Final Stats?|?Quotes?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery
By PETE HERRERA
AP Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – DonTrell Moore ran for two touchdowns and CaseyKelly passed for 230 yards Saturday as New Mexico beat Utah State 34-7.
Moore, who rushed for 132 yards on 30 carries, scored in the first half onruns of 6 and 2 yards and Kelly shook off a slow start to consistently findopen receivers.
After completing just 2 of 7 passes in the first quarter, Kelly finished13-of-22, including a 39-yard TD pass to Dwight Counter with 8:53 left in thesecond quarter.
That score and Moore’s second touchdown sparked a 17-point quarter by NewMexico (3-3) that broke open a 10-7 game.
Utah State (1-4) got its only score on a 79-yard pass from Travis Cox toBarry Tolli with 12:10 left in the second quarter, 17 seconds after Moorescored.
The Aggies, who came into the game averaging 322 yards in total offense,never got their offense untracked against the Lobos’ blitzing defense. Coxcompleted 13 of 27 passes for 162 of the Aggies’ 221 total yards.
New Mexico also got field goals of 24 and 41 yards from Wes Zunker and a6-yard touchdown run from D.D. Cox.
The Lobos forced two Utah State turnovers in the first quarter, a fumble byTravis Cox and a fumbled punt by Tony Pennyman. New Mexico didn’t get anypoints off Cox’s fumble, but Pennyman’s fumbled punt was recovered by Lobodefensive back Jerrell Malone at the Utah State 19. Moore then carried the ballfour straight times, scoring with 3:14 left in the quarter.
Counter had 106 yards receiving on just four catches, his longest being a46-yarder to the Utah State 3 that set up Zunker’s second field goal early inthe third quarter.
Kelly, the target of criticism from Lobo fans in recent weeks, had his bestgame since throwing for 349 yards against Texas Tech a month ago.