Lobos Pick Apart Aggies 42-25
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Down 14-0 in the first quarter, down to a third-string quarterback in Sheriron Jones, UNM’s defense needed to make a stand. Boy did it ever. The Lobos picked three New Mexico State quarterbacks a total of five times, tying a school record, and the defense led the way in a thriller in Las Cruces, winning 42-25 to end a two-game losing streak in the Rio Grande Rivalry.
The win pushed New Mexico to 2-1 for the first time in 11 years, and it kept a hungry New Mexico State squad winless at 0-4 on the season. UNM heads into its bye week with some momentum before hosting Liberty at 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 29 at Dreamstyle Arena.
New Mexico found itself down 14-0 just 4:10 into the contest. On the game’s third play, and Jones’ first pass, Terrill Hanks picked off a screen and went 28 yards for a 7-0 lead. After a punt, the Aggies behind Matt Romero went 57 yards, the last 2 by calling his own number and just 4:10 into the game it was 14-0.
New Mexico State had the ball again with a chance to go up more, but UNM forced a punt, and freshman Marcus Hayes returned it 27 yards to the Aggie 30-yard line. That field position allowed for UNM to go the distance in five plays, the last a 1-yard run by Ahmari Davis, his first career touchdown. It was the first of four on the night for Davis, whose four were tied for the third most in school history.
Instant Highlights: Watch @UNMLoboFB defeat New Mexico State, 42-25! #MWFB #UNMvsNMST pic.twitter.com/OjT4T6GVRR
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 16, 2018
NMSU’s Dylan Brown tacked on a 42-yard field goal and after one quarter it was 17-7, but that would be the last real salvo for the Aggie offense. On 3rd-and-8, Romero threw the first of his five interceptions as D’Angelo Ross picked it off and returned the ball to the Aggie 27. With that field position, UNM got a second straight 1-yard touchdown run and it was 17-14.
After each team punted, Romero was picked off again as De’Jean Rogers did the honors, returning the ball to the 6-yard line. Tyrone Owens, who led UNM with 110 yards rushing, scored to give the Lobos the lead for good, and make it 21-17 at the break after Nick Jeanty was picked off to end the half.
UNM got two more Davis touchdown runs to make it 35-17. The first was the capper of a brilliant 16-play, 80-yard drive that thrice saw Jones convert third downs. One was a 16-yard Jones run on third-and-13, the second was a 12-yard pass to Brayden Dickey and the third was a Davis 1-yard run. Davis’ 3-yard TD capped it.
In the fourth, Davis’ fourth TD made it 35-17 after Jones led a 12-play, 77-yard drive and Davis scored from 16 yards out. That looked like it was it, but the Aggies made one last push. They went to third string quarterback Josh Adkins, and his wheeler pass to Jason Huntley went for 58 yards, and after a two-point conversion it was 35-25 with 11:06 to go.
After both teams punted NMSU got the ball back and marched to a first and goal at the Lobo nine, and then somehow ran seven plays, recording two first downs, but not scoring. After getting to the Lobo three, a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 2-yard line. Jason Huntley then scored, but a hold on NMSU moved the ball back to the 12. UNM held and it looked like the Aggies would have to settle for a field goal, but a personal foul on UNM made it first and goal at the 4-yard line. After an incompletion, Adkins tried to hit Huntley in the flat, but Marcus Hayes read it and turned in UNM’s fourth interception of the night.
UNM couldn’t get a first down and Tyson Dyer unloaded a 62-yard punt into the wind and pinned NMSU after a penalty at its own 19. On third-and-12, Hayes stepped in front of an Adkins pass for a record-tying fifth Lobo interception, and he housed it from 60 yards out for the final score.
Postgame Notes: New Mexico 42, New Mexico State 25
This was the 109th meeting between the two teams.
New Mexico now leads 71-33-5
New Mexico leads 42-15-3 in Albuquerque
New Mexico now leads 29-18-2 in Las Cruces
New Mexico has won one in a row
New Mexico has won one in a row in Las Cruces
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Anselem Umeh started for Patrick Reed at receiver. Marcus Williams at tight end didn’t start.
Defense: Epting started as a second rush LB instead of Nahje Flowers at DE. De’Jean rogers started at nickel instead of Michael Sewell, Jr. Stanley Barnwell, Jr. started at free safety instead of Bijon Parker.
*New Mexico’s captains were Aaron Jenkins, Alex Hart, Bijon Parker, Emmanuel Harris
*New Mexico lost the toss for the third straight week. NMSU deferred and UNM received the opening kick.
*Kameron Miller, a native of Las Cruces, carried the New Mexico flag onto the field.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico State made its first field goal of the game, marking 13 straight successful field goals made against UNM. NMSU missed a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter, the first miss against UNM since September 2, 2017 when Abilene Christian missed a 51-yarder.
*New Mexico picked up its second red zone stop of the season when NMSU missed a field goal in the third quarter.
*New Mexico’s five takeaways makes it nine on the year for UNM, more than half of last year’s total of 13.
*UNM’s 133 yards in penalties was the first time going over 100 yards in penalties since October 20, 2017 when the team had 105 yards against Colorado State. Last week UNM had one penalty for 10 yards.
*The comeback from down 14-0 in the first quarter marks a tie for the 12th largest deficit overcome in school history. It was UNM’s biggest comeback since trailing NMSU 29-14 in the third quarter in 2015 and then winning 38-29.
*New Mexico’s five interceptions were the most since intercepting five passes against San Diego State in a 30-7 win on October 18, 2003. The five interceptions tied the school record, set seven times previously.
*UNM’s 148 yards in interception returns was a school record. The previous record was 126 against Air Force on October 2, 1982.
*New Mexico stopped NMSU twice in the red zone, giving UNM three such stops on the year. The Lobos last year had two such stops the entire season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Sheriron Jones’ first pass was intercepted and returned by Terrill Hanks 28 yards for a touchdown. It’s the first pick-six against UNM since 2012 when Air Force’s Alex Means had a 65-yard interception return.
*Tyrone Owens moved into 12th place on the UNM career rushing list, passing Lennox Gordon. He now has 2,210 for his career. His 110 yards rushing were a season-high. It also was his eighth career 100-yard game.
*Ahmari Davis scored the first four touchdowns of his Lobo career. It was the first three touchdown game by a UNM back rushing since Richard McQuarley scored five against Air Force on 9/30/2018. It tied for the third-most rushing touchdowns by a Lobo in a game in school history.
*Rhashaun Epting’s second quarter sack was his second of the season. He also had two quarterback hurries in the game and a fumble recovery.
*New Mexico had five interceptions in the game, including the first career picks by De’Jean Rogers, D’Angelo Ross and arcus Hayes twice. Bijon Parker also had an interception.
*Sheriron Jones became the second straight third-string quarterback to win his starting debut for the Lobos after Coltin Gerhart did it last year against Tulsa on the road.
*Rhashaun Epting’s 2.5 sacks were a career-high, and equaled UNM’s leading total from a year ago as Emmanuel Joseph had 2.5 in 2017.