Sept. 10, 2007
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Ninety-nine years ago, a pair of undefeated football teams met for the first time in Albuquerque. It was Nov. 26, 1908 when the 4-0 Arizona Varsity faced the 5-0 New Mexico “University Boys.” (Neither school had its Wildcats or Lobos nickname at the time). Arizona completed its unblemished season with a 10-6 victory over UNM. The territories of New Mexico and Arizona would later join the Union in 1912.
The rivaly is renewed for the 65th time Saturday night as the two land grant institutions meet in Tucson. Kickoff is 8:07 p.m. Mountain Time (7:07 in Tucson) from Arizona Stadium. The game can be heard worldwide on 770 KKOB-AM (www.770kkob.com) and will be televised live by Fox Sports Arizona throughout New Mexico and nationally on DirecTV (Ch. 660) and Dish Network (Ch. 446).
Both teams enter 1-1 after similar starts to the season. Their offenses were not productive on the road in Week 1 with the Lobos falling 10-6 at UTEP and Arizona losing 20-7 at BYU. They returned home to find their offense and fans in high gear.
UNM amassed 496 yards of total offense in the 44-34 victory over New Mexico State last Saturday in front of an SRO crowd of 41,033 at University Stadium. Arizona whipped Northern Arizona 45-24 in Tucson, gathering 490 yards of offense. And, both teams were led by their quarterbacks. Lobo sophomore Donovan Porterie was named MWC Offensive Player of the Week after completing 17 of 24 passes for 342 yards, no interceptions and 2 TDs while directing UNM to scores on its final six possessions. Arizona junior Willie Tuitama tossed 5 TDs – all to different receivers – and finished 23 of 44 for 283 yards and one interception.
THE NEW MEXICO-ARIZONA SERIES
Outside of New Mexico State (98 games) and UTEP (75 games) – concidentally the Lobos’ first two opponents in 2007 – New Mexico has played more games against Arizona (64) than any other school.The Wildcats have a 43-18-3 overall lead in the series. This is the first meeting since the 1997 Insight.com Bowl in Tucson and only the fourth game since Arizona joined the Pac-10 Conference in 1978. The Cats have won the last four.
New Mexico and Arizona were charter members of the Western Athletic Conference when it began in 1962. They were also part of the old Border Conference from 1931-50.
Games in Tucson: Arizona has a 22-10-1 lead in Tucson with the Lobos’ last victory coming in 1975. It was that game 32 years ago that certainly made New Mexico’s season and had some followers calling it one of the program’s biggest wins.
UNM was 2-4 and heavy underdogs to a 5-0 Arizona squad that was ranked 13th in the nation. QB Steve Myer set a school record by tossing 4 TD passes as the Lobos shocked the Wildcats 44-34. Myer was 26 of 38 for 351 yards through the air, at the time the second-best passing performance in school history. Tempe native Preston Dennard caught 8 passes for 141 yards and a TD while TB Mike Williams rushed for 118 yards. UNM generated 594 yards of offense.
The Rifle: The two schools used to play for the Kit Carson rifle, although that custom was dropped many years ago. Kit Carson was a legendary scout in the territories of New Mexico and Arizona in the 1800s. The story goes that nearly 70 years ago former New Mexico director of athletics Roy Johnson and Arizona AD Pop McKale obtained a rifle in a trade with an Indian rumored to be Geronimo. It’s not known what the administrators provided in return. McKale donated the rifle in 1938 and the score of each game was etched into the stock. The Lobos won 10 times, Arizona 21.
Next Year: Arizona is scheduled to visit the Lobos in Albuquerque on Sept. 13, 2008.
LOBOS VS. THE PAC-10
New Mexico has played 99 games against current members of the Pac-10 Conference, although most of those came against Arizona and Arizona State when they were in the Border and Western Athletic conferences. In fact, 92 of the 99 contests have involved the Lobos versus the Wildcats and Sun Devils. UNM’s record against its western neighbors stands at 24-71-4.
Since Arizona and ASU joined the Pac-10 in the fall of 1978, New Mexico is 0-9 against that league: 0-3 vs. Arizona, 0-3 vs. Oregon State, 0-2 vs. Washington State and 0-1 vs. UCLA. Three of the losses have come in postseason: to Arizona in the 1997 Insight.com; to UCLA in the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl and to Oregon State in the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl.
Rocky Long VS. ARIZONA
Rocky Long is facing Arizona for the first time as a head coach, but he saw them many times while serving as an assistant at Oregon State and UCLA. From 1991-95, Oregon State went 0-4-1 against the Wildcats while UCLA was 1-1 in 1996-97. Long had better success against Arizona as New Mexico’s starting quarterback from 1969-71. The Lobos lost 52-028 in Tucson in 1969, but prevailed 35-7 in Albuquerque in 1970 and 34-28 at Arizona Stadium in 1971.
LOBOS-WILDCATS: THE LAST TIME
It was Dec. 27, 1997 at the Insight.com Bowl on the Wildcats’ home field in Tucson. New Mexico would lose its first bowl game in 36 years, 20-14. The Cats struck first, scoring on Kelvin Eafon’s 15-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.
UNM took almost no time in the second stanza to knot the score. QB Graham Leigh ran 17 yards for a first down, then tossed a 15-yard TD pass to senior Milton Thomas. Colby Cason’s PAT tied the score at 7-7 and completed the eight-play 69-yard scoring drive.
On Arizona’s next possession, quarterback Brady Batten threw for 51 yards and Trung Canidate ran for 13 more, including a three-yard touchdown, which allowed the Wildcats to reclaim the lead, 13-7. UA missed the PAT.
The Lobos marched right back down the field, reeling off a 14-play, 45-yard drive. UNM could not cash in on its possession, however, as Colby Cason missed a 37-yard field goal.
The second half began in a disastrous fashion for the Lobo offense, as it went three-and-out on its first possession, then Leigh threw two consecutive interceptions. The resiliency of the UNM defense was the only thing preventing Arizona from increasing its lead, as the Lobos forced the Wildcats to punt on each of their first two series.
After Leigh’s second interception of the quarter – his third of the game – UA capitalized. Canidate rushed for 30 yards, culminating with Eafon’s 1-yard TD. The score upped Arizona’s lead to 20-7 with 2:07 left in the third quarter.
Once again, UNM would not allow Arizona to keep its momentum. Leigh found Brian Messer for a 35-yard gain on the Lobos’ first play from scrimmage. Two plays later, Leigh found Chris Shelton over the middle for an 18-yard gain to the Wildcat four. Leigh found paydirt on the next play, and with the five-play, 60-yard drive, New Mexico was right back in the game, trailing only 20-14.
New Mexico would get one more chance to stage a rally, taking over at the UA 48 with 5:31 remaining. On second-and-nine, Leigh dropped back and spotted Pascal Volz flashing across the middle downfield. His pass sailed just a bit, however, landing right in the arms of Wildcat DB Kelly Malveaux to seal it for the Cats.
TOUGH ON THE ROAD
While the Lobos have been very good in Mountain West Conference road games the past six years – 15-7 since 2001 – the non-conference away games have been more of a challenge. UNM is 4-15 under Rocky Long in such affairs with three of the wins coming at New Mexico State.
The Lobos are 1-17 in non-conference road games outside the state of New Mexico since the middle of the 1997 season. The lone win was 45-35 at Missouri in 2005.
LOBOS FROM ARIZONA
New Mexico lists six Arizona natives on its 2007 roster: Junior P Matt Barnard is a 2004 gradiate of Phoenix Desert Vista HS; junior WR Jonathan Brooks is a 2004 graduate of Tucson Sabino HS; redshirt freshman CB Terence Brown is a 2006 grad of Phoenix Cesar Chavez HS; starting RT Devin Clark attended Scottsdale CC in 2004-05 and graduated from Mesa Mountain View HS in 2004; Brad Gruner is a true freshman QB from Chandler Hamilton HS; and true freshman OT Bryan Wightman attended Red Mountain HS in Mesa.
NEW MEXICO STATE RECAP
Rodney Ferguson ran wild again and Donovan Porterie sure got on a roll in the fourth quarter. But Clint McPeek? He had the hit that dictated the outcome.
Ferguson had 118 yards rushing and two touchdowns, Porterie threw for two more scores and McPeek’s big play swung things in New Mexico’s favor as the Lobos beat New Mexico State 44-34.
New Mexico State trailed 34-27 midway through the final quarter. Chase Holbrook was moving the Aggies when he tried a pass for tight end Nick Cleaver.
McPeek, a safety playing the Lobo position, arrived at the same time as the ball, and it popped right into the arms of New Mexico teammate Frankie Solomon. It was the first turnover by either side.
Porterie took over, immediately throwing a 50-yard strike to Travis Brown to reach the Aggies’ 25. That set up a 21-yard field goal by John Sullivan, giving New Mexico a 37-27 lead with 5:22 to play.
Porterie completed 18 of 25 attempts – including 13 of his last 15 – for 342 yards passing. He had several big plays and was helped by receiver Marcus Smith, who made a spectacular diving catch for a 36-yard gain in the final quarter.
Sullivan kicked three field goals as the Lobos (1-1) beat their instate rival for the fifth straight year.
Defensive end Tyler Donaldson sealed New Mexico’s victory when he intercepted Holbrook with 3:33 to go. Three plays later, Porterie threw to wide open Chris Mark in the left flat for a 26-yard TD pass to make it 44-27.
NEW MEXICO STATE POSTGAME NOTES
UNM improves to 65-28-5 all-time against NMSU, including 5 straight wins…the Lobos have won 14 of the last 15 at University Stadium
With the implementation of the Rio Grande Rivalry between UNM and NMSU, the Lobos now lead the season standings 3 to 1.5
Attendance of 41,033 is the 4th-largest gate in University Stadium history…it is the fifth time UNM has topped the 40,000 mark – all since 2001 – and it is the third consecutive crowd of 40,000+ against NMSU at University Stadium
Not Very Often: New Mexico produced a 100-yard rusher (Rodney Ferguson – 118), a 300-yard passer (Donovan Porterie – 342) and two 100-yard receivers (Marcus Smith – 128, Travis Brown – 106) for the first time since Nov. 1, 2003 when DonTrell Moore (130 rushing), Casey Kelly (408 passing), Dwight Counter (171 receiving) and Adrian Boyd (103 receiving) pulled it off
Brown and Smith reached 100 yards receiving in the same game for the second time in their careers…the first time was last year against Utah
The 496 total yards are the most by UNM since gaining 578 against UNLV in that 2003 game
Better in the Red: After scoring just 6 points on 4 trips inside trhe red zone in the 10-6 loss at UTEP, the Lobos were much better against New Mexico State…they entered 5 times and scored 3 TDs and 2 FGs for 27 points
Pleasant O-Line: Thought to be the biggest question mark entering the season, the Lobos offensive line has been quite efficient the first two games…UNM is averaging 439.5 yards of offense and QB Donovan Porterie has only been sacked 1 time for a loss of 1 yard
Hanging On To The Ball: The Lobos have yet to commit an offensive turnover…the only miscue came on an onside kick late in the New Mexico State game when the Aggies recovered the loose ball
Big Plays Emerge: Despite gaining 383 yards in the opener against UTEP, the Lobos’ longest play from scrimmage was just 19 yards on a pair of pass plays…in the NMSU win, UNM had 14 plays go for at least 15 yards, 4 rushes and 11 passes
Ferguson Streak Continues: Junior TB Rodney Ferguson (Doak Walker Award Candidate) ran for 118 yards on 26 carries and 2 touchdowns…it’s his fifth consecutive 100-yard rushing game dating to last year, which ties DonTrell Moore’s record established in 2003…Ferguson has averaged 140 yards a game over that span…he now has 1,532 career rushing yards to rank 18th all-time at UNM…Ferguson leads the MWC in rushing at 125 yards a game
Smith Leading MWC: After a 6-catch, 128-yard performance against New Mexico State, senior WR Marcus Smith is now leading the MWC in receiving with averages of 8.5 catches and 102.5 yards a game…he posted his 3rd career 100-yard receiving game and and also scored his 5th career rushing TD…Smith now has 79 career catches for 1,153 yards and 10 receiving TDs
Brown Moving Up the Charts: Senior WR Travis Brown had 6 catches for 106 yards, his 3rd career game surpassing 100 yards …Brown has caught a pass in 27 straight games, currently the 6th-longest in NCAA football and the 3rd-longest in school history behind Carl Winston (46) and Terance Mathis (28)…Brown passed Martinez Williams (1996-99) for 8th all-time in receptions (117) at UNM and he is 14th at UNM with 1,292 receiving yards
Big Night for Porterie: Sophomore QB Donovan Porterie completed 17-of-24 passes for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in the 44-34 victory over New Mexico State en route to his second career MWC Offensive Player of the Week award…Porterie completed 13 of his last 14 attempts in the game and was 5-of-5 for 149 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter…Porterie led the Lobos to scores on their final six possessions, including three touchdowns and three field goals…the passing total was eight yards shy of his career high set against Utah (350) last season…Porterie has not thrown an interception since the 4th quarter of last year’s victory against Utah, a span of 119 attempts and 75 completions
Sullivan Earns Special Teams Award: Senior K John Sullivan was named MWC Special Teams Player of the Week after New Mexico State…he connected on all 3 FG attempts from 30, 38 and 21 yards and has now made four in a row…he also was 5-5 on PATs
Freshman FB Josh Fussell caught his 1st career pass and it was good for a 36-yard touchdown midway through the 1st quarter…he also returned 3 kickoffs for 29 yards as an up-man
Senior DE Michael Touhy likes playing against New Mexico State…he tied a school record with 4 sacks in last year’s win in Las Cruces…on Saturday, Tuohy recorded 7 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack…he now has 15.5 career sacks, tying for ninth all time at UNM with Jesse Becton
Senior DE Tyler Donaldson snagged his 1st career interception in the win over NMSU…Donaldson added a sack and leads UNM with 2…he and DE Michael Tuohy share the team lead with 3.5 TFL
Sophomore S Frankie Solomon recorded his first career interception…it came after the jarring hit by fellow safety Clint McPeek on Aggie TE Nick Cleaver
Through 2 games, reserve LB Brett Madsen is leading the team in tackles with 13, however 7 Lobos have at least 10 stops