September 09, 2023

XL Photography

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a career day with a career-high 162 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and Dylan Hopkins was just about as efficient as one could be as the Lobos ended a 10-game losing streak in resounding style with a 56-10 win over Tennessee Tech in front of UNM’s best season-opening crowd in five years.

Croskey-Merritt had two big runs, racing in from 48 yards in the first quarter and then surpassing it with a 55-yard burst on UNM’s opening drive of the second half. In between, he punched in a 1-yard run after Caleb Medford pulled in a 49-yard pass to the 1-foot line despite being held on the play. Merritt had never scored three touchdowns in any game while at Alabama State.

That pass to Medford was one of a number of brilliant throws by Hopkins, who was 13-for-17 for 273 yards and four touchdowns. After a 7-7 opening quarter in which both teams scored on its opening drives, UNM went to work. It was the Hopkins-to-Medford pass play that was the key marker in what ended up being an 89-yard touchdown drive, UNM’s third touchdown drive of the season that was 87 yards or more.

After a stop, Hopkins took over at the Lobo 22, and he needed no time in order to make it 21-7. Hopkins dropped back and hit speedster Duece Jones in stride for a career-best 78-yard touchdown. UNM then got a turnover when Ray Leutele knocked the ball loose from back-up quarterback Hayes Gibson, and Dimitri Johnson returned it 37 yards into Golden Eagle territory. Hopkins cleaned up that drive by hitting Luke Wysong in the end zone to make it 28-7.

Tennessee Tech drove the length of the field and tacked on a 37-yard field goal to make it 28-10 at the break. Tech opened the half with the ball but UNM pitched a three and out, and after taking over at its own 38-yard line, Croskey-Merritt put up his third touchdown of the game. That three-and-out was the beginning of a stellar half of defense in which UNM allowed just 76 yards of offense on 33 plays.

UNM made it 42-10 on the legs of local product Dorian Lewis, who rushed three times for 49 yards before Hopkins hit DJ Washington for 16 yards for Washington’s first Division I score. Hopkins then capped off his night with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Kaydin Pope.

Overall the Lobos totaled 587 yards in the game, with a near even split of 291 passing and 296 rushing.

Postgame Notes

This was the first meeting between the two teams.

New Mexico now leads 6-0

New Mexico now leads 1-0 in Albuquerque

New Mexico has now won one straight in the series, and one straight in Albuquerque.

Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep

Offense: Jeremiah Hixon was the WR that didn’t start.

Defense: Christian Ellis started at Lobo for Tavian Combs, and Jermarius Lewis started at Wolf for Ellis. Aaron Smith started at Wolf for Noa Pola-Gates.

*New Mexico’s captains were Dylan Hopkins, Donte Martin, Alex Marenco and CJ James.

*New Mexico’s Bryce Santana carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field and Charles Steinkamp carried the United States flag.

*New Mexico lost the toss and Tennessee Tech deferred. UNM elected to receive and defend the South goal. It marked the 31st time in 33 games under Danny Gonzales that UNM has received the opening kickoff.

TEAM NOTES:

*New Mexico scored on an 87-yard drive to open the game. That paired with the 88-yard touchdown drive against Texas A&M. The Lobos never had a touchdown drive longer than 80 yards in all of 2022.

*In the second quarter New Mexico had an 89-yard touchdown drive.

*UNM’s forced fumble and fumble return of 37-yards was the first takeaway of the season.

*New Mexico’s three touchdown passes in the game equaled the entire 2022 season of touchdown passes as UNM threw one against Boise State and two against Maine. UNM had zero touchdown passes over the final 10 games of 2022.

*UNM broke 500 total yards for the first time since amassing 551 against New Mexico State on September 21, 2021.

*New Mexico’s 56 points was the most since scoring 62 in the 2018 season opener, winning 62-30 over Incarnate Word.

*New Mexico outscored Tennessee Tech 14-0 off turnovers despite both teams getting two takeaways each.

*The Lobos recorded eight pass breakups on the night.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

*Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 48-yard touchdown run was the third-longest of his career

*Caleb Medford’s first career catch was on a 49-yard catch in which he was ruled down after review on the 1-foot line. Jacory Croskey-Merritt punched it in on the next play.

*Croskey-Merritt’s 55-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was his longest career run.

* Croskey-Merritt’s three touchdowns were a career-high, and his 162 yards rushing were the most since Ahmari Davis rushed for 200 against Hawai’i on October 26, 2019.

*Seven quarters into the season, Croskey-Merritt had scored four touchdowns, which would have led UNM for the 2022 season.

*Duece Jones’ 78-yard touchdown reception was his longest career catch, and it was the longest pass of Dylan Hopkins’ career. It also was his sixth career 70+ yard touchdown pass.

*The 78-yard pass from Hopkins to Duece Jones was the longest pass for UNM since Elijah Lilly scored on a 74-yard catch at UNLV on October 4, 2018 from Sheriron Jones.

*Dylan Hopkins’ four touchdown passes were the most since Sheriron Jones threw four against UNLV on October 6, 2018. It’s also tied for the second-most passing touchdowns in a game in school history.

Post Game Media: Head Coach Danny Gonzales