RENO, Nev. — The University of Nevada rushed for 351 yards and got four touchdowns from quarterback Tyler Stewart, two rushing, two throwing as the Wolf Pack ended UNM’s bid for its first 2-0 conference start since 1997 with a 35-17 win over New Mexico.
The Lobos (3-3, 1-1 MW) were shooting for a third straight win for the first time since the 2007 season. The Lobo offense never really got rolling, picking up just 273 yards of offense, its lowest total of the season. UNM’s only offensive touchdown came when Teriyon Gipson went up the middle, cut right and outraced everyone for a 38-yard touchdown to give UNM a 10-7 lead. It was short-lived as Nevada marched down the field in four plays to take the lead for good at 14-10.
Lamar Jordan, who had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, could only muster 22 on eight carries. He was 9-for-12 passing for 56 yards. With UNM down 28-17, the Lobos turned to Austin Apodaca, and he had his best game of his Lobo career, going 10-for-12 for 82 yards and an interception. Down 28-17, it looked like Apodaca had thrown his first touchdown pass as a Lobo, but diving for the goal line, Dameon Gamblin fumbled into the end zone, where it was recovered by the Wolf Pack for a touchback, effectively ending UNM’s comeback bid.
UNM was down 21-10 entering the fourth quarter, and things looked bleak with Nevada inside the UNM red zone, but Nias Martin recovered a Stewart fumble and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-17. Nevada again had an answer, getting set up on first and goal after a pass interference penalty in the end zone and then getting a shot touchdown pass from Stewart to Jarred Gipson. That’s when Apodaca came into the game in relief of Lamar Jordan.
UNM opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal from Zack Rogers after his punt hit an upback and Reece White recovered it at the Nevada 25.
The Lobo defense didn’t record a sack for the first time this season but score for the second straight game. Nevada outgained UNM 517-273. Nevada also racked up 30 first downs to 14 for UNM.
The Lobos return home to host Hawai’i at Branch Field at University Stadium at 5 p.m. in a game shown on both ROOT SPORTS and Oceanic back to Hawaii.
POSTGAME NOTES
This was the sixth meeting between the two teams.
Nevada now leads 3-2-1
New Mexico leads 2-1 in Albuquerque
Nevada leads 2-0-1 in Reno
Nevada has won three straight in the series
Nevada has won two straight in Reno
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: LG – Chris Lewis for Bryan Oldenkamp
Defense: SS – Markel Byrd for Daniel Henry, LE – Chris Lee for Nik D’Avanzo, CB – Nias Martin for Isaiah Brown
*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
*New Mexico lost the toss for the second straight week. UNM is 3-3 on the coin toss.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico threw for 138 yards and rushed for 135 yards, only the second time in the Bob Davie era that that has happened. The only other time was the final game of the 2012 season when B.R. Holbrook threw for 205 yards to account for all of UNM’s passing yards while the team rushed for just 137.
*UNM recovered a fumbled punt for the third time in six games when Zack Rogers’ punt was muffed and recovered by Reece White. Overall UNM had two takeaways, but also two giveaways.
*In UNM’s three wins, the Lobos are +6 in turnover differential, but in the three losses UNM is -1.
*UNM has scored on eight of its 12 takeaways this year.
*New Mexico converted two 4th-and-1s in the game, making the team 10-for-12 on fourth down this season. One of the fails was a 4th down in the red zone on a dive play up 66-0 on Mississippi Valley State.
*UNM’s 273 total yards was the lowest output of the season. The previous low was 295 against Arizona State.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Reece White had his first recovered fumble of his career.
*Teriyon Gipson’s second quarter touchdown was his 17th of his career.
*Delane Hart-Johnson has a catch in all six games for UNM.
*Dameon Gamblin’s eight catches tied his career-high. He had eight against Tulsa earlier this year.
*Teriyon Gipson’s four catches also tied a career-high, and it was a season high. He entered the game with four catches, one for every game he played.
*Gamblin’s 24 catches for the season is the most by a Lobo in the Bob Davie era.
*Nias Martin’s 77-yard touchdown on a fumble return was the longest by a Lobo since September 12, 2009 when Tray Hardaway went 92 yards for a score against Tulsa.
