Lobos Blitz Fresno State 49-39 to End Season

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The legend of Isaiah Chavez grew larger on Saturday night, as the walk-on true freshman from Rio Rancho High School, the 2019 New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year, threw for one touchdown, ran for another and led UNM to a touchdown on every meaningful drive in the second half as New Mexico defeated Fresno State 49-39, its first win over the Bulldogs since 1994.  The win means UNM’s season ends on a two-game winning streak as UNM finished 2-5 while Fresno State finished 3-3.

Chavez was 14-for-18 passing for 196 yards and a touchdown, and he added 95 yards rushing and a touchdown on 15 carries to win what is believed to be the first start in school history by a true freshman walk-on quarterback.  He also for the second straight week led UNM to a fourth quarter comeback.  UNM’s defense was tough all night, registering eight sacks of Jake Hoener, its most in 15 yeears.

Down 24-21 at the break, Fresno State took the opening drive of the second half and drove 70 yards in 16 plays, taking 7:59 to score on a 3-yard run by quarterback Jake Hoener to give the Bulldogs their second 10-point lead of the game.  Chavez answered with his only touchdown pass of the game.  He hit tight end and fellow true freshman Connor Kinslow in stride for a 49-yard touchdown.  The catch was Kinslow’s first career reception.

UNM forced a punt and the Lobos took the lead in the fourth quarter.  After a tricky play resulted in a penalty for interference, Nathaniel Jones bulled his way over from 10-yard line to give UNM its first lead of the game at 35-31.  The Lobos added to the lead when after a short punt into the wind, Bobby Cole went untouched for a 35-yard touchdown.  Cole went over 100 yards for the second straight game, rushing for 131 and three touchdowns.  After Patrick Peek intercepted a pass, Cole finished off a quick drive with a 9-yard touchdown, giving UNM 28 straight points.

Fresno State scored late and got a two-point conversion, but Lobo punter Tyson Dyer recovered the onside kick to allow UNM to run out the clock.

New Mexico never led in the first half, but basically had an answer for each Fresno State score.  The Bulldogs opened with a short field and scored on a 10-yard pass after a 44-yard drive, but Chavez led UNM down the field against the wind, scoring his first career touchdown from 3 yards out.

The Bulldogs went ahead again on another mid-range touchdown pass, but Nathaniel Jones tied it with a 3-yard run that was set up when Fresno State roughed punter Tyson Dyer, giving UNM a first down.  Chavez then hit Marcus Williams for a 44-yard pass to the 3-yard line, setting up the Jones run.

After Fresno State got a field goal and an 84-yard run from Jordan Mims, Chavez raced for 54 yards on third-and-seven and then Bobby Cole finished it off to make it 24-21, and that’s where it stayed going into the half.

Postgame Notes

This was the 18th meeting between the two teams.

Fresno State now leads 13-5

Fresno State leads 7-1 in Fresno

Fresno State leads 6-3 in Albuquerque

New Mexico leads 1-0 in Las Vegas

New Mexico has now won 1 straight in the series

Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep

Offense:  Emmanuel Logan-Greene started for Bobby Wooden at WR

Defense: OJ Bartley started at defensive line for Jake Saltonstall

*New Mexico’s captains were Teton Saltes, Marcus Williams, Brandon Shook and Kameron Miller.

*New Mexico’s Anselem Umeh carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field.

TEAM NOTES:

*UNM won the toss and elected to receive and it defended the South goal.  UNM received the opening kickoff every single game this season and went 4-3 in the coin toss.

*New Mexico has now played as many games in Las Vegas this season as Nevada and UNLV have played.

*UNM allowed a red zone touchdown on Fresno State’s opening drive, marking the first time that’s happened in the last nine opponent drives, dating back to the Air Force game, covering 11 quarters.

*The 21 points was UNM’s highest scoring first half of the season.

*New Mexico never led until 10:20 remained in the game.

*UNM had gone 7,000 days between starting walk-on quarterbacks from October 6, 2001 (Casey Kelly) to December 5, 2020 (Connor Genal), and then went just seven days (Isaiah Chavez).

*New Mexico was 0-35 in its previous 35 games when trailing entering the fourth quarter heading into last week’s game.  UNM has now won two games in a row when trailing entering the fourth quarter after winning just two of its previous 46 games when trailing when entering the fourth quarter dating back to September 20, 2014.

*It’s UNM’s first back-to-back wins since defeating Tulsa 16-13 and Air Force 56-38 on September 23 and September 30, 2017.

*New Mexico’s 49 points were the most scored in a conference game since beating UNLV 50-14 on October 6, 2018.

*New Mexico’s last three conference wins have come in Sam Boyd Stadium.

*The official game credentials said the game was taking place at University Stadium West.

*The game was the first this season to not feature a UNM turnover.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

*Fifth-string quarterback and true freshman Isaiah Chavez, a true freshman, made his first start.  He is believed to be the first true freshman, walk-on quarterback to start in the history of the program.

*Chavez’ first quarter touchdown made him the eighth Lobo to score a touchdown this year, and the third quarterback.

*Chavez’ 95 yards rushing were the most by a Lobo quarterback since Trae Hall did it with 154 yards rushing on November 30, 2019.  That game, like this one, was the season finale.  Chavez was over 100 yards but took a grounding penalty, which counted as rushing yards lost for him.

*Marcus Williams’ 44-yard catch in the second quarter was a career long.

*Isaiah Chavez’ 54-yard run in the second quarter was the longest play from scrimmage for New Mexico this season.

*Brandon Shook was ejected for a targeting foul in the third quarter.  He finished with two tackles, his fewest of the season, but he still led UNM in tackles with 60, despite missing one game.

*Connor Kinslow became the third true freshman to score in the game with his 49-yard touchdown catch.  It was his first career catch and the longest passing play of the season for Isaiah Chavez.

*Joey Noble was ejected for targeting in the third quarter.  He finished the game with four tackles and two sacks.  He finishes the season as UNM’s sack leader with 4.0 sacks.

*Nate Jones’ second TD of the game marked his fourth of the year, and the fourth touchdown of the game scored by a true freshman.

*Tavian Combs had a career-high 12 tackles.