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Albuquerque, N.M. — The New Mexico Lobos, behind career days by junior quarterback Casey Kelly and redshirt freshman running back DonTrell Moore and a suffocating pass rush, torched the Wyoming Cowboy defense for 456 total yards in a 49-20 rout, ensuring the team its second bowl invitation since 1961.
New Mexico is now 7-6 overall, increasing its win total every year since 1999, a feat no other team in the country can claim. The Lobos, picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West Conference preseason polls, complete the league schedule all alone in second place with a mark of 5-2.
Wyoming finishes the season 2-10 overall and 1-6 in the league.
Kelly was 7-of-11 passing for 164 yards and a career-high four touchdowns and no interceptions, and added a career-high 84 yards rushing on 12 carries. Moore rushed for 176 yards on 28 carries and tied a school record by scoring five touchdowns – three rushing and two receiving – to lead the Lobos. Moore now has 1,117 yards rushing this season, the most ever by a Lobo freshman and a total that ranks 3rd-best in a UNM season.
The Lobo defense was equally impressive, sacking standout Wyoming quarterback Casey Bramlett a school-record-tying nine times and holding him to 203 yards passing, more than 77 yards under his season average. The New Mexico defense also forced three Bramlett interceptions, two by safety Brandon Ratcliff.
With the win, UNM guaranteed itself a bowl berth, either to the Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl on New Year’s Eve, or to the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl on Christmas Day. An announcement is expected to be made early next week.
The Lobos jumped on the board early, marching 80 yards to take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard run by Moore at the 11:18 mark of the first half. The drive was spearheaded by Kelly’s 43-yard completion to Joe Manning on UNM’s first play from scrimmage, and a 28-yard run by Moore.
UNM made it 14-0 on a 7-yard touchdown run by Moore. His scamper was set up by defensive end D.J Renteria’s interception of a tipped Bramlett pass at the Wyoming 7.
Wyoming struck back quickly, though. A 31-yard scramble by Bramlett and his 16-yard pass to wide receiver Javon Bouknight put the Cowboys in position for their first score, a 5-yard touchdown run by Derek Amah.
After Moore’s third rushing touchdown of the game with 11:53 to play in the first half, Wyoming responded with a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to close the gap to 21-14.
After Wyoming’s first drive of the second half, which resulted in -4 yards for the Cowboys, UNM’s Dwight Counter returned a Luke Donovan punt 45 yards to the Wyoming 18 and the Lobos were in business again. Kelly found Moore in the corner of the end zone for Moore’s fourth touchdown of the game and a 28-14 lead.
The Lobos made the score 35-14 on a 28-yard flea-flicker from Kelly into the outstretched arms of Counter with 7:58 left in the third quarter and the rout was on. Moore darted 35 yards for his fifth touchdown of the game with 2:51 to play in the and Kelly found Manning from 25 yards out with 8:42 to play in the game to make the score 49-14.
The Lobos scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half.
Wyoming added an inconsequential touchdown with 4:35 to play to make the final margin 49-20 in favor of the Lobos. It was the first TD the Lobos have yielded in the second half of regulation in five games, since facing Utah State on October 19.
UNM now awaits the decision of the Las Vegas and San Francisco bowl committees. Wyoming vs. New MexicoNovember 30, 2002POSTGAME NOTES
With the win: New Mexico gains its second bowl berth in the past 41 years, and first since playing in the 1997 Insight.com Bowl in Tucson, Ariz.
UNM finishes in sole possession of second place in the Mountain West Conference after being picked to finish sixth in the MWC preseason poll…the Lobos’ 5 conference wins has only been achieved six other times in school history, most recently in 1997 (6-2 WAC Mountain Division)
After starting the season 2-4, the Lobos won 3 of their final 4 games and 5 of their last 7 to finish the regular season…New Mexico’s 5-1 record at University Stadium this season was also its best since posting a 5-1 mark in 1997…the 5 home wins is tied for the most school history (’97, ’82, ’64, ’62, ’61)…UNM is 9-3 at home under Rocky Long over the past two years after going 8-10 in Long’s first 3 seasons.
UNM’s 9 sacks on the day tied a school record…the Lobos also had 9 in the 2001 season-opener vs. UTEP and in 1980 vs. BYU.
The Lobos’ 49 points were the most since scoring 53 vs. NMSU in the 2001 season-finale…UNM also amassed a season-high 292 yards rushing.
Wyoming’s 270 yards passing were the most allowed by UNM in 4 games, since giving up 440 to Utah…the Lobos’ had held its last 3 opponents to just 123.3 yards passing per game.
New Mexico scored on its opening drive for just the second time this season…the only other time was a one play, 34-yard drive against Weber State…UNM scored on its first four possessions of the second half.
Freshman RB DonTrell Moore rushed for 176 yards to increase his season total to 1,117, 3rd on the UNM single-season list…he becomes the 9th player in UNM history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark and first since Lennox Gordon in 1996…Moore’s season total is also a UNM freshman record, breaking Winslow Oliver’s previous mark of 1,063 set in 1992…he also added a career-high 5 TDs, including his first 2 receiving, to tie the UNM school record held by Reginal Johnson (1996) and Chuck Hill (1950)…Moore now has 13 rushing touchdowns on the season, which ties Rocky Long (1971) and Sam Scarber (1970) for second on the UNM all-time list…his 15 total TDs this year is also No. 2 for a single season, 1 behind Terrance Mathis’ 16 scores in 1989.
Junior QB Casey Kelly set a career-high with 4 passing touchdowns and also added a career-high 84 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Senior WR Joe Manning had 2 catches for 68 yards, including a 43-yard reception on the first play of the game…Manning had just 30 yards receiving in his last four games combined…junior WR Dwight Counter moved up to 10th all-time at UNM with 86 career receptions…he also recorded his longest punt return since a 74-yard return vs. Baylor earlier this season.
Junior LB Billy Strother finished with a career-best 12 tackles, including a career-high 3 sacks…junior DE D.J. Renteria recorded his first career interception…junior S Brandon Ratcliff notched a career-high 2 interceptions.
New Mexico vs. Wyoming November 30, 2002POSTGAME QUOTES
NEW MEXICO PLAYER QUOTESFr. Running Back DonTrell Moore”I’m choked up. It’s an exciting atmosphere in this locker room right now. It’s one that we’ve been wanting and longing for forever. We’re not quire sure where we’re going, but like coach said, we’re going somewhere, and that’s just a tribute to the seniors on this team who have been here four or five years, and who have just given their heart out just to get to a bowl game. I just wanted to go out and give our team the best opportunity to win so the seniors can go out in style.”
“I wanted to do it (Lobo Freshman Single-season rushing record) in the context of a win, and this is the greatest thing. But if I had zero carries for zero yards and we win, I mean it’s just an unbelievable feeling for these seniors to be victorious right now. I’m just glad I was able to run and do some things to give our seniors an opportunity to go to a bowl game.”
Jr. Linebacker Billy StrotherI’m exited! I’m happy.! It feels good! It’s like everything I’ve ever wanted since I was a little kid came true. All I ever wanted to do was play college football. And then I wanted to play in a bowl game, and it’s all coming true. I’m excited it feels good, we all feel good! We going go in there (the bowl game) and we’re going to be a great contender. It’s not going to be easy.
NEW MEXICO HEAD COACH ROCKY LONG”Dontrell (Moore) played very well today as he has the last three of four weeks. What he did today was he did not turn the ball over which made a huge difference in the momentum of the game.”
“The most impressive aspect of this game was that there was a group of kids who nobody thought could win. But, they continued to win and put themselves in a position to go to a bowl game. This was a bunch of kids that decided they were going to play for each other and for the fun of the game and not worry about what anyone said. When you find kids with that kind of character they find a way to get back on track. That’s the gutsiest football team I have ever been associated with.” “If the Las Vegas Bowl is for the second pick in our league we are the second place team so we ought to be picked.” In bowl games you get a chance to develop the younger players with the extra practices.”
WYOMING HEAD COACH VIC KOENNING(on the Cowboys’ emotions): “I’m disappointed. I didn’t know how the kids were going to react in this situation. Some of them played for me today and worked their tail off and some of them didn’t. They’ve been playing for their coach for seven or eight weeks and their coach is gone, so that motivation is gone.”
(on UNM running back DonTrell Moore): DonTrell is an effective player and I know on one play he made Nate Young just grab air. I don’t know how many times today we lined up on the left and should have lined up on the right and obviously then there is nobody in the hole to make the play. He is definitely an up and coming really good player and that’s the type of player the Mountain West Conference needs to recruit.”