Their agony explains it all.

University of New Mexico head coach Rocky Long and Brigham Young University head coach Bronco Mendenhall are gritting their teeth a little more this week.

They don't hate each other.

In fact, it's a bit of a lovefest when Long and his former protege face off.

The source of the angst is all about football.

Both coaches seem genuinely nervous about the prospect of a really tight game between the Lobos and Cougars tonight at University Stadium.

"I think it's a close game that could come down to coaching decisions, and that always makes me nervous," Long said. "You always want to be ready, completely prepared and give your team the best chance to win."

Mendenhall, who was a defensive coordinator under Long at UNM before rising through the ranks at BYU, seems just as wary of the Lobos.

"I am impressed with New Mexico," he said earlier this week while preparing for the Lobos. "It's a typical coach Long defense. They play hard, they play aggressive and they play fast. It's hard to tell where everybody is coming from.

"From an offensive standpoint they are very talented . . . They are a formidable opponent, and I know how their program is coached, so we are anxious to get in a good week of work."

Long is just as effusive about BYU's lineup.

He always has referred to the Cougars as a bigger, faster and stronger team with vastly more resources than the Lobos.

It's hard to argue when BYU holds a 41-14-6 lead in the series and 20-8-1 advantage in Albuquerque.

When asked what the Cougars' weaknesses are, Long replied, "I'm not sure they have any."

Mendenhall also sees much bigger implications for tonight's matchup. To him, this is more meaningful than one mere conference game played relatively early in the season.

"With the start they are off to, I think New Mexico could weigh in heavily in terms of how this conference race shapes out."

The Mountain West Conference title will not be sewn up this early in the season, but beating BYU would undoubtedly be a huge asset for the Lobos.

The Cougars are the defending conference champions who wield a massive advantage at home. The Lobos are fiercely competitive but perennially struggle to finish atop the Mountain West.

Players on both teams have quickly absorbed the tone set by both hard-nosed, hard-working coaches.

"This is a huge test for us and we're definitely not overlooking New Mexico," BYU sophomore quarterback Max Hall said. "We know their fans will be fired up and we have a huge target on our backs. It's going to be a huge challenge for our team."

Long said he has drilled his team on the importance of conference games from the first day they walked on campus. As a result, he said he rarely sees a letdown before a conference game. And he never has had a problem getting the team motivated for a showdown with BYU.

Junior linebacker Zach Arnett said the Lobos understand exactly what is at stake.

"It's a really big deal for us," Arnett said. "The fans get it and we get it. It's BYU. It's the team you have to beat to call yourself the best. And this year, if we play our best we definitely have a chance to win."

Lobos online: CSTV will stream tonight's UNM-BYU football game live online for a one-time $14.95 fee.

Fans can visit golobos.com and click on all-access to view the game. Anyone who purchased a variety UNM multimedia content season pass can view the game for free.