The University of New Mexico football team did more giving than receiving on Christmas Day, giving the UCLA Bruins three turnovers, which they turned into 17 points, as UCLA beat New Mexico 27-13 in the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl. The Lobos finished their season with a 7-7 record.
New Mexico lost in its first bowl appearance since 1997, and is now 2-4-1 in seven bowl appearances.
“I thought it was a tough-fought game on both parts and our kids competed hard,” head coach Rocky Long said. “I am disappointed that we made some mistakes that gave them some opportunities to score, and put us in a bad position.”
Following a DonTrell Moore fumble, UCLA got on the board first with a Nate Fikse 49-yard field goal at 10:24 of the first quarter. Lobo senior cornerback Desmar Black picked off UCLA QB Drew Olson’s pass in the flat and returned it 55 yards for New Mexico’s first touchdown of the day at the 8:20 mark of the first quarter. Junior kicker Katie Hnida then made her first career appearance, but had her extra point blocked. Already the first and only woman to dress for a NCAA Division I bowl game, Hnida made a little more history in becoming the first woman ever to make an appearance in an NCAA Div. I-A football game.
“I made the decision to let Katie (Hnida) kick the first extra point,” Long said. “She has been a vital part of this team all year, and I felt that she deserved the opportuntity to make a play.”
The Lobos’ had a chance to increase their lead early in the second quarter after driving to the UCLA 17. After three incompletions, Kenny Byrd’s 34-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as the 14-play, 74-yard drive resulted in no points.
Fikse connected on his second field goal of the day from 39 yards out to knot the game at 6-6 with 6:21 remaining in the second quarter. The kick was set up by a questionable pass interference penalty on the Lobos in the endzone.
New Mexico’s defense continued its late- season pace of stopping opponents, holding the Bruins to just 167 yard of total offense. But the UCLA special teams rose to the occasion when Craig Bragg took a punt back 74 yards early in the third quarter to give the Bruins a 13-6 lead.
New Mexico tried to counter the Bruins’ touchdown, but Casey Kelly’s throw to the flat bounced off the back of tight end Zach Cresap into the waiting arms of Jarrad Page. Page returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to give UCLA a strong 20-6 advantage.
On the next possession, UNM’s Joe Manning caught a pass from Kelly only to be stripped of the ball. New Mexico’s third turnover of the game set up a 1-yard leap by freshman Tyler Ebell, handing the Bruins a 27-6 lead. Kelly found Manning in the back of the end zone for a touchdown that brought the Lobos close at 27-13, but New Mexico’s pooch kick attempt was recovered by the Bruins to squash its comeback attempt.
Kelly finished with a season-high 237 yards, completing 18 of 32 passes. Dwight Counter caught five balls for 78 yards, while senior Jake Farrel also had 78 yards receiving on 4 catches.
Redshirt freshman DonTrell Moore, hobbled by a sprained right ankle late in the second quarter, was limited to 17 yards on 14 carries. He finished 2002 with 1,134 yards, the second-best single season rushing total in school history.A