Lobos Use Historic Comeback to Win 50-45 in Final Minutes
LOGAN, Utah — In a game in which both offenses combined for 1,055 and 95 points, it was the Lobo defense that came up with arguably the two biggest plays of the game, getting a fourth down stop with 2:18 to go leading to an Eli Sanders go ahead touchdown, and then Dimitri Johnson picked off Spencer Petras with 59 seconds left to give New Mexico a wild 50-45 victory in Logan. The win was UNM’s third straight, its longest in-season winning streak in eight years, and it moved the Lobos to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain West, good for fifth place in the 12-team league.
The Lobos overcame a 17-point first half deficit and a 16-point second half deficit. The 17-point comeback tied for the sixth-largest in school history, and it was the largest since a school-record 21-point comeback against UTEP on November 23, 1974. The 16-point second half deficit was the largest second half deficit overcome in school history.
It was keyed by a 21-point fourth quarter for New Mexico with the Lobos trailing 38-29. After forcing a three-and-out that followed a Devon Dampier interception at the 1-yard line, UNM set up shop at their own 49-yard line. UNM kept the ball on the ground and Eli Sanders did yeoman’s work on the drive, carrying on five of the seven plays on the drive. He went around the end to cover the final 20 yards to make it 38-36. Utah State answered right back with a Herschel Turner 43-yard run for a score, and it was 45-36 with 7:43 left.
That’s when UNM went to work again, twice converting long third downs and getting a fourth down conversion as well. The first was on third-and-10, a 14-yard gain to Luke Wysong. On fourth-and-6, Dampier went deep to Ryan Davis, and he somehow made the catch between two defenders for an incredible conversion. Dampier than hit Trace Bruckler for a 10-yard gain on third-and-9 from the 14 before Dampier finished it with a 5-yard run.
Up 45-43 with 3:53 to go, Utah State got three straight three-yard gains to set up fourth-and-1 from its own 34-yard line. Petras tried to keep it, but a host of Lobos including Devin Brandt-Epps and Garrison Walker made the stop for no gain giving UNM the ball.
The Lobos needed a first down to force Utah State to use all its timeouts, which it got on a 15-yard run by Dampier with a 1:40 to go. UNM then took the lead with 1:13 left when Eli Sanders was basically allowed to waltz into the end zone untouched. That gave UNM a 50-45 lead, and two plays later Johnson snagged a pass over the middle for a game-clinching interception.
Nothing went right for UNM in the opening quarter as the Lobos were outgained 169-31 in the first quarter as Utah State raced to a 14-0 lead after one. After an opening drive for UNM fizzled, the Lobos got a fourth down stop in Aggie territory, but a facemask penalty as they were riding the rusher out of bounds gave Utah State a fresh set of downs, and they made UNM pay.
Quarterback Spencer Petras rushed in from two yards out for a 7-0 lead, and after a three-and-out and short punt, the Aggies again went down the field, as Rahsul Faison scored from the 6-yard line. The Aggies then made it 17-0 on the first play of the second quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Tanner Cragun.
UNM finally got the break it needed when it punted and Aaron Rodriguez’ 45-yard punt was fumbled and Noa Pola-Gates recovered at the Aggie 21-yard line. That led to a Devon Dampier to Javen Jacobs connection from the 21 and UNM trailed 17-6. The Lobos then run a trick play on the conversion to make it 17-8. After a long punt, UNM drove 90 yards in 10 plays with Dampier again finding the end zone, this time with Ryan Davis on the back-end of a 14-yard completion for a 17-15 deficit.
However, Utah State scored at the end of the half and on the opening drive of the second, to open up a 16-point lead in the third quarter.
Postgame Notes
This was 31st meeting between the two teams.
Utah State now leads the series 17-14
Utah State leads the series 9-5 in Logan
New Mexico leads the series 9-8 in Albuquerque
New Mexico has won one straight in the series and one straight in Logan.
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Isaiah SIllemon started at tight end for Caleb Medford.
Defense: Antoineo Harris, Jr. started at will for Gabe Lopez.
*New Mexico’s captains were Luke Wysong, Richard Pearce, Gabe Lopez and Noah Avinger.
*New Mexico’s Charles Steinkamp carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field and Hyrum Hatch carried the United States flag.
*New Mexico lost the toss and Utah State deferred. New Mexico received while defending the east goal.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico’s first quarter turnover was its first in three games. The Lobos won despite suffering four turnovers, which led to 14 points. UNM had two takeaways which led to eight points.
*The Lobos did not score in the first quarter for the first time this season.
*The 17-point comeback tied for the sixth-largest in school history, and it was the fourth-largest road comeback. It also marked the largest second half comeback (16 points) in school history.
*New Mexico has scored 22 touchdowns in the last three games.
*The three straight 50 point game equals the only other time its happened in school history, when it happened three straight times in 1916.
*New Mexico joins Miami (FL) as the only teams with three straight games of 50 points this season.
*UNM’s 552 yards was its second-most on the season.
*The Lobos converted nine of its final 10 third downs, and on the one it didn’t, it converted on fourth down.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
*Luke Wysong led the team for a sixth straight game in receptions with a career-high tying 10 for a career-high 156 yards.
*Tight end Trace Bruckler scored two two-point conversions, giving him a very odd four points in the game for a tight end.
*Devon Dampier now has nine passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.
*Dampier’s three interceptions were a career-high.
*Christian Ellis’ 14 tackles were a career-high, as were the 10 tackles by Dimitri Johnson.
*Dampier had a second game this season in triple digits in rushing and passing, with 103 rushing and 272 passing. He’s the first Lobo to have triple digits rushing and passing twice in the same season since Lamar Jordan in 2015. He’s the third Lobo to ever do it twice with at least 200 passing and 100 rushing, joining Billy Rucker and Kole McKamey. Only Rucker’s was in the same season (1985).