ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. >> Ballrooms are equipment and medical rooms, laptops are on laps, and “hydration” is a demand and a requirement.

The Hawaii football team is on the road for the fourth time in six weeks, and it is doing its best to feel at home in airports and hotels, and on bus rides and high-school fields.

“This is the hard year,” head coach Nick Rolovich said ahead of today’s game against New Mexico at Dreamstyle Stadium. “Every four years, this is a difficult year — on the budget, and the difficult places to get to.”

With the Mountain West’s rotating schedule, this is the season when the Rainbow Warriors travel to Reno, Boise and Albuquerque. Each requires two flights each way.

“We looked at all the ways to stay commercial to save money,” Rolovich said. “The thing that gets thrown in is the transferring of equipment.”

The nationally televised games against Nevada and Boise State were played at night. That left the Warriors a couple of hours sleep before heading to the airport the next morning. Rolovich said the debate is whether to let the players sleep in and catch a later flight home on Sunday or sacrifice sleep by leaving earlier.

“There are pros and cons on both,” Rolovich said.

There also is an argument on the front side on whether to depart for the mainland on a red-eye or all-day flight.

Rolovich said some coaches prefer to stay up and study videos of the game while some prefer to grade videos on the return flight to Honolulu.

“It’s a tough turnaround,” Rolovich said. “I’m proud of the way the kids handle it. I’ve been around a lot of teams. I think the humility of our state and the toughness of our state really drives our team’s mentality on travel.”

Nickel back Eugene Ford said: “We adjust. We never complain. We understand. We’re on an island. We have to travel a long way.”

While the Warriors’ wish would be to use a charter flight to travel non-stop to Reno, Boise, Fresno or Albuquerque, they are mindful of the economic realities.

“If we can’t do it, we can’t do it,” Rolovich said of charter flights between Hawaii and the mainland.

The Warriors’ more immediate challenge is snapping a two-game losing streak and finding their way back into the Mountain West’s divisional race. The Warriors, who are 4-3 overall and 1-2 in league play, have never won a West Division title since joining the Mountain West in 2012. After a 54-3 rout of Nevada, the Warriors lost their next two games against Boise State and Air Force, surrendering 115 points and 1,058 yards.

Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said the Warriors had a good week of practice.

“The outcome on the scoreboard is definitely not what we wanted or our expectations,” Batoon said. “But that’s the beauty of football. You get another opportunity this weekend.”

Quarterback Cole McDonald said: “I hate losing. That’s the bottom line. I want to win. That’s why I’m here. We’re a pretty good group of guys. We know the mistakes we made in the past couple of games put us in the positions we’ve been in. It’s executing. It’s bouncing back as a team.”

The Lobos also are seeking to rebound after suffering four consecutive losses. Starting quarterback Sheriron Jones is suspended following an accusation of indecent exposure. The Lobos have suffered a turnover in 24 games in a row against FBS opponents. They have gone 169 pass plays in a row since making their lone interception this season. The past weekend, they held Wyoming to 86 passing yards … but relinquished 259 yards on the ground.

“We have to get that many more reps in practice during the week, watch that much more extra film,” UNM linebacker Alex Hart said. “We’re trying to get better. The guys have been doing great. We have to stay healthy and improve each week. That’s our goal.”