Lobo Comeback Falls Just Short in Gildan New Mexico Bowl
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It was nearly one of the greatest comebacks in school history. Nearly. In the end, the Lobos whittled an 18-point second half deficit down to five, and then with a chance to go for the tie threw an interception as the Arizona Wildcats defeated New Mexico 45-37 in a highly entertaining 10th Annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl in front of a crowd of 30,289.
Both teams combined for 1,025 yards of offense, with UNM gaining 333 on the ground and 189 in the air. Arizona was about the opposite with 174 on the ground and 329 via the air. Things looked bleak when Lamar Jordan threw an interception on a play starting at his own 1-yard line that led to a short touchdown run and a 42-24 Wildcat lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Jordan, who played well with 135 yards rushing and a 110 yards passing, got UNM back in it with his third rushing touchdown to make it 42-31.
Jason Sanders then hit a perfect surprise onside kick that Donnie Duncan recovered for New Mexico. Jordan got hurt on the drive, leaving the game for good, and Austin Apodaca came in and scored his first career rushing touchdown on an option keeper to make it 42-37. The Lobos went for two and missed the conversion.
UNM got the break it needed on a missed field goal, but UNM turned the ball over on downs. On second-and-3 at the Wildcat 18, DaVonte’ Neal broke up a pass intended for Carlos Wiggins, and then Chris Davis fumbled an option pitch for a loss of seven yards. On fourth-and-13 in no-man’s land, UNM went for it but Apodaca was sacked. That led to a field goal and a 45-37 lead for Arizona, with one last chance for UNM.
Taking over at the 26 with 1:29 and no timeouts, UNM picked up two first downs to get to the Arizona 36, but there was just 35 seconds left. Looking for a gain hitter, Apodaca was pressured and his pass missed Dameon Gamblin and fell into the waiting arms of Cam Denson for a game ending interception.
UNM opened the scoring with a 37-yard Zack Rogers field goal, but Arizona used a couple of long passes to go up 14-3. Jordan had his first rushing touchdown of the day to cut into that lead, but Arizona answered on an Anu Solomon run.
UNM scored an unlikely touchdown on a 92-yard pass from Jordan to Delane Hart-Johnson, the second-longest in UNM history and the fourth-longest in bowl history. Hart-Johnson outraced his brother Will Parks to the pylon for the score.
However, Arizona scored just before, and just after halftime to boost the lead to 18, setting the stage for UNM’s near-comeback.
Postgame Notes: New Mexico
This was the 67th meeting between the two teams.
Arizona now leads the series 44-20-3
Arizona now leads the series 22-9-2 in Albuquerque
Arizona leads the series 22-11-1 in Tucson
Arizona has won one straight in the series
Arizona has won one straight in Albuquerque
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Delane Hart-Johnson for Dameon Gamblin at WR
Defense: None
*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
*New Mexico won the toss and received the kickoff. Arizona chose to defend the North goal.
*David Anaya carried the New Mexico flag onto the field. This was the first game played at home this season that UNM did not have an official New Mexico Man for the game.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico is now 3-8-1 all-time in Bowl games.
*New Mexico recovered a fumble on Arizona’s opening drive, giving UNM a takeaway in 21 of its last 24 games. The Lobos also added an interception in the first quarter, giving UNM multiple takeaways for the ninth time this season.
*New Mexico is 2-2-1 in bowl games when scoring first.
*New Mexico is now 5-3 when scoring first.
*The team that has scored first has now lost four straight Gildan New Mexico Bowls.
*Both teams failed on fake kicks in the first quarter. Arizona failed on a fake punt when David Anaya made a tackle in the backfield, and UNM failed on a fake field goal when Zack Rogers was tackled at the line of scrimmage.
*The 42 points were the most given up by UNM this season. The Lobos had allowed more than four touchdowns in a game just twice all season.
*When Arizona missed a field goal in the fourth quarter it made UNM’s opponents 3-for-8 on field goals since starting 14-for-15. They eventually hit one from 37 yards out with 1:32 to go.
*New Mexico set a Gildan New Mexico Bowl record for time of possession with 40:52.
*The Lobos missed on a two-point conversion after scoring to make it 42-37. It marked the second straight failed two-pointer of the season.
*New Mexico nearly pulled of its third-largest comeback ever. UNM has twice come back from 21 points down in its past.
*UNM was -1 in the turnover battle. The Lobos were +11 in its seven wins and -7 in its six losses.
*UNM threw 22 passes in the loss, making UNM 1-10 under Bob Davie when throwing 20 or more passes in a game. UNM went 1-5 in those games in 2015, and 6-1 when throwing fewer than 20 passes.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Daniel Henry forced and recovered a fumble on Arizona’s second play of the game. It was his second force and recovery of the season and of his career.
*Zack Rogers’ field goal of 37 yards that opened the scoring made him 2-for-2 this season in that range.
*Cranston Jones picked off his team-leading fourth pass of the season, and his 43-yard interception return tied a Gildan New Mexico Bowl record.
*Lamar Jordan scored three rushing touchdowns, giving him the second-most on the team with nine.
*The three rushing touchdowns by Lamar Jordan were a career-high.
*Lamar Jordan had his third 100-yard game of the season rushing and the fourth of his career. He also had his second career game of 100 yards rushing and passing.
*Jason Sanders attempted UNM’s first onside kick of the season, and it was recovered by Donnie Duncan, leading to a score.
*Austin Apodaca’s touchdown run in the fourth quarter was his first career rushing TD.
*Delane Hart-Johnson’s 92-yard touchdown catch from Lamar Jordan was the second longest pass play in school history, and it was the longest in Gildan New Mexico Bowl history and the fourth-longest in Bowl history. He became the first Lobo to ever record three 80-yard catches in a career, as well as in a season. He caught all three in the last five games.
*Dakota Cox finished with eight tackles, giving him 97 for the season. He led the team in tackles for the third straight season and he is now the fourth Lobo to lead in three straight seasons. No one has ever done it four straight years.
*Carlos Wiggins had 119 all-purpose yards, giving him 3,595 all-purpose yards, finishing ninth in UNM history in career all-purpose yardage.
*Zack Rogers averaged 43.5 yards on four punts, giving him a career average of 42.1 yards, which puts him fifth officially on the UNM career list.
*Jhurell Pressley, David Anaya and Marquis Bundy set a school record with their 50th game played.
*Pressley finished seventh in career rushing with 2,739 yards.
*Gipson has one year left and is all the way upo to 17th at 1,879 yards, just ahead of teammate Cole Gautsche.
Comeback Falls Just Short at Gildan New Mexico Bowl
