ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Down 29-14 after a third quarter field goal, UNM stormed back scoring the final 24 points as the Lobos won the 106th installment of the Rio Grande Rivalry 38-29 over New Mexico State, UNM’s fourth straight win in the series and pushing the Lobos over .500 at 3-2 for the season.
The Lobo defense came up huge in the second half, holding New Mexico State to just 62 yards and three points which came after Carlos Wiggins fumbled the opening second half kickoff. While NMSU turned that fumble into a field goal, the Aggies would pick up just 51 yards the rest of the half.
From there, the comeback was on. Wiggins atoned for his fumble with a 34-yard return to set up UNM at the Aggie 40, and the Lobos went 10 plays and scored on a 6-yard Richard McQuarley run. Lamar Jordan added a two-point conversion run to cut the lead to 29-22. After a three-and-out, one of six in the game for UNM, the Lobos took advantage of good field position again when Jhurell Pressley raced 32 yards to tie the game up at 29.
UNM had a shot at the lead by Jason Sanders’ 42-yard field goal attempt was pushed just wide by a strong wind, but UNM got the ball right back and Teriyon Gipson gave UNM the lead for good with 10:19 to go on a 36-yard touchdown run.
Tyler Rogers, NMSU’s starting quarterback, went out with an injury and UNM forced back-up Nick Jeanty into several mistakes, including an interception by Cranston Jones and a safety to close the scoring. UNM recovered the last ditch onside kick to seal the win.
New Mexico jumps back into conference play on Saturday with a trip to Nevada to take on the Wolf Pack at 5 p.m. Mountain Time in a game on MWN/Campus Insiders.
Postgame Notes: New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 29
This was the 107th meeting between the two teams.
New Mexico now leads 70-31-5
New Mexico now leads 42-14-3 in Albuquerque
New Mexico has won four straight in the series
New Mexico has won two straight in Albuquerque
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: RB – Jhurell Pressley for Reece White (TE)
Defense: CB – Isaiah “I.B.” Brown for Donnie Duncan, LOBO – Lee Crosby for Jake Rothschiller
*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
*New Mexico won the toss and elected to receive.
*New Mexico Man: David Anaya
*NMSU won coin toss, elected to receive
TEAM NOTES:
*First time, New Mexico has not received the opening kickoff.
*Lee Crosby’s fumble return for a touchdown was the first fumble return for a touchdown since Joe Harris returned one 15 yards against Southern on September 1, 2012.
*Attendance was 30,900. It’s the largest home crowd for UNM since September 26, 2009 when 35,248 came to watch UNM and New Mexico State, a 20-17 Aggie win.
*UNM, which entered the game with just three turnovers, suffered a second quarter interception and a fumbled kickoff on the opening kick of the second half.
*UNM converted its first two-point conversion of the season, on its first attempt of the season, on a Lamar Jordan keeper.
*UNM converted two fourth downs to make UNM 8-for-10 on the season.
*UNM recorded its first safety since 2007 when they sacked Willie Tuitama, against the University of Arizona.
*UNM recorded 401 yards rushing which is the first time with 400 since 2014 against Boise State when they ran for 505 yards.
*UNM recorded four rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive week. The Lobos four touchdowns were recorded by four different rushers.
*This is also the second week in a row in which the defense picked off two passes.
*UNM recorded back-to-back wins within the same season for the first time since they beat Texas State 35-14 and Hawaii 35-23 in 2012.
*UNM tied for its seventh-largest comeback in school history, trailing by 15 (29-14) in the third quarter.
*UNM won its second game under Bob Davie when trailing at halftime; they were previously 1-22.
*UNM recorded seven sacks and now have 19 on the season. Last year UNM had 24 for the season after getting five in the final game of the season against Wyoming.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Lamar Jordan’s 70-yard touchdown run was a career long rush. His previous long was 61 (non-score) at UTSA.
*Zack Rogers’ first punt was a career-long 69-yarder and downed at the 4-yard line.
*Lamar Jordan rushed for a career high 157 yards. This is his second straight and third career 100-yard rushing game.
*Richard McQuarley’s touchdown was his third of the last two weeks.
*Jhurell Pressley’s 32-yard touchdown with 2:41 left in the third was his 27th career touchdown, tying him for fifth place on the career list with Mike Williams.
*Pressley moved into the top-10 in rushing at UNM, moving into ninth place ahead of Rocky Long, Jarrod Baxter and Lennox Gordon.
*Markel Byrd picked off his second pass of the season and his third of his career.
*Cranston Jones picked off his first pass of the season and the fifth of his career.
*Teryion Gipson ran for 142 yards which is his first 100 yard game of the season and first since Boise State in 2014 when he ran for a career high 205 yards.
*Lee Crosby had a career high in tackles (9), his first sack of his career, and a forced fumble which he recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
*Dakota Cox continues to get after the quarterback as he recorded two sacks which gives him 3.5 this year and his career, all in the last two games.
QUOTES
New Mexico Head Coach Bob Davie
“That was fun wasn’t it? I keep telling myself that. First of all, I appreciate our players so much. They kept their composure. It looked bleak there for a while. You look at the first half and some of the mistakes we made. We gave up some quick plays, which always get you back on your heels. We threw an interception in the first half, we missed a field goal. We ended up missing two field goals. It was bleak. We took New Mexico State’s best first shot in that first half. Then we go in at half and talk about keeping our composure.”
“Then Carlos gives a great effort then fumbles on the first play in the second half. Talk about staying together, they stayed together. We were able to hold them to a field goal there and those were the last points they scored in the second half. I think they had three points and 50-some yards in the second half. So, really just proud of our guys not panicking, not caving in and not getting rattled. I don’t think there is any question.”
“It may not have been as pretty in the first half, and maybe some people left after the first half, but at some point you need to stop and say ‘boy, we’ve come a long way.’ It’s been the work of a lot of people. I am not putting up a Mountain West championship banner up or anything but we all know what we are and how hard we have to work for everything we get. At some point we have to stop and say it’s come a long way. That atmosphere was really good and I appreciate everyone coming out there.”
“We put the Zia on the helmet and spent a lot of time this week just in history lesson with our team; talking about our state, the Rio Grande, the Zia, the significance of the number four, whether it’s the seasons of the year or the periods of your life. I know it pales by comparison to get four straight against this team is something I’m really proud of for these 16 kids. We have 16 kids who will leave here undefeated in those four games. It’s a game I’m proud of. I’m proud we were able to hang in there and win this game. I’m proud we took their best shot, I think they have some good players, I think they are well coached. I think they are definitely improving and it bodes well for the state of New Mexico but tonight I’m happy for the Lobos. I give them credit, I wish them luck because they have shown significant improvement but do not have anything to really show for it. But I see it and our coaching staff and players see it. So big win to be able to string two in a row together. But more than anything just to be able to stay together, stay confident and not get rattled.”
New Mexico RB Teriyon Gipson
On scoring the go ahead TD….
“Oh, man. That was the best feeling in the world, to put us up. I just want to thank the O-Line though. They did a heck of a job, the hole was there and all I had to do was hit it and run. That’s what they were telling me all game, to trust it. Just trust it. So I trusted it and I hit it and it was there.”
On the importance on winning back-to-back games…
“It’s so important because we haven’t won any back to back games, and winning those are a big thing, especially against this team,” said Gipson. “This was a big game, a rivalry game, so we are just trying to take this momentum to the next game to Nevada.”
New Mexico DB Lee Crosby
On pulling the defense together in the second half…
“We just needed everyone to do their job. First half we started out good, but everybody was just trying to make plays and missing their assignments and we also had some new players playing. It was just everyone coming and getting a feel for the game, and coming back out, doing their jobs and playing ball.”
New Mexico State Head coach Doug Martin
“We just have to keep trying to execute and make first downs. There were a couple times where we had people behind their secondary and we either didn’t get the ball there or we got pressured and we didn’t get it there. We had people open behind them, but we just couldn’t make those plays that we’ve been making.”
About Larry Rose
“Larry Rose is one of the better backs in the country and he showed that again tonight. He shows that every week and he shows up every day in practice. He’s a joy to have around.”
Why fewer touches in the second half?
“We were third and forever most of the day. We didn’t have a quarterback that could operate.”
New Mexico State RB Larry Rose III
The difference between the offense from the first half to the second half…
“They just came with more enthusiasm. Once they got into the game, their guys started playing harder and started coming harder on the D-line. Once they closed the gap on us we started going to the air a little bit more. We started a couple drives off and in one particular drive I picked up eight or nine yards and then we got a penalty and brought it back. When stuff like that happens we are just shooting ourselves in the foot. There is nothing more that I can really do. The tide started turning and things started not falling our way and they fell their way.”
On eliminating the run…
“They did what they are good at. We knew coming into the game that they are a blitz team and they did that well. They brought more pressure than we had people to protect so when that happens it’s one on one outside. Play-makers have got to make plays but tonight we just didn’t hold up and didn’t make those plays we needed to make.”
Talking about the first half….
“The first half was really fun. I have to give all the credit to the O-line up front. All I had to do was run straight and they opened all the holes up and I just ran. The first half was amazing.”
On close losses taking a toll…
“I can only speak for myself but I wouldn’t say they are taking a toll. Even when we went down my mindset was, UTEP did the same thing against us last week and we came back with three minutes left. At no time did I think we were out of the game. I just knew we had to go out on the field and make plays. Unfortunately we didn’t make the plays we needed to.”
Lobos Forge Huge Comeback to win 38-29 over NMSU
