Lobos Can’t Overcome Mistakes in 35-21 Loss
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(10/11/2019) Football vs CSUALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Colorado State went 85 yards at the end of the first half, aided by three personal fouls, and scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with five seconds left to take a lead it would never relinquish as the Rams defeated the Lobos for the 10th straight time, winning 35-21 at Dreamstyle Stadium. The loss dropped UNM to 2-4 on the season at the halfway point, and 0-2 in the Mountain West. Colorado State moved to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the league.
UNM struggled to overcome mistakes in the game, including three fourth quarter turnovers, 11 penalties for 102 yards (CSU had 10 for 117 yards) and just three of 12 third down conversions.
The Lobos were down plenty of starters on both sides of the ball, but still got some tremendous efforts, the biggest from the littlest player on the field. Five-foot-seven Bryson Carroll rushed for 193 yards, the 15th-best rushing total in UNM history. Carroll had several big runs including a 56-yard run to the one-yard line with UNM trailing 7-0. That run should have been 57-yards and a touchdown, but Carroll actually fumbled at the 1-yard line when he let go of the ball before crossing into the end zone.
Luckily, neither team fell on the ball, so UNM retained possession at the 1-yard line and Kentrail Moran, rushing in short yardage situations in place of Ahmari Davis who was injured, scored his first career touchdown to make it 7-6 after Andrew Shelley hit the upright on the point-after try.
Q2| Moran finds the endzone for the touchdown and the Lobos are up 14-7 after a two-point conversion completed by Williams! Eight minutes remain in the first half. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/BMUT8yqaTi
— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) October 12, 2019
UNM took it’s only lead on a long drive on the ground that was aided when Colorado State was called for roughing the punter. It ended with Moran’s second touchdown of the game, making it 12-7, and Sheriron Jones hit Marcus Williams for a two-point conversion to make it 14-7.
After each team punted, CSU tied the game on one-play as Patrick O’Brien hit Warren Jackson for an 87-yard touchdown.
That left it tied until CSU took over at its own 15-yard line with 2:03 to go. UNM got a sack and then a short gain made it third-and-11, and UNM called a timeout to try to get the ball back. Instead, CSU got a first down and moved to midfield when it faced another third-and-11 at the Ram 44. O’Brien was pressured and threw incomplete, but UNM was called for roughing the pass, moving the ball to the Lobo 41.
UNM then was whistled for pass interference twice in three plays, setting up the Rams at the Lobo 3-yard line. It took four plays, but on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, Marvin Kinsey, Jr. just did break the plane for a back-breaking touchdown with just five seconds left in the half.
CSU moved it to 28-14 in the third with another Kinsey short TD run, but UNM made a game comeback attempt. UNM broke through in the fourth quarter, converting its first two third downs, including a bruising 10-yard run by Jones on third-and-seven at the 14 that looked for certain like a loss of yardage. Carroll then barreled in from four yards out and UNM was down 28-21.
CSU missed a field goal with 8:38 to go, and UNM needed 72 yards for a tie. They got just five. Carroll rushed for five before a muffed fly swap exchange to Emmanuel Logan-Greene was recovered and turned into a Jackson 26-yard touchdown catch for a 35-21 lead. That turnover was the first of three in the fourth quarter for UNM.
The Lobos drove to the CSU 17 with exactly three to go, but Jones was sacked and lost the ball, giving the Rams the ball back. After a punt, Jones threw an interception on the first play with 1:10 left to go, and CSU took two kneel downs from there.
Postgame Notes: Colorado State 35, New Mexico 21
This was the 67th meeting between the two teams.
Colorado State now leads 41-26
Colorado State now leads 20-15 in Albuquerque
Colorado State leads 19-11 in Fort Collins
New Mexico has now won one straight in the series
New Mexico has now won one in a row in Albuquerque
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: None.
Defense: Jacobi Hearn started at rush for Devin Sanders.
*New Mexico’s captains were Alex Hart, Kyle Stapley and Trent Sellers
*New Mexico lost the toss and Colorado State elected to receive. UNM kicked off defending the North goal. UNM is now 2-4 on the coin toss.
*Jonah Leyva was the New Mexico Man. It was his first career honor.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico suffered three giveaways in the fourth quarter and lost the turnover battle 3-2.
*UNM has allowed a touchdown on just two of its last 11 giveaways.
*UNM didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter.
*UNM allowed a 300-yard passing day for the sixth straight game. UNM is allowing 391.7 yards per game passing.
*The Lobos recorded a season-high four sacks.
*UNM’s defense forced three fumbles after forcing just four in the first five games.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
*Bryson Carroll made his first career start at running back. He rushed for a career-high 193 yards. It was the most rushing yards by a Lobo this season and the 15th-most in school history.
*LeTayveon Beaton recorded his first career forced fumble on the back end of a 47-yard pass, and Brandon Burton recorded his first career fumble recovery on the play.
*Kentrail Moran scored his first two career touchdowns.
*Devin Sanders forced a fumble at the Lobo 1 that was ruled a touchback.
*Tyson Dyer punted seven times for a 43.3-yard average and a net of 43.3 yards, with all seven punts getting downed inside the 20-yard line. Fifteen of Dyer’s last 16 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line.
*Marcus Williams had a career-high five receptions.