Colorado State at New Mexico When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. TV/Radio: ROOT Sports/105.5 FM

FORT COLLINS — The constant search for information is what keeps football coaches in their offices for so many hours. It can lead to paralysis by analysis, and Colorado State coach Mike Bobo has referred to it as “chasing ghosts” on more than one occasion this season.

This week, the chase isn’t needed, because the information is so crystal clear, and not in a good way for his football team as it heads to New Mexico on Saturday (3:30 p.m.; ROOT Sports).

Sure, the Lobos’ upset of Boise State catches one’s attention, but in looking at the stat sheet, Bobo couldn’t believe his eyes. The Broncos had 40 first downs, the Lobos 11, yet they were the team with 31 points on the board.

Turnovers helped, for sure. But so did big plays. Real big plays.

A 74-yard run produced a touchdown. Runs of 40 and 30 set up other scores. So did an 81-yard pass. Outside of that, New Mexico (6-4, 4-2 Mountain West) didn’t generate much.

“I read it out loud to about four different guys on the staff,” Bobo said of the stats. “I couldn’t believe it. I think they were 0-fer on third down as well as the number of plays, but made enough plays to win the ball game.”

He also knows his defense has given up enough big plays to lose games this year. It’s a combustive mix for the Rams (5-5, 3-3), but they’re hoping to alter the chemistry.

New Mexico has been that way all season, and only getting better at it. They have three plays of 70 yards or longer, all of which have occurred in the past two wins. Delane Hart-Johnson has receptions of 86 and 81 yards in those games. By contrast, Colorado State’s longest offensive play is 69 yards, which also occurred last week.

The Lobos have 10 plays of 50 yards or longer, 23 runs good for 20 or more. The Rams have just one play that covers more than 50 yards.

“We have to limit the big play. The big play has killed us this year, and that’s kind of what they have lived off of is the big, big play,” Bobo said. “We’ve got to do a better job than what we’ve done all year and try to limit their big plays.”

The Rams know it’s possible, because they had success in limiting the option attack of Air Force earlier this season, the only loss for the Falcons in Mountain West play. What it takes is a good dose of gang tackling, trusting reads and remaining disciplined.

“I think what we really honed in to was actually running to the ball; everybody just sticking to their job,” linebacker Deonte Clyburn said. “That’s what really helped us against Air Force. Nobody was trying to go out of their comfort zone, nobody was trying to do too much. Everybody was really just focused on what we needed to do, and that’s what got us the win.”

The Falcons rushed for 269 yards, but that was nearly 60 yards less than their per-game average. They did hit one big play, a 60-yard scoring run, but that was it.

New Mexico enters the contest averaging 231.4 yards per game, 5.0 per carry, and Bobo knows they will give up some yards. It’s giving them up in chunks that has to be contained.

Colorado State has dealt with an on-again, off-again nature of its defense, a fact defensive end SteveO Michel said they’re feeling pretty salty about. He said the key is clear, if only they’ll just stick to the plan they know works.

The big plays, they’re there, and Michel said they have the Rams’ attention. The key is not getting it divided on game day.

“I wouldn’t say it worries us, but we know it’s something we have to keep in mind and practice and make sure we tackle and communicate well because they are explosive, and everybody in the Mountain West knows that,” he said. “This is a new New Mexico team. They’ve found their identity a little bit, and we’ve just got to go in there and play.

“We have to communicate. That’s the main thing. Everybody communicate and do your job. Stop trying to do other people’s job. The main thing to getting back to playing the way we did with Wyoming and Air Force is communication. We were always on the same page.”

One the Rams hope results in a much cleaner stat sheet for them Saturday.

Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com