It was only fitting that the UNM football team guaranteed its first winning season since 1997 behind a dominant rushing game. For the past two seasons, it has been the mainstay of the Lobos' offense and seniors Jarrod Baxter, Holmon Wiggins and Javier Hanson have been the primary beneficiaries of it.
On Saturday, the group saved its best for last, combining for 275 yards and four touchdowns to lead UNM to a 53-0 season-ending thrashing of New Mexico State University. The game displayed the diversity of the running game - the hard, tackle-to-tackle running of Baxter; Wiggins' elusiveness and versatility; and the speed and quickness of Hanson.
And once they were done slicing through the defense, along came Sulayman Konte, the seldom-used senior fullback and the younger brother of star senior linebacker Mohammed Konte. In his last minutes as a Lobo, he became the featured back and responded with 42 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. In all, it was truly a day for the senior running crew.
"This is the best way to go out, right here," Hanson said. "All the running backs get what they can, getting yards and getting to score. It was like the perfect way. I couldn't think of a better way to go out."
Wiggins gave a lot of credit to the offensive line, which opened up the holes for the running backs and pushed back the NMSU defense.
"We were averaging pretty much eight yards a carry," Wiggins said. "Anybody could have run behind the holes that were there."
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Baxter led the way for the group and ended his season much the same way he started it. In the season-opening game against the University of Texas at El Paso, he rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns. On Saturday, Baxter ran for 131 yards and scored the Lobos' first two touchdowns of the game.
Baxter said teammates had been telling him that he needed another good game before the season ended.
"I'm just smiling for everybody helping me out," Baxter said. "I don't think I got touched by a defensive lineman but once."
With his performance, Baxter moved his way into the UNM's top 10 all-time rushing list, jumping from 11th to seventh place. The last man Baxter passed on the list was on the sidelines coaching the Lobos - Rocky Long. Baxter finished his career with 2,090 rushing yards.
Hanson enjoyed a career day with 88 yards and a touchdown. His biggest play came in the opening moments of the second half as UNM drove to the Aggies 43-yard line. Hanson darted down the left sideline for 31 yards and dealt New Mexico State's chances a severe blow. He then capped his career off with a one-yard run with 11:52 left in the game.
While he has been the forgotten man of the group - only 402 yards in his two seasons at UNM - Hanson said he appreciated the opportunity to show what he was capable of.
"I'm a team player," Hanson said. "I don't care. I try to do the best I can, and it works out. As long as we win, I'm happy and the team's happy."
Wiggins showed that his value went beyond carrying the rushing load. He gained 56 yards on the ground, but added 52 yards receiving. Wiggins also had a 21-yard punt return in the first quarter to set up UNM's first score - a 23-yard field goal by senior Vladimir Borombozin.
It was a second quarter run that appropriately described his running style. With the Lobos facing a 2nd-down-and-13 at the NMSU 49, Wiggins bounced off a defensive lineman, stumbled, caught himself, then broke two tackles and rambled 27 yards. His run set up a touchdown run by quarterback Casey Kelly that made the score 19-0 before halftime.
Konte had only 13 career yards to his name going into Saturday's contest. After his first two carries of the game, he almost tripled that output with 32 yards. By that time, Konte said he was pretty tired.
"It's been nothing but good times here," he said. "To finish it off that way was just great."
While it looks like the season is over for the Lobos, Baxter said he has a feeling the team will get one more chance to play - in a bowl game.
"I've had the feeling all week that this ain't our last game," Baxter said. "We're going to get one more game. Somebody is going give us an at-large (bowl berth)."
