Oct. 27, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
New Mexico plays its second ranked team in the past three weeks when undefeated Utah comes to University Stadium for a Saturday evening clash. Kickoff is 7:36 p.m. The game will be televised by The mtn., located at Channel 276 on Comcast Cable in Albuquerque and Channel 616 on DirecTV. The broadcast will also be available on SIRIUS satellite radio channel 113.
After last Thursday’s turnover-plagued 23-10 loss at Air Force, the Lobos (4-5, 2-3 MWC) enter the month of November with a losing record for the first time since 2002 when they were also 4-5.
Utah (8-0, 4-0 MWC) should be well rested as it had last week off. The Utes’ last game was on Oct. 18, a 49-16 decision over Colorado State in Salt Lake City. Utah is ranked No. 9 by the coaches, 10th in the AP poll and 10th in the latest BCS standings. The Utes can claim the nation’s longest 2nd-longest current winning streak at 9 games. Penn State and Texas Tech have each won 10 in a row.
Nov. 1 is the earliest date to end a Lobo home season since 1980 when UNM closed out the home slate against UNLV, also on Nov. 1. That was not a good day 28 years ago as the Rebels handed New Mexico a 72-7 loss, still the worst home defeat in school history.
Saturday’s game is Senior Night/Heroes Night/UNM Parent’s Association Family Weekend.
Game Sponsors: Farmers Insurance, Bernalillo County, 100.3 The Peak and Hot 95.1
Special Activities:
Blue Star Mothers will be at entrance gates collecting non perishable goods
UNM Parent’s Association Recognition
Halftime Performance by Razzle Dazzle
NEW MEXICO VS. NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS
The Lobos have a 7-39 record against nationally-ranked opposition. The record breakdown is 5-19 at home, 4-18 in University Stadium, 2-19 on the road and 0-1 at a neutral site. Current head coach Rocky Long is 1-8 versus ranked teams, the lone victory 47-35 at No. 23 Utah on Oct. 25, 2003.
LOBOS VS. RANKED UTAH TEAMS
New Mexico has faced 15 different ranked schools in its history and has a winning record against only two of them: Fresno State (1-0) and Utah (2-1).
LOBOS HOPE FOR DEJA VU
It was almost 14 years ago that New Mexico knocked off an undefeated Utah team at University Stadium. On Nov. 5, 1994, Utah rolled into town 8-0 and ranked 8th in the nation in the coaches’ poll and No. 9 by AP. UNM was 3-6 and 2-3 in the Western Athletic Conference.
The Utes stormed to a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter only to have the New Mexico defense stiffen and Stoney Case guide the offense to 20 unanswered points and a 23-21 upset. Nathan Vail’s 22-yard field goal with 32 seconds remaining was the game-winner. UNM converted a 56-yard pass play on 4th-and-3 from its own 27 to set up Vail’s heroics. It’s the highest ranked team New Mexico has ever beaten.
COMEBACKS AGAINST THE UTES
Fourteen times since 1946 a Lobo team has rallied from at least a 14-point deficit to win. For whatever reason, four of the comebacks have come against Utah, more than any other opponent. The largest deficit overcome – 21 points that matched a school record – occurred in Albuquerque two years ago. UNM trailed the Utes 24-3 with 3:27 left before halftime. Led by redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie, the Lobos rallied for a 34-31 victory.
FINAL HOME GAME FOR LOBO SENIORS
A total of 21 seniors will make their final regular-season appearance at University Stadium Saturday evening. Each senior will be individually introduced prior to kickoff.
LB Zach Arnett – Albuquerque
TB Paul Baker – Arlington, Texas
DE Kevin Balogun – Odessa, Texas
P Matt Barnard* – Phoenix, Ariz.
NT Wesley Beck – Houston, Texas
lobo Jake Bowe* – Albuquerque
WR Jonathan Brooks – Tucson, Ariz.
LB Herbert Felder III – Apopka, Fla.
TB Rodney Ferguson – Albuquerque
OT Sylvester Hatten – Quincy, Fla.
S Brandon Johnson – Greenville, Miss.
S Blake Ligon – San Angelo, Texas
NT Jeremiah Lovato* – Albuquerque
TE Chris Mark – Las Vegas, Nev.
WR Jermaine McQueen – Raleigh, N.C.
FB Matt Quillen* – Albuquerque
CB Glover Quin* – Summit, Miss.
K Yousuf Shakir – Albuquerque
OG Matt Streid* – Northridge, Calif.
TE Mitch Straub* – Waterloo, Neb.
CB DeAndre Wright – Clinton, Md.
* will graduate in December 2008
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME
In its last 7 home games, UNM has posted 2 shutouts while allowing averages of 13.6 points and 255.1 yards…in 4 of those contests, the Lobos have not allowed a touchdown…the combined score of UNM’s last 2 home games is 94-7, including 70-0 in the first half
Well-rounded Utah ranks 1st in the MWC in scoring offense, averaging 39 points a game…they average 184 yards on the ground and 223.5 passing yards…the Utah defense ranks 6th nationally, allowing just 264 yards a game
New Mexico is averaging 222.6 rushing yards a game – 2nd in the MWC and 13th nationally…the Lobos have averaged 276.8 yards the past 5 games…the Utah defense is allowing a paltry 85.9 rushing yards per game, the 9th-stingiest unit in the nation
Senior TB Rodney Ferguson continues to lead the MWC and is 18th nationally in rushing at 108.1 yards a game…a two-time all-league performer, Ferguson has 15 career 100-yard rushing games…his 3,324 career rushing yards rank 2nd in the MWC record book and 4th at UNM…he is just 9 yards from passing Winslow Oliver for the 3rd spot at New Mexico…Ferguson is also 135 yards from becoming the third Lobo to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons…DonTrell Moore had 4 in a row from 2002-05 while Mike Williams did it 3 straight from 1976-78
The Lobos tied a season-high with 4 turnovers at Air Force – 3 coming in the 3rd quarter…New Mexico also had 4 in losses to Texas A&M and Tulsa…UNM has lost 17 turnovers in its 5 losses but just 3 in its 4 wins…in UNM head coach Rocky Long’s tenure at New Mexico, the Lobos have a 47-11 record when they have fewer turnovers than their opponeht, 9-47 when they have more
Senior CB Glover Quin leads the MWC in interceptions (4) and is 2nd in passes defended with 11
Junior lobo Ian Clark leads the MWC and is 3rd in the nation in punt return average at 21.2 yards…the single-season school record is 19.4 yards by Bobby Lee in 1953…UNM’s punt return average is 16.6 yards, good for 1st in the MWC and 11th nationally…it was 7.5 yards in 2007…the school record for punt return average in a season is 14.8 in 1953
Utah does not have a defensive player ranked in the top-24 in the MWC in tackles…LB Mike Wright leads the team with 48 stops…sophomore DE Paul Kruger – a former quarterback – leads Utah with 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks
Senior LB Zach Arnett is 2nd in the nation in fumbles caused with 5, an average of .56 a game
UNM has won 8 straight games decided by 3 points or less, 4 in 2007
UNM junior QB Donovan Porterie was lost for the season late in the 2nd quarter at Tulsa on Sept. 20…he suffered a torn right ACL and MCL on a pass play…Porterie does not have a redshirt year
SERIES HISTORY; A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
New Mexico and Utah meet for the 50th time. The Utes have a 30-17-2 overall lead in a series that began in the 1939 Sun Bowl in El Paso. Utah won the initial meeting 26-0.
While the Utes have the lead over UNM, the Lobos have won 2 of 3 and 4 of the past 6. The series is all knotted up at 12-12-1 in 25 games played in Albuquerque. The Lobos have taken 3 of the past 4 meetings at University Stadium.
UNM won 47-35 in Salt Lake City in 2003 when the Utes were No. 23 in the nation. That decision marked the only conference loss for former head coach Urban Meyer in his two seasons at Utah. After that game, current Lobo offensive line coach Jason Lenzmeier was named MWC Offensive Player of the Week after UNM piled up 633 yards of offense, including 407 on the ground. Lenzmeier played tackle for the Lobos.
The Lobos’ largest margin of victory over the Utes is 57-39 in Albuquerque on Nov. 6, 1971. Current head coach Rocky Long was UNM’s starting QB that afternoon and he guided the Lobo triple option to 543 yards on the ground, still the 3rd-best single-game rushing total in school history. Long rushed 19 times for 162 yards and scored a school-record-tying 4 TDs. He also completed a 53-yard TD pass and tossed for a 2-point conversion, accounting for 32 points. RB Fred Henry carried 16 times for 218 yards, equaling a school record that stood for six years.
Rocky Long is 5-5 in his coaching career against Utah, 3-2 in Albuquerque and 2-3 in Salt Lake City.
MORE ON THE UTES
Utah had an identical record to New Mexico in 2007: 9-4 overall and tying the Lobos for 3rd place in the MWC at 5-3. The Utes beat Navy 35-32 in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. Utah returned 54 lettermen, including 16 starters.
UTAH HEAD COACH KYLE WHITTINGHAM
Whittingham (BYU `84) is 32-14 in his 4th year as a collegiate head coach. He is 1-2 against the Lobos.
LAST YEAR IN SALT LAKE CITY
Darrell Mack became the ninth Utah player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and the Utes won their seventh straight, beating New Mexico 28-10.
Koa Misi returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown as the Utes capitalized on four turnovers by New Mexico, which had won the last two in the series.
After pulling within 14-10, three critical UNM turnovers led to Utah touchdowns. The Lobos fumbled twice on punt returns and turned it over again when Paul Kruger ran down quarterback Donovan Porterie from behind and knocked the ball loose. Misi scooped it up and ran for a touchdown with 6:57 left.
Receiver Jereme Brooks threw a 7-yard TD pass for the Utes and Brian Johnson completed 16 of 27 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Mack had 24 carries for 77 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run that put the Utes up 7-0 early in the second quarter.
Porterie was 18-for-41 for 198 yards and Rodney Ferguson ran 19 times for 51 yards for the Lobos, who went 50 yards on the first play from scrimmage only to fumble it.
Louie Sakoda kicked a low punt that Ian Clark tried to catch on the run, but the ball bounced hard off his chest and Utah recovered at the 39-yard line. The Utes got another 15 yards on a personal foul and started a short drive at the New Mexico 24.
The Utes scored on Johnson’s 7-yard pass to Richards and the Utes led 21-10 with 49 seconds left in the third. The Lobos did it again early in the fourth when DeAndre Wright didn’t make the catch near his own 10-yard line and the Utes recovered at the 5. But the Lobos got it right back when Johnson fumbled on first down. Clark, who had dropped the first punt, caused the fumble as Johnson tried a run up the middle.
Johnson also threw an interception on the first series of the third quarter. Wright caught Johnson’s pass and returned it 42 yards to the Utah 11. The Lobos went 9 yards on the next three plays and went for in on fourth down, when Ferguson scored to cut the lead in half with 12:38 left in the third.
TWO YEARS AGO AT ALBUQUERQUE
Freshman Donovan Porterie threw for three touchdowns and 350 yards and Martelius Epps scored on a 1-yard run with 2:09 left as New Mexico matched its biggest comeback ever with a 34-31 win on a Thursday night. The comeback from 21 points matched New Mexico’s rally against UTEP on Nov. 23, 1974.
Porterie, making the second start of his career, struggled through a miserable first half, then ignited New Mexico’s offense with the help of wide receivers Travis Brown and Marcus Smith. New Mexico trailed 24-3 late in the first half after Utah scored on four straight possessions.
With New Mexico’s running game going nowhere and a nervous and unsure Porterie overthrowing receivers, the young quarterback suddenly found a groove. He led the Lobos on an 83-yard, five-play drive late in the first half that took just 1:09. He hit Brown with a 40-yard pass to the Utah 48, then two plays later found Smith open over the middle on a slant route. Smith took the 15-yard pass and outraced the Utes to the end zone. That was the start of 24 straight points by the Lobos.
Porterie hit Smith again with a 42-yard TD pass — on another slant route — less than a minute into the second half.
Lobo kicker Kenny Byrd cut the Utes’ lead to 24-20 with a 21-yard field goal with 4:17 left in the third quarter and Porterie’s 5-yard scoring pass to Brown with 10:20 left in the game gave the Lobos a 27-24 lead.
Utah regained the lead on a controversial 5-yard TD pass from Brett Ratliff to Brian Hernandez with 6:18 remaining. The officials initially signaled the catch good, then reversed it. After reviewing the play, they ruled Hernandez had possession when his feet touched down at the back of the end zone.
Porterie led the Lobos on the game-winning drive with several clutch completions. He hit Smith with an 18-yard pass, which Smith caught between a trio of Utah defenders. Porterie scrambled for 16 yards to the Utah 27 on a third-and-9 and halfback Rodney Ferguson ran for 18 yards to the Utah 9. Porterie then hit Brown for a 9-yard pass to the 1.
Utah dominated the first half. Halfback Darryl Poston scored on runs of 7 and 8 yards, Ratliff tossed a 26-yard TD pass to Derrek Richards and Louie Sakoda kicked a 19-yard field goal.
Porterie, who completed just 3 of his first 11 passes, was 19-for-33 and became the first Lobo quarterback in three years to throw for more than 300 yards. Brown had 9 catches for 154 yards and Smith had 136 yards on just 4 catches.
GROUND GAME PICKING UP STEAM
The Lobos enter the Utah game 3rd in the MWC in rushing offense at 222.6 yards a game, but they have averaged 276.8 yards a game over the past 4 games. The current average of 222.6 would be UNM’s highest in a season since 244.7 in 1996. The best rushing average for a season under Rocky Long is 210.0 yards in 2003. New Mexico had 419 yards rushing against San Diego State, the highest total for a Rocky Long-coached Lobo team and the most since 434 yards against New Mexico State in 1997.
LOBOS KNOWN FOR STRONG FINISHES
The Lobos hope the 2008 season continues a near decade-long trend of them being a better team in the second half of the season. Since 2001, New Mexico is 31-12 in regular-season games played on Oct. 12 or later.
LOBOS HAVE TOUGHEST SCHEDULE AMONG MWC TEAMS
According to this week’s NCAA stats, New Mexico continues to have the toughest schedule among the nine MWC schools. Based on past and future opposition, the Lobos’ schedule has a winning percentage of .571, which is tied with Texas A&M for the 26th hardest in the nation and the most difficult of all non-BCS teams. Colorado State is at No. 30.
UNM’s non-conference opponents – Texas A&M (3-5), Arizona (5-3), Tulsa (8-0) and New Mexico State (3-4) have a combined record of 19-12. Four of the Lobos’ 2008 opponents are currently ranked in the top-25 of both major polls: Utah, TCU, BYU and Tulsa while Arizona is receiving votes.
The combined record of the five teams UNM has lost to is 32-9: Air Force (6-2), Tulsa (8-0), BYU (7-1), TCU (8-1), Texas A&M (3-5).
New Mexico and UNLV are the only two MWC schools that did not play a FCS (Football Championship Series formerly NCAA I-AA) opponent in 2008.
EARLY END TO THE SEASON AND NO OFF WEEK
New Mexico will be the first FBS school to complete its 2008 regular season when it plays at Colorado State on Nov. 15. Every other team finishes Nov. 22 or later. Nov. 15 is UNM’s earliest date to end a regular season since Nov. 13, 1943.
The Lobos are also one of only two FBS schools that do not have an open week in 2008. Purdue also plays 12 straight weeks from Sept. 6 to Nov. 22.
AIR FORCE RECAP
The Air Force defense was frazzled and fatigued — not that safety Aaron Kirchoff minded rumbling 96 yards on a fumble return that helped the Falcons beat New Mexico 23-10 Thursday night.
The Lobos forced three first-quarter turnovers and were about to jump out to a 17-0 lead when Kirchoff scooped up quarterback Brad Gruner’s fumble at the Falcons 4 and sped down the Lobos’ sideline for the second-longest fumble return in school history, cutting New Mexico’s lead to 10-7 at the end of the 1st quarter.
Nobody was more relieved than Falcons freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson, who had fumbled away the ball and thrown an interception on consecutive snaps that led to 10 Lobos points and watched fullback Ryan Southworth cough it up at midfield moments before Kirchoff’s game-saver on the final play of the first quarter.
The Lobos never recovered from the two-touchdown turnaround.
Ryan Harrison’s 31-yard field goal just before halftime tied it at 10, and the Falcons took the lead for good early in the third quarter following Glover Quin’s fumbled kickoff. Running a play that was installed just this week, Jefferson faked a keeper, pulled up and tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass over the pile to tight end Travis Dekker.
The Falcons set up the trickery with two straight power plays right into the meat of the Lobos’ defense.
Harrison added field goals of 43 and 32 yards, the former following the Lobos’ fourth turnover, a muffed punt by Frankie Solomon.
The Lobos, who twice were stuffed on fourth-and-1 inside the Air Force 10-yard line, converted the Falcons’ first two turnovers into a 2-yard TD by Ferguson and a 45-yard field goal by James Aho.
AIR FORCE POSTGAME NOTES
New Mexico has lost 4 straight to Air Force at the Academy, the last win coming in 2000
UNM has lost 4 straight conference road games for the first time since the Mountain West Conference started in 1999
Air Force had 1 pass completion in 3 attempts, good for 1 yard and it went for a TD…it’s the fewest passing yards by a Lobo opponenet since Rice had 0 in 1997
Entering the game, New Mexico had not allowed any points off turnovers in its previous 4 games; that changed when Air Force returned a fumble 96 yards for a touchdown at the end of the 1st quarter…the Falcons scored 17 points following 4 Lobo turnovers
New Mexico entered the red zone 4 times and scored just once…the results were a TD, a fumble that Air Force returned 96 yards for a TD and twice failing to convert on 4th and 1, one time at the Falcons’ 9, and the other at the 10
UNM held Air Force to 228 yards of total offense – 164 yards below its average – and caused 3 turnovers…UNM scored 10 points after turnovers
The Lobos ran 22 plays for 149 yards in the 1st quarter; the last 3 quarters, UNM only had 154 yards on 43 plays
The team with the time of possession advantage has won 9 of the past 10 games in this series
Senior RB Rodney Ferguson
19 carries for 107 yards and a TD, but just 9 totes for 34 yards in the final 3 quarters
was throwing up on the Lobo sidelines early in the 2nd quarter
posted his 15th career 100-yard rushing game, tying BYU’s Curtis Brown for No. 2 in MWC history
4th place all-time at UNM with 3,324 rushing yards, 9 short of Winslow Oliver for 3rd
passed Stoney Case for 2nd place at UNM with 31 career rushing TDs
Senior LB Zach Arnett
forced his 5th fumble of the season – the most by a Lobo since former All-American Brian Urlacher had 5 in 1999 and tied for third on the UNM single season list
11 tackles – his 3rd double-digit tackle total this fall – and tied his career-high with 2.5 tackles for loss
Junior Senior S Blake Ligon
had 6 tackles, grabbed his 5th career interception (2nd this season) and had a season-high 2.0 TFL – most since 2005
lobo Clint McPeek
Career-high 15 tackles (7 solo) and assisted on a tackle for loss…4th game with double-digit tackles this season…now 3rd in the MWC in tackles at 8.8 a game
recovered the 1st fumble of his career
Freshman K James Aho
made one FG from 45 yards
13 of 17 FGs on the season and 6 of 8 from 40-49 yards this season
the UNM freshman record is 15 by David Margolis in 1989
Senior CB Glover Quin
had 5 tackles and 1 TFL, giving him 4.5 TFLs for the season and 7.5 for his career; both totals are the most ever by a UNM cornerback
Senior CB DeAndre Wright
started his 39th consecutive game
was not thrown at and has been targeted in man coverage just 7 times the past 5 weeks
has not allowed a long pass (15+ yards) in his last 5 games and just 3 all year
Senior S Jake Bowe
had a career-high 10 tackles
Junior S Frankie Solomon
tied a career-high with 9 tackles
Senior DE Jeremiah Lovato
had a career-high 7 tackles
Senior LB Herbert Felder III
had 1 sack, increasing his team lead to 6.5 on the season; only the 2nd sack allowed by Air Force this season
Redshirt freshman DE Johnathan Rainey
had 2 tackles and caused the 1st fumble of his career