Defense, Special Teams Shine in 14-13 Win Over Utah State

November 07, 2015

Photo Gallery | Jordan to Hart-Johnson Catch

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — On a night where UNM struggled offensively, the Lobo defense and special teams came up big time and time again as the Lobos picked up their signature win in the Bob Davie era, a 14-13 heart-stopper over Utah State, pushing New Mexico to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the Mountain West.

It’s the most wins for the Lobos since going 9-4 in 2007. More importantly, New Mexico is both one win away from becoming bowl eligible, and should the Lobos win their last three games, New Mexico would be the Mountain Division champions and play in the Mountain West Championship game.

The Lobos are technically still in fourth place, but they trail Boise State (4-1) and Air Force (4-1), two teams that the Lobos still have to play. Utah State is in third at 4-2, but New Mexico owns the tiebreaker with them.

The game was never decided until the final minute, when it once again came down to a field goal attempt. This time after a punt gave the Aggies the ball at their own 35 with 2:54 to go, Kent Myers maneuvered his team to the Lobo 30-yard line with plenty of time on the clock. After an incompletion, Utah State then ran the ball to the 26, and then centered the ball to the 24, leaving a tricky 41 yard field goal attempt with a stiff cross-breeze blowing for Brock Warren.

Warren, who was 2-for-2 on the day including a career long 41-yarder earlier in the quarter pushed the kick wide right, his first miss of the season after eight makes. The Lobos took three knees to end the game.

The Lobos never trailed, taking the lead at the 8:59 mark of the second quarter when Lamar Jordan scrambled and then pulled up just before crossing the line of scrimmage and finding a wide open Delane Hart-Johnson, who raced into the end zone after a lengthy review for a 7-0 lead.

Utah State did get a field goal before the half expired, but UNM got the first of two huge special teams plays from David Anaya after going 3-and-out on the opening series of the second half. Zack Rogers crushed a punt 52 yards that Andrew Rodriguez fielded at the 10. Rodriguez was hit squarely by David Anaya, forcing a fumble that Reece White recovered at the Utah State 3-yard line. Richard McQuarley barreled in from 3-yards out on the next play for a 14-3 lead.

From there, it was UNM’s defense. The Aggie did get a touchdown on a sensational catch by Rodriguez to cut the lead to 14-10, but UNM allowed just a field goal the rest of the way. The defense opened the game with a tremendous goal line stand. With Utah State facing second-and-2 from the Lobo 3-yard line, Devante Mayes only gained one yard on two successive plays. The Aggies passed on the 19-yard field goal attempt, and got nothing when Myers threw incomplete.

Later in the game, again in UNM territory, the Aggies went for fourth-and-2 from the Lobo 29, and William Udeh made the stop on Myers for a second-turnover on downs. In the fourth quarter with Utah State trailing 14-13 and sitting in field goal range at the 19, Damien Hobbs fumbled the snap on a wildcat play, sensing a blitz by Daniel Henry, and Henry recovered to thwart that drive.

Overall the Lobos allowed just 13 first downs and 294 yards of offense while gaining just 236 yards themselves. Utah State had 598 yards of offense in its last game at Wyoming, and had scored 50 or more in three of its last four games. UNM registered just one sack and just five tackles for losses, but consistently got tackles for no gain and allowed just 78 yards rushing, and no play longer than 24 yards after the opening minute of the game.

Postgame Notes: New Mexico 14, Utah State 13

This was the 22nd meeting between the two teams.
New Mexico now leads the series 12-10
New Mexico now leads 9-4 in Albuquerque
Utah State leads 6-3 in Logan
New Mexico has won one straight in the series
New Mexico has won one straight in Albuquerque

Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: QB-None
Defense: DE-Cody Baker for Garrett Hughes

*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
* won the toss and elected to receive.
*New Mexico kicked off to start the game for the fourth straight game after receiving the opening kick the first five.
*Geoff Smelser of Las Cruces was the New Mexico Man and carried the New Mexico flag onto the field.

TEAM NOTES:
*Utah State and New Mexico played a scoreless first quarter. It was the second time this season UNM has been involved in a scoreless first quarter (Arizona State).
*Four different Lobos attempted a pass in Lamar Jordan, Austin Apodaca, Zack Rogers and David Anaya. It was the first time four Lobos threw a pass in a game since 9/20/2014 when Jordan, Cole Gaustche, Clayton Mitchem and David Anaya threw passes.
*UNM won by a single point for the second straight game at University Stadium. It marked the first time in New Mexico football history the team had back-to-back one point wins at home.
*The 86-yard touchdown pass was the fifth-longest TD pass in school history, longest since Graham Leigh to Martinez Williams vs. San Diego State 10/17/1998.

LONGEST PASS PLAYS
No.         Player   Year
98           Al Owens from Barry Garrison vs. BYU                                    9/26/1987
89           Emilio Vallez from Rick Beitler vs. Arizona                              10/8/1966
88           Sam Scarber from Terry Stone vs. UTEP                                 9/21/1968
87           Martinez Williams from Graham Leigh vs. San Diego St. 10/17/1998
86           Delane Hart-Johnson from Lamar Jordan                              11/7/2015

*New Mexico has won five of its last six home games.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Lamar Jordan’s 86-yard pass for a touchdown to Delane Hart-Johnson was the longest pass and catch for them both. Jordan’s previous long pass was a 75-yarder against Wyoming to Tyler Duncan last year.
*UNM’s first incompletion came on a fake punt when Zack Rogers under-threw Reece White who was open with 1:42 left in the second quarter.
*For the sixth time this season UNM got a first down off its own punt. For the fourth time this season it came on a fumbled punt as David Anaya forced a fumble and Reece White recovered at the Utah State 3-yard line.
*New Mexico allowed just 12 yards in the second quarter.
*Nik D’Avanzo tied a career-high with nine tackles. He had nine at New Mexico State last season.
*Bob Davie improved to 11-1 at UNM when leading after three quarters.