LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico rushed for seven touchdowns including a back-breaking 50-yard touchdown on an end-around by Javen Jacobs as the Lobos rolled to 579 yards of offense in taking the 114^th meeting of the Rio Grande Rivalry, winning 50-40 over New Mexico State.  The 50 points were the most by the Lobos in Aggie Memorial Stadium in 30 years.

The Lobos never trailed in the game, and were tied just once, at 7-7.  UNM rushed for 331 yards in the game, it’s most of the season, and never suffered an offensive play for a loss until Devon Dampier took two kneel-downs to end the game.  The team’s seven rushing touchdowns were rolled up by three players with three by Dampier, three by NaQuari Rogers and one by Jacobs.

Rogers was the superstar with 122 yards rushing on just 21 carries with his career-best three touchdowns.

Up 21-10, UNM opened the third quarter with a 75-yard drive that took just 3:01 with Dampier racing in from 24 yards out.  UNM went for a two-point conversion and missed, keeping the game at 27-10.  The Aggies answered with a touchdown to make it 27-17, but Luke Drzewiecki capped off a time-consuming driving with a short 20-yard field goal and UNM had a 30-17 lead at the end of three.

UNM then held on a first-and-goal, allowing just a short field goal to move the score to 30-20, but NaQuari Rogers scored his second rushing touchdown of the day to make it 36-20.  It stayed a two-score game when UNM missed the extra point.  The Aggies scored but missed their own two-point conversion leaving it at 10 points, 36-26.  After Nigel Williams recovered the onside kick, UNM faced a third-and-9 at midfield when Jacobs went around the end and outraced everyone for a clinching touchdown.  The Aggies tacked on a touchdown on a quarterback scramble but Williams again recovered the onside kick, and again UNM ended up scoring as Rogers scored on the third play from 29 yards out with 1:46 to go, making it 50-33.

The Aggies ended the scoring with a 2-yard run on a drive that was aided by four penalties.  UNM didn’t need to recover the onside this time as it was kicked straight out of bounds, and Dampier knelt down twice for the win.

The Lobos took a 21-10 lead into the break when Dampier scored his second touchdown of the game with just 22 seconds left in the half.  That capped a 67-yard drive, although UNM allowed a late long field goal by the Aggies to make it 21-10 at the break.

The Lobos pulled away in the second quarter when Dampier led UNM on a long 95-yard touchdown drive, capping that off with first of his three touchdowns.  Dampier, who started the game just 6-for-15 passing, ended up 13-for-28 for 248 yards but his career-high three TDs led the way.

Rogers capped the opening touchdown drive, a drive that featured UNM converting on a fourth-and-1.  On the first play after that touchdown, New Mexico State got an 84-yard run for a score, but until the field goal at the end of the half, that was its only points.

The win was UNM’s 500^th as a program, and the Lobos are now off next week before hosting Air Force.

Postgame Notes

This was 114th meeting between the two teams.

New Mexico now leads the series 74-35-5

New Mexico now leads the series 30-19-3 in Las Cruces

New Mexico leads the series 44-16-2 in Albuquerque

New Mexico has won one straight in the series, New Mexico has won one straight in Las Cruces

Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep

Offense: Malik Aliane started at center, moving McKenzie Agnello to right tackle for Wallace Unamba. Nic Trujillo started at receiver for Caleb Medford.

Defense: Bryce Santana started at nose for Devin Brandt-Epps, Antoineo Harris, Jr. started at will for Gabe Lopez. Dimitri Johnson started at linebacker for Jayden Wilson.  Garrison Walker started at defensive tackle for Kyler Drake.

*New Mexico’s captains were Gabe Lopez, Luke Wysong, Richard Pearce and Noah Avinger.

*New Mexico’s Lucas Lucero carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field and Antoineo Harris, Jr. carried the United States flag.

*New Mexico won the toss and deferred to the second half.  New Mexico State received and defended the north goal.

TEAM NOTES:

*The Lobos red helmets for the first time this season, and the team wore white face masks for the first time in program history.

*On the coin toss the head referee confused New Mexico and New Mexico State as UNM won the toss and the official pointed to UNM and said New Mexico State won the toss.

*The 50 points was the most scored by UNM at Aggie Memorial Stadium since a 56-31 win in 1994.

*The game was tied at the end of the first quarter for the second time this season. The game at No. 21 Arizona was 14-14 at the end of one.

*New Mexico’s 95-yard scoring drive in the second quarter was its longest of the season, besting a 93-yarder against Fresno State.

*The 11-point halftime lead marked the largest halftime lead since a 28-14 advantage last year against Hawai’i.

*When NMSU missed a 57-yard field goal, it marked the first missed kick of any kind against UNM this season.  It would have been the longest field goal ever against UNM.  Owen Pochman of BYU hit a 56-yarder in 2000.

*New Mexico’s seven rushing touchdowns were the tied for the sixth-most in school history, and it was the second-most ever scored by UNM in a Rio Grande Rivalry Game.

*New Mexico did not allow a sack for a fifth straight game.  Only UNM, Georgia Tech and Army have not allowed a sack this season.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

*NaQuari Rogers scored UNM’s opening touchdown, his third of the season and tying for the team lead until Devon Dampier’s 11-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.  Rogers had a career-high rushing touchdowns in the game.

*Devon Dampier’s three rushing touchdowns in the first half set his career-high.  He previously had two against No. 21 Arizona.

*Dampier now has 12 total touchdowns this season and 22 in his career over just six starts.  He needs to get to 37 to get onto the UNM career list.

*Dampier is now averaging 328.2 yards per game in total offense.

*Roger’s three rushing touchdowns tied a career-high, and his 122 yards rushing was his most as a Lobo.  He rushed for 152 against Monmouth last year while at Campbell while having three rushing touchdowns in that game.

*Luke Wysong’s five receptions gave him 35 on the season, tying his career-high for a season, which he set in 2022.

*Caleb Medford averaged 45.5 yards per catch.