New Mexico is starting to gain a reputation for being competitive, but that reputation isn’t backed up by many wins this season.
That didn’t change Saturday against Utah State in Logan, Utah.
UNM found itself back in the game when redshirt freshman quarterback Lamar Jordan hit wide senior receiver Tyler Duncan for a 59-yard touchdown, cutting Utah State’s lead to just 28-21 with 4:17 left in the game.
The Lobo defense had a shot to get the ball back afterward, but on third-and-2 at Utah’s 33, running back Joe Hill rushed for 5 yards, clinching the Aggies’ 28-21 win. With the loss, UNM falls to 3-7 (1-5 Mountain West) and is thus ineligible for a bowl game for the seventh straight year.
“We’re good enough to be close,” UNM head coach Bob Davie said. “When a team puts the hammer down, they still have more juice than we have to put the hammer down at the end.”
UNM’s triple-option offense ran for 246 yards on the night, which amounts to the most rushing yards allowed by Utah State this season. However, the Aggies were able to hold the Lobos to just 74 yards on the ground in the second half.
Redshirt freshman running back Romell Jordan led the Lobos with 96 rushing yards – 72 came on one touchdown run – on nine attempts. Lamar Jordan was second with 80 rushing yards. The quarterback also completed 8 of 18 passes for 154 yards with one interception.
“I felt, offensively, we did enough that we probably could’ve won that game, honestly,” Davie said.
The Aggies actually outrushed the Lobos by 26 yards (272-246) and had 422 yards of total offense on the night. Wideout JoJo Natson led Utah State with 70 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown, and tailback Joe Hill was second with 63 yards on 10 carries.
Freshman quarterback Kent Myers threw for 150 yards on 13 of 21 attempts with a touchdown and an interception.
“They’ve got some players,” Davie said. “No. 9 (Natson) is a guy who can do some things; No. 3 (halfback Devonte Robinson) is a good player.”
At the start of the second quarter, Utah State took a 14-7 lead when Robinson scampered 59 yards to the endzone.
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UNM answered on the second play of its next drive when Romell Jordan took a handoff up the middle and dashed 72 yards for the score. That run was the longest Utah State (8-3, 5-1 MW) had given up since 2007.
After the teams traded punts, Myers connected on a 10-yard score to tight end Wyatt Houston for a 21-14 lead with just 1:59 left in the first half.
“It hurts, honestly. I feel badly for the seniors because we needed three (more wins to qualify for a Bowl game) and we were seven points away,” Romell Jordan said. “We fought till we couldn’t fight anymore.”
Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
