LUBBOCK, TEXAS – Ivory McCann’s 100-yard kickoff return broke open a 21-17 game early in the third quarter, sparking Texas Tech to a 42-30 win over the University of New Mexico Saturday night at Jones SBC Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. New Mexico (1-1) dropped its fourth straight road-opener and its eighth straight to the Red Raiders (1-0), including last year’s 24-3 defeat in Lubbock. UNM has not won at Texas Tech since 1983.
Down 21-14 at halftime, New Mexico forced the Red Raiders to punt from their own 17-yard line on their first possesion of the second half. On fourth down, punter Clinton Greathouse, who had an earlier attempt blocked by UNM’s Stephen Persley, fumbled the snap and was tackled at the nine-yard line. However, the Lobos gained just four yards and had to settle for a 21-yard Vladimir Borombozin field goal, cutting the lead to 21-17.
UNM freshman Wes Zunker’s ensuing kickoff was fielded eight yards into the endzone by McCann who shocked the Lobo coverage team by taking the ball out and racing up the middle of the field for the 100-yard touchdown return to give TTU a 28-17 lead. McCann’s return tied the UNM record for the longest kickoff return for a touchdown by an opponent. UTEP’s Cedric Johnson also had a 100-yard return in 1996. New Mexico failed to get a first down on its next five possessions as the Red Raiders built a 42-17 lead, the last touchdown coming on a 54-yard fumble return by Paul McClendon.
Despite allowing the second half kickoff return, New Mexico’s special teams helped the team take its only lead of the game late in the first quarter when Greathouse’s punt was blocked by Persley and recovered by reserve receiver Derrick Shepherd on the Red Raider three-yard line. Two plays later, fullback Jarrod Baxter scored on a four-yard touchdown run to give the Lobos a 7-3 lead with 2:12 remaining in the quarter. TTU quarterback Kliff Kingsbury led his team back as the Red Raiders scored 18 straight points in the second quarter on a 32-yard Robert Treece field goal and touchdown passes to recievers Wes Welker and Peters. UNM countered late in the second half as quarterback Rudy Caamano picked up 28 yards on an option play and later scored on a five-yard run to cut the defecit to 21-14.
Caamano struggled early, but finished the game with 11-24 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown. On the other side, Kingsbury finished with 364 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions on 30-49 passing in Texas Tech’s wide open offense. Baxter notched his second straight 100-yard, two-touchdown game, finishing with 106 yards on 23 carries. TTU tailback Ricky Williams added seven receptions for 89 yards and 55 yards rushing on 14 carries for the Red Raiders.
New Mexico returns home to face the rival New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday, Sept. 15 at University Stadium in Albuquerque. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. (MDT).
Game Notes
Baxter’s consecutive 100-yard rushing games were the first by a Lobo since Lennox Gordon had two-straight in 1997…Gordon also had three-straight in 1996…Baxter’s two-game total is 290 yards rushing and four touchdowns…UNM’s defense held Tech to only 62 yards rushing, the second time this year they have held its opponent under 100 yards…it held five opponents under the century mark in rushing last year…the defense also had two interceptions for the second straight game…David Crockett had his first career interception and Gary Davis added a pick, his second career INT…UNM had only 3 penalties (none offensively) for 25 yards after being flagged a record 17 times against Hawaii…Persley’s blocked punt in the first quarter was the third of his career…the 42 points was the most given up by UNM since allowing 42 at Wyoming in 1999…the last time the Lobos scored 30+ points in a loss was in 1996, when they lost 52-31 at SMU…Rudy Caamano missed on his first eight pass attempts, but finished the game 11 of 16…he also had a career-rushing high with 46 yards, including a 28-yard scamper.
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