Oct. 15, 2007
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The New Mexico Lobos (4-2, 1-1 MWC) hope the road continues to be a friendly place this week when they visit San Diego State (2-4, 1-1 MWC). Kickoff is 6:36 p.m. Mountain Time from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The game can be heard worldwide on 770 KKOB-AM (www.770kkob.com) and will be televised nationally on CSTV.
In a game delayed nearly two hours by lightning, New Mexico overcame Wyoming 20-3. It’s the Lobos’ fourth straight win over the Cowboys in Laramie. Donovan Porterie passed for 191 yards, including a 63-yard stike to Travis Brown after the resumption of play, and Rodney Ferguson rushed for 89 yards, the most against Wyoming so far this season. The Lobo defense limited UW to a season-low 238 yards, including 48 on the ground. The Cowboy tandem of Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon came into the game averaging a combined 191 rushing yards. Moore, the MWC’s leading rusher at 114 a game, finished with 30 on 12 carries. UNM improved to 10-1 after scheduled bye weeks under head coach Rocky Long.
San Diego State lost at Utah 23-7 as the Utes piled up 514 yards of total offense while holding the Aztecs to 211. Utah also had five sacks on QB Kevin O’Connell. Despite the loss, SDSU junior LB Russell Allen broke a 36-year old school record with 22 tackles, including 10 solo stops. Allen’s total is one shy of the Mountain West Conference record and is tied for the second most tackles by a Bowl Subdivision player this season. Eleven of his stops resulted in gains of four yards or less.
Notes and numbers entering Saturday’s game at San Diego:
UNM has its best start (4-2) under 10th-year head coach Rocky Long
New Mexico has won 6 straight over San Diego State and 5 in a row over the Aztecs at Qualcomm; SDSU’s last win over the Lobos in San Diego was in 1995 (38-29)
New Mexico is 8-3 in its last 11 road games overall and 12-4 in MWC road affairs since 2003
UNM is 5-9 in its last 14 home games
Lobo RB Rodney Ferguson rushed for a career-high 210 yards in 3 quarters last year vs. SDSU
The Lobos have forced 15 Aztec turnovers in the last four meetings, including 13 interceptions
UNM is 1st in the MWC in scoring offense (30.2 ppg), scoring defense (17.5 ppg), rushing defense (82.8 ypg) and net punting (39 ypg)
UNM has the league’s top rusher (Ferguson, 108.2 ypg), most efficient passer (Porterie, a 142.7 rating) and top-two receivers (Marcus Smith, 7.8 rpg and Travis Brown, 6.5 rpg)
The Lobos have allowed the fewest sacks (11) while SDSU has allowed the most (20)
SDSU is last in the MWC in pass defense (304.8 ypg) and total defense (496.5 ypg), but 1st in TO mgn (+6)
Lobo sophomore QB Donovan Porterie is 7-2 in games he starts and finishes
No UNM defensive player is in the top-27 in the MWC in tackles, but 11 Lobos have between 20 and 36 stops on the season
The last time San Diego native Marcus Smith was home was Sept. 27 for his mother’s (Sheila) funeral…she passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 15.
UNM – SAN DIEGO STATE SERIES NOTES
New Mexico and San Diego State meet for the 34th time since the first game was played in 1953. The Lobos have won six straight for the first time in the history of the series, and they have also won five in a row at Qualcomm Stadium. SDSU’s last victory was 17-16 in Albuquerque in 2000. UNM has a 7-1 advantage in MWC games.
UNM led 41-0 after three quarters last year at University Stadium before settling for a 41-14 bowl-clinching victory over the Aztecs. Two years ago in San Diego, New Mexico scored on its first five possessions, had a 30-3 halftime lead and finished with a 47-24 victory.
The Lobos have held the Aztecs to averages of 13.4 points, 57.7 yards rushing and 264 total yards over the past seven games. New Mexico has also forced 15 SDSU turnovers the past four meetings, including 13 interceptions.
Additionally, San Diego State has entered the red zone 16 times against New Mexico the past four years, but scored just five times. The results are 5 TDs, 4 interceptions, 1 fumble, 3 missed field goals and 3 drives ending on downs. SDSU is 18-73 on 3rd down conversions against the Lobos the past five games.
UNM-SAN DIEGO STATE: LAST YEAR IN ALBUQUERQUE
The Lobos, who opened the season with a 17-6 loss to Division I-AA Portland State, clinched a berth in the inaugural New Mexico Bowl with a 41-14 win over San Diego State.
Rodney Ferguson ran for a career-high 210 yards and two touchdowns and New Mexico scored 24 first-quarter points with the help of three interceptions.
The Lobos dominated from the start. Ferguson scored on runs of 26 and 49 yards, consistently picked up huge chunks of yardage against the Aztecs’ defense and became the eighth Lobos back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.
New Mexico got an early field goal from Kenny Byrd, then scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to put away the Aztecs. San Diego State scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns after being down 41-0.
Byrd’s field goal of 35 yards was his 24th straight successful attempt from inside the 40 and was set up by LB Cody Kase’s interception at the Aztecs’ 37. Cornerback DeAndre Wright picked off Kevin O’Connell’s pass at the San Diego State 26 and Ferguson scored on the first play. New Mexico then stopped the Aztecs on a fourth-and-1 at the New Mexico 28 and five plays later Chris Nelson tossed a 5-yard TD pass to Travis Brown. Blake Ligon intercepted O’Connell’s first pass on the ensuing SDSU possession and returned it 22 yards for a score.
UNM-SAN DIEGO STATE: TWO YEARS AGO IN SAN DIEGO
Kole McKamey threw three touchdowns and ran for another as the Lobos beat San Diego State 47-24. The Lobos used a nine-play, 89-yard drive to go up 40-10 in the third quarter when McKamey hit Hank Baskett for his second TD reception.
New Mexico scored on its first five possessions and limited San Diego State to 115 yards total offense as the Lobos took a 30-3 lead into halftime.
Following a 19-yard pass play from McKamey to Baskett, McKamey hit Travis Brown for a 17-yard TD on New Mexico’s opening drive.
DonTrell Moore had a 4-yard touchdown run and Kenny Byrd kicked a 39-yard field goal to put New Mexico up 16-0 after one quarter. In the second, two more New Mexico touchdowns bookended San Diego State’s only points of the half, Garrett Palmer’s 43-yard field goal. Baskett scored on a 10-yard pass from McKamey, and McKamey scored on a 1-yard keeper.
LOBOS HAVE MWC’S TOP PASSER, RUSHER AND RECEIVERS
the=”” lobos=”” enter=”” this=”” week’s=”” game=”” against=”” san=”” diego=”” state=”” boasting=”” the=”” league’s=”” top=”” rusher=””>Rodney Ferguson, 108.2 yards/game), the top-rated passer (Donovan Porterie (142.7 rating) and the top-2 receivers (Marcus Smith, 7.83 catches a game and Travis Brown, 6.5 average).
MWC ROAD GAME SUCCESS
While the Lobos have had their troubles at home of late, that has not been the case in MWC road games. UNM is 12-4 in such games since 2003 and has won 16 of its last 22 on foreign turf. UNM has not lost consecutive MWC away games since 2000 (at UNLV and at BYU).
WYOMING RECAP
Lobos Cruise to 20-3 Victory over Wyoming
WYOMING POSTGAME NOTES
The New Mexico defense held Wyoming to season-lows 238 yards of total offense and 3 points…the Cowboys had scored 97 points after halftime in their first 5 games, but were blanked by UNM
The 3 points are the fewest allowed by the Lobos in a Mountain West Conference game since defeating Wyoming 26-3 in a Laramie blizzard in 2003.
Wyoming’s MWC-leading rushing tandem of Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon were held to a combined 38 yards on 21 carries…MWC leading rusher Devin Moore was limited to just 30 yards – 84 below his average (114) – on 12 carries and a season-low 34 yards from scrimmage…Seldon finished with 9 carries for 8 yards – 66 below his season average.
UNM also got its first defensive touchdown of the year on Ian Clark’s 2-yard fumble return for a TD early in the 3rd quarter…it was the Lobos’ first fumble return for a TD since LB Cody Kase scored from 2 yards out in a 31-27 win at Utah in 2005.
Wyoming entered the red zone twice and came away with a single FG…for the year, UNM has limited opponents to just 12 scores (7 TDs) on 18 trips inside the 20
Junior TB Rodney Ferguson (Doak Walker Award Candidate) rushed for a game-high 89 rushing yards on 26 carries, which is the most yards against Wyoming this season…Ferguson, who leads the MWC in rushing at 108.2 yards a game, had a season-long run of 30 yards in the 1st quarter…he remains 14th on the UNM career rushing list with 1,931 yards…he is 69 yards from becoming the 12th Lobo to reach 2,000 yards…current head coach Rocky Long is 9th with 2,073 yards
Senior WR Travis Brown caught 6 passes for 118 yards, including a career-long 63-yard reception for a TD on the Lobos’ 4th play following the lightning delay…it’s his 4th 100-yard game of the year and a reception in his 31st straight game…Brown moved into sole possession of 3rd place on the UNM all-time receptions list (145), passing Hank Baskett (140), Mike Henderson (141) and Preston Dennard (142)…Brown remains 10th on the UNM career receiving yardage list with 1,680
Junior CB DeAndre Wright had another shutdown day with 2 break-ups and he did not allow any long passes (15+ yards) for the second straight game…a preseason all-MWC pick, Wright has 7 PBUs this season, including 5 in his last 4 games, to rank 2nd in the MWC…he has not allowed a long pass in 3 games…the 4 long passes allowed this season came in games vs. Arizona and New Mexico State
Sophomore QB Donovan Porterie was 12-21 passing for a game-high 191 yards, a 63-yard TD, and zero turnovers…he continues to lead the MWC in pass efficiency with a rating of 143.28…UNM is 7-2 in games Porterie has started and finished in his career…Porterie is completing 65.1% of his passes, which would obliterate the old record of 62.3% set by Kole McKamey in 2005
Senior WR Marcus Smith had 75 receiving yards on 5 catches, moving up to 11th on the UNM career yardage list with 1,514…Smith continues to lead the MWC in receiving (7.83 rec. per game) and receiving yards (94.3 ypg)
Senior K John Sullivan extended his run of FGs made to 12 straight after going 2-2 at Wyoming…he connected from 39 and 41 yards…it’s Sullivan’s fifth game with 2 or more FGs this year…he is 4-4 this fall from 40 yards and beyond…kicking with a torn ACL in his left (plant) leg that he suffered in late April of 2007, Sullivan has hit 12 consecutive attempts after beginning 1-3…Sullivan is now 13-15 on the season…he leads the MWC and is tied for 2nd nationally with 2.17 FGs made per game
Sophomore lobo (S) Ian Clark logged a career-high 8 tackles, including 1 for loss…his biggest contribution came early in the third quarter with UNM leading 10-3…Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween mishandled the snap from center and Clark was there to scoop up the loose ball and score on a 2-yard fumble recovery…that increased the Lobo lead to 17-3 and the Cowboys never threatened again…not bad numbers considering Clark did not start the game and only played 28 snaps on defense…Clark has 14 tackles the past 2 games, 4 of those coming on special teams
Senior punter Jordan Scott is becoming quite a weapon for the Lobos…in a game played on a wet field and matching two of the MWC’s top defenses, field position proved crucial…Scott punted 5 times for a net average of 44.8 yards…only one of Scott’s punts was returned and that was for no yardage…3 of the 5 kicks were downed or fair caught at the 5, 7 and 10-yard lines…UNM’s net punting average for the season has risen to 39.0 yards, which ranks 1st in the MWC and 7th nationally…thanks to Scott and the punt cover team, opponents have returned only 7 of his 30 punts for a total of 25 yards, or 3.6 yards per return…Scott has landed 12 punts inside the 20 this year (T2nd MWC), including 5 inside the 10-yard line, with just 3 touchbacks…he has forced 12 fair catches (2nd MWC)
Senior C Vince Natali is performing like a first team all-conference player for the MWC’s highest scoring offense…he tallied 12 knockdowns for the second week in a row and has a team-high 61 through 6 games…Natali also had a season-high 81% technique grade…Natali’s overall grade was 91% and he has been 90% or higher three times in 2007…he has allowed just 1 sack and has been guilty of only 3 penalties..Natali makes all of the line calls and has been the team’s top-graded lineman 4 times this year
At Wyoming, senior OG Anthony Kilby had a season-high 99% assignment grade and tied a season-best with an 84% overall grade…senior OT Devin Clark set season highs with a 76% technique grade and an overall grade of 86%
SACKS GO AWAY
First-year offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin and, in particular, former Lobo and first-year offensive line coach Jason Lenzmeier, must be making a good impression. UNM quarterbacks have been sacked just 11 times in six games, tied with Air Force and UNLV for fewest in the league. That’s very impressive considering the Lobos gave up an MWC-worst 43 last year. The 26-year-old Lenzmeier was a first team all-MWC offensive tackle in 2003.
TALK ABOUT TEAM “D”
Routinely playing 21 to 24 players on defense a game, the Lobos do not have one tackler ranked in the top-27 in the Mountain West Conference in average stops per game. The top UNM defender is S Clint McPeek, who has 36 total tackles, or 6 a game.
However, there is great balance. Eleven Lobos have at least 20 tackles while 19 have 10 or more stops on the season. Eighteen different players have a tackle for a loss.