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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico defense blanked UNLV for the final 2 1/2 quarters and forced two second half turnovers en route to a 27-17 victory at University Stadium on Saturday night in Albuquerque. New Mexico (5-4; 4-1 MWC) erased a 17-14 halftime deficit, outscoring UNLV (3-7; 2-4 MWC) 13-0 in the second half as senior kicker Vladimir Borombozin connected on a pair of field goals and senior running back Jarrod Baxter scored on a two-yard touchdown run.
Down three entering the third quarter, UNMs go-ahead touchdown was set up when senior linebacker Gary Davis recovered a fumbled snap by UNLV freshman quarterback Kurt Nantkes. Starting in place of a flu-ridden Jason Thomas, Nantkes led the Rebels from their own four-yard line to the UNLV 34, twice completing first down passes on third down-and-long plays. He also completed a 55-yard pass to junior fullback Steven Costa to the Lobo eight-yard line which was called back on an illegal shift penalty against the Rebels. Two plays later, Nantkes bobbled the snap and Davis recovered the ball on the UNLV 23-yard line. Following the turnover, New Mexico sophomore quarterback Casey Kelly completed a 21-yard pass to senior running back Holmon Wiggins, setting up Baxters ninth touchdown of the year to give the Lobos a 21-17 lead with 10:06 remaining in the third quarter.
With the lead in hand, Davis and the Lobo defense shut down the vaunted Rebel running game and allowed just 83 yards of total offense in the final two quarters. UNLV, which entered the game averaging 226.6 yards on the ground, was held to just 107 yards, 40 of which came on a long first quarter touchdown run by freshman running back Dominique Dorsey. UNLV junior running back Joe Haro carried the ball 20 times for just 53 yards, 56 yards below his season average. Davis finished with a career-high 15 tackles and the fumble recovery, while senior cornerback Stephen Persley intercepted his fifth pass of the season.
Borombozin, the most accurate kicker in UNM history, connected on a 31-yard field goal late in the third quarter and a 40-yard field goal with 2:01 left in the game to secure the Lobo victory. The Hollywood, Fla. native finished the game 2-2 on field goal attempts, extending his school-record to 16 consecutive field goals made, including 14-14 this season.
Wiggins and Baxter combined for 139 of New Mexicos 200 team rushing yards, while Kelly completed 11-26 passes for 140 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Dwight Counter led the Lobos in receiving for the eighth time this season, finishing with four catches for 35 yards. In his first career start, Nantkes was 12-28 passing for 159 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Haro led the Rebels on the ground with 53 yards, while Dorsey chipped in 49 yards before leaving with an ankle sprain early in the third quarter.
New Mexico will face Colorado State University next Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at University Stadium. The Lobos and Rams are tied for third place with a 4-2 record in Mountain West Conference play.
NEW MEXICO VS. UNLVSATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2001UNIVERSITY STADIUMGAME NOTES
New Mexicos 27-17 victory over UNLV was its third straight and fourth inits last five games. The Lobos are now 5-4 on the season, 4-2 in theMountain West Conference, tied for third place. The Lobos were picked tofinish seventh in the conference preseason poll.UNMs four conference wins are the most since it went 6-2 in the WesternAthletic Conference in 1997.
The Lobos have won two of their last three against the Rebels, and nowtrail the all-time series 5-4. UNM leads 4-2 in games played inAlbuquerque.
QB Casey Kelly is now 4-1 in five career starts. He was 11-26 for 140yards his fewest yards passing as a starter with no touchdowns and nointerceptions.
PK Vladimir Borombozin kicked two field goals, including a season-long40-yard boot with 2:01 remaining to clinch the victory. Borombozin has nowmade 16 straight tries dating back to last year, and is 14-14 this season.He added on to his school record for consecutive made field goals, afterbreaking Bob Bergs mark of 13 in 1974-75.
Sophomore WR Dwight Counter had a team-high 4 catches for 35 yards and hasnow caught a pass in every game this season. He has at least 4 catches inevery contest except the UTEP game.
WR Derrick Shepherds 21-yard TD run on a reverse was his first careertouchdown. Casey Kelly also scored on a one-yard run his first careerrushing TD, and the Lobos have now had 13 different players reach the endzone this season.
Holmon Wiggins 66-yard kickoff return was the longest by a Lobo since DionMarions 88-yard run for a TD against New Mexico State in 1998.Wiggins had a team-high 76 yards on 14 attempts and has 1,726 career yards,good for 14th in the UNM record books. Wiggins totaled 189 all-purposeyards on the day.
LB Gary Davis recorded a career-high 15 tackles (10 unassisted). Hisprevious best was 13 at Wyoming earlier this year. He also broke the record for tackles for loss in a season with his 17th TFL tonight. Davis also had a fumblerecovery.
CB Stephen Persley recorded his team-best fifth interception of the season.He ranked 19th in the nation in picks coming in. He now has 8 careerinterceptions.
UNLV averaged 226 ypg rushing coming in, 13th in the nation. The Rebelshad 107 yards on 42 carries on Saturday.UNM had 200 carries on 45 carries Saturday, the fourth time this seasonthey have reached at least 200 yards.
UNLV NOTESFreshman QB Kurt Nantkes made his first career start because Jason Thomasmissed the game due to the flu. It marked the first time someone otherthan Thomas has started since Jason Vaughan filled in for an injured Thomason Nov. 4, 2000, span of 13 games.
Senior WR Andrew Dubellak caught his first career pass a 26-yard TDreception in the second quarter.
Dillon Pieffers 49-yard FG was the longest of his career, the schools10th longest ever, and the longest since Nick Garritano kicked five of 51yards or longer in 1994.
Joe Haros 32 yards rushing in the first half gave the junior RB 1,016yards on the year, making him the sixth 1,000-yard rusher in schoolhistory. He also moved into fourth place on UNLVs single season list.
NEW MEXICO HEAD COACH ROCKY LONG(general comments): I think we are getting a little bit better atunderstanding that even when things go wrong we can keep playing and thingsmight go right.
(on UNLV QB Jason Thomas absence): I heard it pregame that he wasntgoing to play. We expected to see Kurt Nantkes anyway. They had beentalking about it all week in the newspapers in Las Vegas.
(on the UNM defense): I thought we did a real nice job. UNLV gave ussome formations that we hadnt seen and hadnt practiced against. Theygave us some plays out of those formations we hadnt seen either. Theyreally kept us off balance in the first half. I thought the defense made anice adjustment in the second half.
(on K Vladimir Borombozin ): He didnt punt very well last week, but hedid this week. That is a big-time field goal at the end (a 40-yard kick togive UNM a 27-17 lead with 2:01 remaining).
(on TB Holmon Wiggins): I thought Holmon did the best job of running theball since hes been here. He found some seams, broke some arm tackles andgot us some first downs.
(on LB Gary Davis): He has been playing well all season. He doesntsurprise us anymore. I see articles where he is described as one of thetop-five players in the league. They must be right.
(on playing Colorado State next week): Next week we are playing a teamwith the winner going to a bowl game. CSU has won several championships inthis league. It wont be hard at all to keep our players pointed in theright direction.
NEW MEXICO LINEBACKER GARY DAVIS(general comments): We came to the locker room at halftime and qwe made upour minds that we werent going to let score in the second half. We justwent out there and executed.
(on stopping UNLV on 4thand 1 in the 4th quarter):That was a crucial tackle because if they get that first down, the gamecould have gone either way. We played pretty good defense and stoppedthem. It was just a great play.
WIDE RECEIVER DERRICK SHEPHERD(on his 21-yd TD run): That felt good. I was just trying to stay focusedthe entire time. On the touchdown, I was just seeing blocks being made, Iwas just trying to get in the end zone.
(on the New Mexico fans): The New Mexico fans have been cheering likecrazy. We just come out, try and perform and look good.
FULLBACK JARROD BAXTER(on playing CSU): It feels cool being one inch closer to a bowl game. Wejust need to take that next big step. Next week, CSU is a team I havenever beaten in my career, and haven’t even played against in two yearsbecause I have been hurt. The guys in the locker room have to know intheir heart that we can get this done.
(on staying focused in practice): Everybody is going to get in there andwatch more film that they have before. We will practice hard Tuesday andWednesday and get in there and get it done.
LINEBACKER MOHAMMED KONTE(on stopping UNLV on 4th and 1 in the 4th quarter): With 4th and one, ourseason was pretty much on the line. The defense knew we had to come upwith the big play and Gary Davis and myself just stopped Joe Haro atthe line. It was just a good stand. Hopefully we can take this momentumand do some good things.