Lobos Hang Tough But Fall in Opener at SJSU
Box Score | Season Statistics | LoboPhotoStore.com
SAN JOSE, Calif. — New Mexico was down three starters in the defensive backfield and San José State was able to take advantage, scoring on four long passes as the Spartans were able to hold off the Lobos 38-21 and spoil the head coaching debut of Danny Gonzales. San José State scored the final 17 points of the game after UNM tied it at 21-all in the third quarter.
While UNM allowed a few long scoring plays, the trademarks of a defense from years back was there. UNM laid plenty of hard hits, had a key first quarter fourth down stop and they allowed just 98 yards on the ground. The issue was Nick Starkel, who two schools ago was at Texas A&M when the Aggies defeated UNM in 2017. He was brilliant against UNM, going 34-for-47 for 467 yards and five touchdowns.
Down 21-14 at the break, UNM’s defense held firm on the opening drive of the second half, and the Lobos were able to drive and tie the game. Bobby Cole had a long 19-yard gain on a third-and-1 at midfield to keep the drive alive, and it sure looked like Jordan Kress scored on a five-yard run extending the ball over the pylon. Amazingly in a game with nine replay reviews, that wasn’t one of them, but it was no matter as Tuioti scored on the next play diving over from a half-yard out. Ironically that score stood after another lengthy review.
San José State answered and took the lead for good with a 35-yard field goal on the next drive, and both teams traded punts afterwards. However with just four seconds left in the quarter, SJSU went for a home run and hit it when Bailey Gaither, who had 10 catches and 208 yards on the evening, got past everyone for a 69-yard backbreaking touchdown.
“I think after we tied it we took a bad penalty that gave them a free 15 yards and then they got that long touchdown right at the break, and that took the wind out of us a little bit, and we have to respond better,” said Gonzales after the game. “We have to get tougher and meaner, but that will come.”
SJSU iced the game in the fourth quarter, converting on fourth-and-goal from the one with a rollout pass that accounted for the final score. UNM did drive inside the 25 in the final minute but Tuioti’s pass to Erickson was incomplete on fourth down.
The Spartans led 21-14 at the break, but UNM never backed down. After a highlight-reel catch from Tre Walker for a late first quarter touchdown that was aided by a huge penalty on a punt that gave SJSU a first down, UNM trailed 7-0 at the quarter.
After the Spartans made it 14-0, Tuioti and the Lobo offense came alive. UNM got on the board as Tuioti found an open Cedric Patterson III behind the defense for a 39-yard touchdown pass. That play capped a picture-perfect four-play, 84-yard drive, all through the air. Than after an amazing toe-tapping touchdown by Walker for his second touchdown, Tuioti led another drive. He found Andrew Erickson for a 46-yard catch inside the red zone, and then UNM ended up with fourth down at the Spartan four-yard line. Danny Gonzales opted to go for it, and Tuioti was able to scramble and find Erickson again, this time for a score to make it 21-14 at the half.
Postgame Notes
This was the 20th meeting between the two teams.
San José State now leads 14-5-1
San José State now leads 8-2-1 in San Jose
San José State leads 6-3 in Albuquerque
San José State has now won 2 straight in the series
San José State has now won 6 straight in San Jose
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Jordan Kress started at running back for Bryson Carroll, Bobby Wooden started at receiver for Emmanuel Logan-Greene.
Defense: Nic Wilson started at corner for Marquae Kirkendoll.
*New Mexico’s captains were Kyle Stapley and Teton Saltes on offense, and Brandon Shook and Kam Miller on defense.
*New Mexico’s Marcus Williams carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field.
TEAM NOTES:
*Twelve Lobos made their first career Division I starts. On offense, Andrew Erickson (WR-Fr.), Elijah Queen (WR-Fr.), Bobby Wooden (Wr-Fr.), Austin Cook (OL-Sr.) and Isaac Gutierrez (OL-So.) all made their first starts, and on defense Jake Saltonstall (DL-So.), Elmer Pauni (DL-Sr.), Joey Noble (DL-Sr.), Devin Sanders (LB-So.), Nic Wilson (CB-Jr.), Antonio Hunt (CB-Fr.), and Tavian Combs (LOBO-Fr.) all made their first starts.
*New Mexico wore silver helmets for the first time since November 14, 2015 when UNM defeated Boise State 31-24 at Bronco Stadium.
*New Mexico wore the side profile logo for the first time since the final game of the 2011 season, which was a 45-0 loss to Boise State at Bronco Stadium.
*UNM wore its home red uniforms and San Jose State wore its home blue. It’s the first time that UNM played a color-on-color game since October 10, 2013, a 45-10 loss at home to Utah State. It’s the first time UNM has worn its home uniforms on the road since September 18, 2015 a 34-10 loss at Arizona State.
*Teton Saltes took the coin toss and won it, and UNM chose to receive.
*UNM trailed 21-14 at the break. UNM has lost 22 in a row when trailing at the half. The last win was 56-38 against Air Force in a game that UNM trailed 21-14 at the half.
*UNM trailed 24-21 after the third quarter. UNM has lost 35 straight when trailing after three. The last win was a 28-27 win against Hawai’i on October 17, 2015 when UNM trailed 24-21 after three quarters.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
*Elijah Queen and Bobby Wooden became the first true freshmen to start a game on offense since Cade Briggs started at left guard on October 4, 2019 at San José State.
*Tavian Combs became the first true freshman to start a game on defense since Dakota Cox at middle linebacker on September 28, 2013 vs. UNLV.
*A total of 19 players made their Lobo debuts (Jace Taylor, Bobby Wooden, Tavian Combs, Ben Bertram, Marquae Kirkendoll, Nic Wilson, Ray Leutele, George Steinkamp, Syaire Riley, Dion Hunter, Josh Woisin, Troy Sicaeros, Ian Shewell, Isaak Gutierrez, Ben Davis, Elijah Queen, Andrew Erickson, Conner Kinslow, and Jake Saltonstall). UNM used 47 players total, meaning 40.4% of the players in the game were making their debuts.
*Walk-on Ben Bertram registed his first career sack, getting Nick Starkel for a 5-yard loss in the second quarter.
*Cedric Patterson III’s touchdown catch in the second quarter were the first first half points scored on San José State this season. It was his third career touchdown catch and it was his first touchdown since catching one last year at San José State.
*Andrew Erickson, playing in his first game scored his first career touchdown on a fourth down conversion. Erickson was playing in his first game after redshirting in 2018 and then earning a medical redshirt after a torn ACL in fall camp in 2019. He led UNM with 72 yards receiving.
*Emmanuel Logan-Greene had a career-high six catches.
*Tyson Dyer, who led the nation in percentage of punts inside the 20, was five-for-six in doing so on the night. He averaged44.8 yards per punt.
*True freshman Tavian Combs tied with Brandon Shook for the team lead in tackles with 10.