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The University of New Mexico Lobos are going bowling. In this seven-part series by Assistant A.D. for Communications Frank Mercogliano, we will look back at each of UNM’s seven wins that brought UNM to bowl eligibility. Part four is UNM’s second straight come-from-behind win, this on Homecoming against Hawai’i
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It was Yogi Berra who famously said “it’s like déjà vu all over again.” You can forgive Lobo fans in attendance if that thought wasn’t crossing through their minds, because they almost certainly had seen this before. In fact, it was in the last home game.
Halftime, Hawai’i 24, New Mexico 14.
Thankfully, that déjà vu ran the course all the way to the end, because for the second straight home game, UNM mounted a second half comeback, this time snatching victory in the final minute with a thrilling two-minute drill as the Lobos improved to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference with a 28-27 heart-stopper over Hawai’i.
Down 27-21 with 8:27 to go, things didn’t look good for the home team as the Rainbow Warriors marched from their own 33-yard line to the Lobo red zone, converting twice on third down. Facing first-and-goal at the 6, the Lobo defense stood tall.
Gain of one … timeout New Mexico with 2:30 left.
Gain of zero … timeout New Mexico with 2:28 left.
Incomplete … 2:18 left.
That brought up fourth down and a short 22-yard field goal for Rigo Sanchez to salt the game away. Inexplicably, the kick sailed well wide left and UNM had life.
With one timeout, 80 yard to go 2:14 left, head coach Bob Davie called on Austin Apodaca, who hadn’t played at all, to quarterback UNM’s two minute drill. That decision paid off in spades.
Apodaca opened the drive with a quick 8-yard pass, and then after an incompletion, he avoided a sack and flipped a ball to Romell Jordan for three yards and a first down at the Lobo 31. Jordan then went for eight yards and after an incompletion, Gamblin caught a pass and juked his way to the 50.
After a holding call gave UNM a free 10 yards, back-to-back incompletions left UNM sitting at third-and-10 with just over a minute to go. Apodaca then threaded the needle to Carlos Wiggins right on the far sidelines for a 12-yard strike that gave UNM a first down at the 28-yard line.
That was all that UNM needed. On the next play, Apodaca pump-faked and delivered a strike to Gamblin just as he was hit, and Gamblin scored to tie the game at 27-27. Zack Rogers banged in the extra point and UNM led 28-27 with 55 seconds left.
The Lobo defense wouldn’t disappoint, harassing Hawai’i offense on the final drive. Three Rainbow Warrior penalties left them at third-and-27, and Woosley was picked off for the second time in the game by Lee Crosby, giving UNM the win.
That comeback from 24-14 at the break was UNM’s second straight home win after a double-digit deficit at halftime. Not that it was a bad first half for UNM. In fact things were moving along nicely when at the 8:05 mark of the second quarter Jhurell Pressley scored from 2-yards out to cap a magnificent 17-play touchdown drive that put the Lobos up 14-10. That score followed Carlos Wiggins’ 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter, his fifth career kick return touchdown.
Up 14-10 however, the Lobos couldn’t hold the lead. The Rainbow Warriors converted a long third down pass on a broken play and then scored two plays later to retake the lead at 17-14. UNM then fumbled on its fourth play afterwards, and Hawai’ cashed that in with 1:45 to go for a 24-14 lead.
After an ill-advised intentional grounding call put the skids on a Lobo drive before the half, UNM found itself down 24-14 just one home game after trailing New Mexico State 26-14. That set the stage for UNM’s late-game heroics, and it put the Lobos within two wins of a bowl berth.
New Mexico will be playing in its first bowl game since the 2007 season. UNM will take on Arizona in the 10th Annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl at noon on Saturday, December 19. Tickets can be purchased through the UNM ticket office at www.unmtickets.com.