NORMAN, Okla. — New Mexico battled No. 24/21 Oklahoma on Saturday night at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, but the Lobos came up just short in a 14-6 setback before a crowd of 83,423, putting a massive scare into the Sooners.

The Lobos (2-1) held Oklahoma (2-1) scoreless in the first quarter and remained within one possession throughout the night against the nationally ranked Sooners. New Mexico’s defense limited Oklahoma to 299 total yards, including just 61 rushing yards, while forcing two interceptions and recovering a fumble on special teams.

After Oklahoma took a 7-0 lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass from John Mateer to Hayden Hansen with 13:49 remaining in the second quarter, New Mexico answered with a pair of Grant Glasgow field goals.

Glasgow connected from 24 yards out with four minutes remaining in the half, and then Glasgow drilled a 42-yarder with 1:48 left to pull the Lobos within 7-6. The second field goal followed an interception by Frankie Edwards, who picked off Mateer and returned it 11 yards to the Oklahoma 22. UNM had first and goal at the 9-yard line, but a penalty and a sack meant UNM had to settle for three.

Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell, the 2025 Lou Groza Award winner, missed a 41-yard field goal at the halftime gun to keep it 7-6. However, the Sooners extended their lead early in the third quarter when Mateer connected with Isaiah Sategna III on a 53-yard touchdown pass, giving the Sooners a 14-6 advantage after Sategna got behind UNM’s coverage.

New Mexico’s defense kept the Lobos within striking distance the rest of the way. Oklahoma managed only 30 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter and was held to just 61 rushing yards for the game.

The Lobos had one final opportunity to tie it late in the fourth quarter. Starting at their own 35-yard line with 10:39 remaining, New Mexico put together a 12-play, 47-yard drive that consumed 7:42. Quarterback Toa Fa’avae provided a spark on the ground, including a 22-yard run that moved the Lobos into Oklahoma territory.

New Mexico eventually reached the Oklahoma 17, but Oklahoma’s defense stopped Scottre Humphrey for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-two with 3:02 remaining, turning the ball over on downs. That fourth-and-two was after Keifer Sibley was ruled short after it looked like he had reached the first-down marker.

Fa’avae led New Mexico with 17 rushing yards while Kiefer Sibley paced the Lobos with 41 rushing yards. Cade Keith was New Mexico’s leading receiver, catching five passes for 78 yards, including a 40-yard reception in the second quarter.

Defensively, Austin Brawley recorded a team-high nine tackles, while Darren Agu added seven tackles and a sack. Tavian Combs also had seven tackles and an interception in the opening quarter.

New Mexico will look to bounce back against rival New Mexico State as UNM takes on the Aggies in the 116^th Rio Grande Rivalry on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Las Cruces, in a game televised on CBS Sports Network.

Postgame Notes

This was the third meeting between the two teams.

Oklahoma now leads the series 3-0

Oklahoma now leads the series 3-0 in Norman

Oklahoma has won three straight in the series.

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Starting lineup changes for UNM from the published two-deep

Offense: Miles Williams (WR) started for Bailen George. Simon Mapa (TE) was the skill player who did not start.

Defense: Jayden Flaker (Star) started for Drew Speech

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*New Mexico’s captains were Jaxton Eck, Malik Aliane, Brett Karhu, and Scottre Humphrey

*New Mexico’s Michael Kern carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field, and Jayden Flaker carried the United States flag.

*New Mexico won the toss and elected to defer, and Oklahoma elected to receive. UNM defended the South goal.

TEAM NOTES:

*The game-time temperature of 95 degrees tied for the fifth-warmest kickoff in Lobo history, tying with the September 7, 1975 game at Texas Tech.

*The 80,126 in attendance represented the 10^th-largest crowd ever to witness a Lobo football game.

*The halftime score of UNM trailing 7-6 was the same score as UNM’s last Power-4 game, the 2025 Rate Bowl, as UNM trailed 7-6 at the half in that game.

*The game was only the third in the entire coaching career for Jason Eck played on grass. He is now 1-2 (defeated UCLA, lost to Minnesota at the Rate Bowl, lost to No. 24/21 Oklahoma

*The Lobos are now 2-36 all-time on the road against ranked teams, last winning over No. 23 Utah 47-35 in Salt Lake City on October 25, 2003.

*The Lobos failed on their third red-zone scoring chance when the team didn’t convert a 4^th-and-2 on the final drive.

*For the third consecutive game, UNM’s defense did not face a single play from its own red zone.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

*Grant Glasgow’s 24-yard field goal represented UNM’s first points in the three-game series. UNM had been shut out 47-0 and 25-0 in the other two matchups.

*Eric McClain’s fumble recovery on a punt represented the second time this season UNM recovered a fumbled punt, and it was his first career fumble recovery.

*Tavian Combs’ interception was the second of the season for him, and the fifth of his career. Three of the five are against Power-4 schools (Texas A&M, UCLA, Oklahoma).

*Frankie Edwards III recorded his first interception since October 19, 2024, against Sacramento State. He returned that interception 95 yards for a touchdown.

*Cade Keith was UNM’s leading receiver with 78 yards on five receptions.