Oct. 1, 2004
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By PETE HERRERA
AP Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – Quarterback Alex Smith ran for two touchdowns andSteve Savoy caught 11 passes for 150 yards in Utah’s 28-7 victory over NewMexico on Friday night.
The 14th-ranked Utes (5-0, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) have won ninestraight dating to last season and are off to their best start since 1994.
New Mexico (2-3, 0-1) beat Utah 47-35 last year – the Utes’ last loss – butthis time the Lobos were shut down by Utah’s quick defense. New Mexico’s onlyscore came on Gabriel Fulbright’s 68-yard return of a fumble by Smith with 10seconds left in the first quarter.
Fulbright’s touchdown was on a questionable no-call. Smith was hit bydefensive end Michael Tuohy while attempting to pass. It appeared Smith’s armwas going forward, but the officials didn’t whistle the play dead and Fulbrightpicked up the rolling ball and ran it in.
So effective was Utah’s defense that New Mexico finished with 157 totalyards and had more punts (14) than first downs (8). Utah had 466 total yards.
New Mexico quarterback Kole McKamey completed just two of his first 14passes, finished 7-of-22 for 83 yards, and spent much of the night trying toelude Utah defenders. When he did have time, he often overthrew open receivers.
The Lobos had just 74 yards rushing as halfback DonTrell Moore, the leadingrusher in the conference, sat out with a sprained ligament in his left knee.
Fulbright’s score tied the game 7-7 and Utah responded with a nine-play,84-yard drive that took less than 3 minutes. Runs of 23 and 12 yards by QuintonGanther and a 17-yard pass from Smith to Savoy set up Paris Warren’s 7-yardscoring run with 12:14 left in the second quarter. Warren made a one-handedgrab of a pitch from Smith and walked into the end zone.
Smith scored on a 3-yard run in the first quarter and on a 6-yard run in thesecond quarter after the Utes successfully faked a punt on third-and-14 fromtheir own 20. Punter Matt Kovacevich ran 21 yards to the 41 and aroughing-the-passer penalty on New Mexico got the Utes to the New Mexico 44.Smith hit Warren with a 21-yard pass to the 13 and three plays later scored ona quarterback draw.
Savoy scored the only touchdown of the second half on a 10-yard end aroundthat came two plays after a 41-yard pass from Smith to Savoy to the New Mexico12.
Smith, who came into the game having thrown for 952 yards, got off to a slowstart, completing just one of his first five passes. But a 59-yard run byhalfback Marty Johnson to the New Mexico 4 set up Smith’s first touchdown with7:34 left in the first quarter.
Smith finished 14-of-28 for 167 yards and threw his first interception ofthe season when Lobos defensive back Brandon Payne picked off a pass intendedfor Warren with 5:38 left in the game. That ended Smith’s streak of 116 passeswithout an interception.