LARAMIE, Wyo. — The University of New Mexico got 147 yards rushing and 107 yards passing from Lamar Jordan and UNM’s defense allowed just 42 yards rushing and had a pair of fourth quarter interceptions as Lobos went on the road and won 38-28 at Wyoming in the Mountain West opener for both teams.
The win for the Lobos ended a nine-game losing streak in Mountain West openers and it gives the Lobos a two-game conference winning streak dating back to last year, both wins coming over Wyoming.
The day got off to a rousing start two plays into the game when Lamar Jordan raced for a 56-yard untouched touchdown just 46 seconds into the game. UNM went up 14-0 in the first quarter when Jhurell Pressley, who went over the 2,000-yard mark for his career in the game, bounced one to the outside for a 19-yard touchdown.
Wyoming got it to 14-7 on the first of four Cameron Coffman touchdown passes, but that would be as close as they would get. A 64-yard Jordan to Carlos Wiggins touchdown strike made it 21-7 and Richard McQuarley scored his first career touchdown from three yards out for a 28-7 lead.
Up 28-14 in the second half, UNM got a stop on third-and-one at midfield and Wyoming elected to punt the ball away. The Lobos took that punt and drove to the Wyoming 43, facing a fourth-and-one of their own. UNM elected to go for it, and McQuarley raced 43 yards for a touchdown and an insurmountable 35-14 lead.
Wyoming got a touchdown on a replay reversal late in the third quarter to make it 35-21, but UNM got interceptions on back-to-back offensive plays for Wyoming to seal it. First Markel Byrd made a leaping snag at the UNM 21-yard line to thwart a possession, and then Dakota Cox, who had a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, picked off a pass inside the Wyoming 20 that led to a Jason Sanders field goal.
Wyoming closed the scoring with a ricochet touchdown that bounced into the unsuspecting hands of Josh Harshman with 43 seconds left. UNM recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
NOTES
This was the 68th meeting between the two teams.
Wyoming now leads 35-33
Wyoming now leads 18-15 in Laramie
New Mexico has won two straight in the series
New Mexico has won one straight in Laramie.
New Mexico won for the first time in Laramie since winning 20-3 on October 13, 2007.
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: None
Defense: (BUZZ) Jake Rothschiller started for Lee Crosby
Regulars that missed the game for UNM: Garrett Adcock (LT)
Attendance was 18,723
*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
*New Mexico is now 3-1 on the coin toss. UNM received the opening kickoff for the fourth straight game.
*Romell Jordan carried the state flag onto the field for the Lobos.
Team Notes
*UNM’s four rushing touchdowns gave it 15 rushing touchdowns this season.
*UNM went over the 300-yard rushing mark for the second time this season.
*UNM is 2-2 for the first time since 2012.
*UNM did not commit a turnover.
Individual Notes
*Lamar Jordan’s 56-yard touchdown run was his longest touchdown run of his career, but he had a 61-yard run against UTSA that was not a touchdown run.
*Dakota Cox sacked Cameron Coffman on 4th down at the UNM 21. It was his first quarterback sack. He finished with a career-high 3.0 TFLs, 2nd career interception in the fourth quarter (at NMSU on 9/20/14).
*Marquis Bundy’s 20-yard reception for a first down in the first quarter was his longest catch since a 39-yarder on November 23, 2013 at Fresno State.
*At the 9:15 mark of the second quarter Jhurell Pressley gained six yards to make him the 14th player in school history with 2,000 yards rushing. He is now 12th on the all time rushing list with 2066 yards.
*Richard McQuarley’s touchdown in the second quarter was his first career TD. He later scored a second TD on a 4th-and-1 rush for a 43-yard TD, the longest of his career.
*Lamar Jordan’s 147 yards rushing were a career-high and his second career 100-yard game (106 at UTSA on 10/4/14)
*Markel Byrd’s interception in the fourth quarter was his second career interception (at UTSA 10/4/14)
*Lamar Jordan had 147 yards rushing and 107 yards passing. The last Lobo to have 100 yards rushing and passing was Cole Gautsche with 113 rushing and 156 passing at Wyoming in 2013.
*Lamar Jordan had 147 yards rushing and Jhurell Pressley had 103 yards rushing. It was the first time UNM had two players with 100 yards rushing since November 8, 2014 when Teriyon Gipson had 208 and Jhurell Pressley had 154 against Boise State.
*Jhurell Presley rushed for his first 100-yard game of the season, and the first time since the season finale against Wyoming at home last season (101 yards).
QUOTES
“Not only was this important with it being our first conference game but to get back to our identity and to have success with our identity. The most pleasant thing was we got back to doing what we do.”
-Head coach Bob Davie.
“I was nervous about this game. Last year they played us really solid. I knew they would have a good scheme and that we wouldn’t out-scheme them so I knew this was a key game for us.”
