FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Just eight points separated the UNM football team from a possible Mountain West Conference title and hopes of a Liberty Bowl bid Saturday night.
The Lobos beat the Colorado State Rams in almost every statistical category except where it mattered the most -- the scoreboard. CSU won 22-14 to claim its third straight MWC title.
UNM battled valiantly, but could not overcome the deep hole it dug for itself in the first half as CSU won the game behind the running of Rams quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt and by converting two fumbles by DonTrell Moore into touchdowns. The Lobo offense was led by Moore, who gained 181 yards on 30 carries, and Casey Kelly, who completed 19 of 30 passes for 121 yards. UNM outgained CSU 307 yards to 252.
"We didn't win the field possession battle," Head coach Rocky Long said. "And we made too many mistakes, turned the ball over too much."
The Rams jumped out to an early lead when UNM got conservative in its own end of the field in the first quarter and was forced to punt. CSU special team player David Anderson got into the backfield and blocked Tyler Gaus' punt as the Rams failed to recover the ball in the end zone before it went out for a safety and a 2-0 CSU lead.
The teams traded punts before the Rams drove 45 yards on six plays to extend their lead to 5-0 with a field goal.
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CSU would add to its momentum on the ensuing possession. Moore ran for six yards from the Lobos' 20 yard-line before he coughed up the ball and the Rams recovered. CSU drove six plays for the touchdown, with Van Pelt capping the drive with three-yard scamper for a 12-0 lead.
The Rams' next score put the Lobos further in the hole and it came at a time when UNM was starting to swing the momentum in its favor. The Lobos began to drive at their own nine-yard line with Moore ripping off runs of 20 and 13 yards.
On first and 10 from the UNM 49, the Lobos' offensive line opened another gaping hole for Moore, who was going for another big gain until he was stacked up at the CSU 37 with his forward progress seemingly stopped.
However, CSU's David Vickers stripped Moore before the whistle was blown and the Rams' Adam Wade returned the fumble for six yards before pitching it to Rhett Nelson, who raced 54 yards for the touchdown and a 19-0 lead.
"I was just trying to make some extra yards," Moore said. "I thought maybe they blew the whistle on the forward progress, but the guy just took the ball and made a good play and that's what happens against a good football team."
The Lobos bounced back on their next possession with a 17-play, 78-yard touchdown drive. The drive was kept alive by a key fourth down conversion as Casey Kelly found Dwight Counter on a 10-yard pass at the Ram's 32-yard line.
Casey hooked up with Adrian Boyd three plays later to give UNM a first and goal at the four. Justin Millea came in at quarterback on third and goal to punch it in and close the gap to 19-7 just before halftime.
UNM and CSU played to a standstill for most of the third quarter as UNM's defense corralled Van Pelt. Billy Strother recovered a Van Pelt fumble early but the offense sputtered and went three and out.
Jeff Babcock added to the Rams' lead with a career-best 46-yard field goal early in the quarter. The Lobos had several time-consuming drives but failed to put points on the board until the 2:47 mark. After a CSU punt, the Lobos continued pounding the ball to Moore, who gained 37 yards on the drive, including an easy run around the right side for a 12-yard touchdown
The score would stay knotted at 22-14 until the final whistle, although the Lobos would threaten. The Lobos' final drive saw UNM move from their own 11 to the CSU 33-yard line.
The Rams' defense held tough, though, and forced the Lobos to turn the ball over on downs as Kelly's final pass to Moore was snuffed out and stuffed for no gain on fourth and 10.
Kelly said this was his toughest loss as a Lobo.
"We didn't lose in dramatic fashion," Kelly said. "It wasn't like it came down to the last play, but this has been the biggest game since I've been here and there was so much riding on it that it just makes it a tough loss."
The Lobos still have bowl aspirations, but they need a victory next week at University Stadium to be eligible.
"I think we'll be able to bounce back huge," Moore said. "We're just going to have to wash this one away and take what we did in this game into the next game and try to give ourselves a good opportunity win."
Long said his team was banged up and a little depressed but will go back to work this week knowing they still have a lot to play for.
"Other than the turnovers, I thought our team played at a championship caliber of football which surprised everybody else but me," Long said.
