Sept. 30, 2006
TEAM
The New Mexico defense held Air Force to a season-low 281 yards of total offense, 107 under its average…the Falcons’had a season-low 262 yards rushing on 62 attempts (4.2 avg.) and a season-low 18 first downs…UNM has held Air Force under its season rushing average seven times in the past eight years.The Falcons had 3 scoring drives of less than 30 yards…Air Force had to march a total of 49 yards to score its 10 fourth quarter points…14 of Air Force’s 24 points came after Lobo turnovers…AFA also kicked a 48-yard field goal after UNM failed to convert on a fourth down play near midfield.New Mexico matched a season-high with 3 turnovers, including 2 fumbles lost…UNM has lost 7 straight when it loses the turnover battle and is 5-36 under Rocky Long when it has more miscues.UNM had a season-low 13 first downs…the Lobos converted 3 of their season-high 4 fourth down attempts.The Lobos were stopped in the red zone for the first time in 12 trips inside the 20 this season when Chris Nelson’s pass was intercepted late in the fourth quarter.New Mexico allowed 5 sacks today and has yielded 23 on the season after 5 games…UNM gave up just 19 sacks in 11 games in 2005The 7 points by UNM are the fewest against Air Force since a 10-6 Falcons win in Colorado Springs in 1973…it’s the fewest points in an MWC game since a 28-7 loss to Utah in 2004…UNM is now averaging 18 points a game
INDIVIDUAL
Junior wide receiver Travis Brown had a career-high 7 receptions for 89 yards – the most since the season opener vs. Portland State (93)…Brown has caught at least one pass in 17 straight games and 22 of his 25 career games…he has24 receptions for 302 yards this year after catching 35 for 245 in 11 games last fall.Sophomore tailback Rodney Ferguson recorded his second career receiving TD, scoring from 58 yards out on a screen pass…it was the longest play of Ferguson’s career and the Lobos’ second-longest play of the season behind Marcus Smith’s 61yard TD catch (also on a screen pass) at New Mexico State.Ferguson was held to a season-low 36 yards rushing, 57.2 under his season average.Senior lobo Quincy Black recorded a career-high 13 tackles…Black now has 47 stops in his last 4 games (11.8 avg.).Senior tight end John Mulchrone tied a career-high with 3 receptions (47 yards)…Mulchrone’s 214 receiving yards this year (5 games) are already the most by a Lobo TE since1994 (David Sloan – 320) and his 13 receptions are the most by a Lobo TE since 2002 (Bryan Penley – 17). Sophomore safety Blake Ligon recorded his first career interception…it was Ligon’s first game back since suffering a broken right forearm against New Mexico State (Sept. 9).
MISC.
New Mexico had a 4-game road winning streak halted today…UNM lost its third straight at Falcon Stadium and is2-8 all-time at the Air Force Academy…the loss was just the third in the Lobos’ last 12 Mountain West Conference road games…Air Force has won three in a row in the series and four of the past five overall…UNM is 3-5 all-time in MWC openers, including 1-3 on the road.