.

New Mexico Making the Most of Its Ground Game

New Mexico hasn't lost since visiting Oklahoma in September. The Lobos scored six points in a 14-6 defeat, but they've put together three straight wins since. They beat New Mexico State 42-18, overwhelmed UTEP 61-7 and then held Hawaii to 10 points in a 21-10 victory last Saturday. Not every outing has been a scoring spree, yet the running game keeps giving New Mexico chances. The Lobos have rushed for 1,287 yards and 21 touchdowns in six games. Their defense has also collected 13 interceptions.

Scottre Humphrey has 422 rushing yards on 85 carries and eight touchdowns. Kiefer Sibley has added 292 yards, and quarterback Toa Fa'avae has run for 220. Fa'avae has thrown for 698 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Bailen George leads the receivers with 240 yards, averaging 20 yards per catch. Darren Agu and Brett Karhu have four sacks apiece on defense, while Tavian Combs has intercepted four passes. That secondary could make life difficult for Hayes, who has thrown five picks.

Injuries: T. Walsh, S. Miller, Troy Omeire, A. Williams, J. Layne and J. Olsen are out. D. Bowers is questionable.

Key To The Game

Both defenses have at least 11 interceptions. Hayes has thrown five picks, while New Mexico's quarterbacks have combined for three. North Dakota State also arrives with several running backs out, putting pressure on its passing game against an aggressive secondary.

North Dakota State vs New Mexico Pick

• North Dakota State +4.5

New Mexico has won three straight and leads the Mountain West, but North Dakota State has lost only once this year. Both defenses have 11 or more interceptions, and the Bison have shown they can win without scoring much. Losing DJ Scott hurts their running depth, yet Mitchell and Hayes still offer options. New Mexico will face a close game, and North Dakota State will cover the 4.5-point spread as underdogs.

North Dakota State vs New Mexico Over/Under Pick

• Under 41.5

New Mexico beat Hawaii 21-10 last weekend, while North Dakota State lost 13-7 at UNLV before its win over Nevada. Both defenses have intercepted plenty of passes, and the Bison are missing several running backs. New Mexico's 21 rushing touchdowns show its scoring potential, but the Lobos can also control the clock. Neither team will find many easy points, and Saturday's game will finish under the 41.5-point total in Albuquerque.