Lobos Miss Shot at Upset, Fall 27-20

Final Box | 2020 Season Statistics

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — When New Mexico was down 27-20 with just 2:34 to go, head coach Danny Gonzales already knew that UNM was going for two and the win with a touchdown.  UNM fell 24 yards short.

The Lobos gave everything undefeated Nevada could handle, and UNM drove to the Nevada 24 before failing on a fourth down try in the waning moments, allowing Nevada to escape with a 27-20 victory that continued UNM’s trend of improved play and hard-hitting.  Now, UNM just needs a result.

UNM led for a good part of the game, opening the game with strong defense that befuddled Mountain West Player of the Year candidate quarterback Carson Strong.  The Nevada signal caller eventually threw for 336 yards on 24-of-38 passing, but he had issues throughout the night as UNM came at him with an odd 2-4-5 scheme.

It was UNM that opened the scoring after Joey Noble sacked Strong on a fourth-and-six play.  UNM drove down the field with Trae Hall calling the shots, getting his second career start after an injury to regular starter Tekava Tuioti.  Taking over at its own 43, Hall and Bobby Cole combined to rush the ball all the way to the Wolf Pack 16-yard line.  It looked like UNM was running the ball again as Hall handed the ball off to Bryson Carroll, but Carroll stopped and threw back to Hall, who had a convoy of blockers and scored on the reception.

UNM then dipped into the bag of tricks again with an onside kick that Syaire Riley recovered and that led to George Steinkamp’s 26-yard field goal in the second quarter, making it 10-0.  Nevada got a field goal in response, and then Hall was picked off and Nevada threw a home run ball, Strong to Romeo Doubs from 33 yards out to tie the game.  It was the first of three TDs for Doubs.

UNM took the lead just before the half when Steinkamp added a 48-yard field goal after Jerrick Reed II intercepted Strong for his third of the season.  The pick was the first thrown by Strong in 299 passes, just missing the Mountain West record by seven passes.

Nevada took deep shots throughout much of the game, and after tying it at 13-13 on the first drive of the half, Doubs reeled in a 61-yard touchdown.  Hall then led UNM right down the field, but a curious sequence eventually put the ball back in Nevada’s hands.  Needing 19 yards to convert a third down, Hall hit Emmanuel Logan-Greene for what looked to be a first down, but the ball somehow was spotted two yards short, and then a replay review moved the ball up, but still short.  Hall then couldn’t handle a high snap on fourth-and-one, and Nevada took over as that play ended the third.

Both teams exchanged punts, and UNM again had a golden opportunity as the Lobos forced a fumble by Doubs on a punt, but UNM couldn’t reel the ball in and Nevada cashed in with a 59-yard pass and a 27-13 lead.

UNM then marched quickly down the field, keyed by a 42-yard haul by Andrew Erickson, and Bobby Cole, who led UNM with 90 yards on the ground, barreled in from a yard out to make it 27-20 with 4:02 to go.

UNM forced a three and out and Logan-Greene returned the punt into Nevada territory and UNM was in position to go for the win.  With 2:34 to go, Cole rushed for six and Logan-Greene did the same to give UNM the ball at the Nevada 31.  Hall then play-faked and hit Jordan Kress near the 14-yard line but Kress dropped it, and then Hall threw incomplete to make it third and 10.  Hall hit Erickson for seven yards to the 24 bringing up fourth down, and UNM looked to have a first down when Hall found Logan-Greene in the flat for what would have been a first down, but he also couldn’t catch it cleanly, and UNM was out of downs and time.

The Lobos were outgained 392-352, but once again allowed basically nothing on the ground, limiting Nevada to just 52 yards.  UNM limited Nevada to just 5-of-12 third down conversions and Hall threw for a career-high 195 yards on 17-of-32 passing.

Postgame Notes

This was the ninth meeting between the two teams.

Nevada now leads 5-3-1

Someone now leads 1-0 in Las Vegas

New Mexico leads 3-1 in Albuquerque

Nevada leads 3-0-1 in Reno

Nevada now leads 1-0 in Las Vegas

Nevada has now won 2 straight in the series

Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep

Offense: Bobby Cole started at RB for Bryson Carroll and Kyle Jarvis started at second tight end for receiver Elijah Queen.

Defense: Dion Hunter started at MLB for DT Elmer Pauni.

*New Mexico’s captains were Emmanuel Logan-Greene, Tony Collier, Patrick Peek and Kyle Jarvis

*New Mexico’s Teton Saltes carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field.

TEAM NOTES:

*UNM lost the toss but Nevada deferred.  UNM received the opening kickoff for the third straight week and is 1-2 in the coin toss.

*New Mexico recovered a surprise onside kick in the first quarter.  It marked the first successful onside kick for UNM since October 20, 2017 when Jason Sanders converted an onside kick in the final minute of a 27-24 loss to Colorado State.

*After going over two years without a halftime lead over a Division I FBS opponent, UNM has had halftime leads in back-to-back games.

*UNM entered the game allowing 541.0 yards per game on offense but limited Nevada to 394 yards, its lowest output of the season.

*UNM allowed just 54 yards rushing and the Lobos lowered its season average to 81.0 yards per game.

*UNM entered the game with just 5.0 TFLs and had 9.0 on the night, its best mark of the season.

*For the second straight game, UNM cut at least 70 yards off its passing yards allowed total, allowing 481 against San Jose State, 410 against Hawai’i and then 340 against Nevada.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

*UNM started only two defensive lineman and four linebackers.

*Bryson Carroll completed his first career pass, hitting quarterback Trae Hall for a 16-yard touchdown.  It was Carroll’s first career touchdown pass and Hall’s first career reception.

*UNM entered the game with two sacks, but Joey Noble himself had two sacks in the opening quarter.

*Trae Hall’s 40-yard completion to Jordan Kress was a career-long pass play.  He set career highs for completions (17), attempts (32) and yards (195).

*Jerrick Reed II picked off Carson Strong, ending Strong’s streak of attempts without an interception at 299, just seven short of the Mountain West record.  For Reed, his three interceptions are the most by a Lobo in a season since 2015 when Cranston Jones had four that season.

*Joey Noble recorded a career-high 10 tackles.