Wyoming will head on to play in the Mountain West Championship game, but New Mexico looked like the best team in the conference in a 56-35 thumping of the Cowboys Saturday night.
Last week New Mexico was dominated by Colorado State 39-31. But at University Stadium, it was a complete role reversal as the Lobos rebounded to stifle the best team in the conference.
The win by New Mexico (8-4, 6-2 MW) earned the Lobos a share of the Mountain Division crown for the first time since 1997, joining Wyoming (8-4, 6-2 MW) and Boise State (10-2, 6-2 MW) as co-champs.
The Lobos won five conference games last season. The combined 11 wins is the most across a 2-season span since UNM began playing conference games in 1938, a release said.
Head coach Bob Davie said he was very proud of the student athletes and the coaching staff for doing something special, pointing to a wall scattered with the jersey numbers of all the seniors who have played their final regular season snap.
“I appreciate these kids and these coaches,” he said. “I’m not sure people realize what they’ve done.”
The seniors lined the sidelines and were recognized prior to the game. Quarterback Lamar Jordan, who said he came in with those guys to change the culture at New Mexico, stood in the tunnel and took it all in.
When the game was over, he and senior running back Teriyon Gipson had accomplished something for the first time in program history.
Gipson set a career-high in rushing yards, amassing on 13 carries, while Jordan picked up 176 yards on the ground. It was the first time in program history the Lobos ever had two 175-yard rushers in the same game.
The running game is the staple of New Mexico football, and the Lobos wasted no time getting things going on the ground by scoring touchdowns in its first five possessions.
By the time Wyoming found some rhythm offensively, it was too late. It likely wouldn’t have mattered anyway as the Cowboys had no answers defensively against a UNM offense that didn’t let up throughout the game.
The Cowboys had momentarily cut the deficit to 14-7 in the first quarter, but an offensive pass interference penalty took the 9-yard touchdown pass off the board. In an odd turn of events, instead of getting any points out of the drive, Wyoming gave up back-to-back sacks and had to punt when faced with fourth-and-47.
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The 568 rushing yards allowed was the most surrendered by a Wyoming team in school history, though it was only the second-best total for New Mexico. In the end the Lobos had racked up 690 yards of total offense, also tied for the second-highest by the program, a release stated.
“It was kind of an amazing game,” Davie said. “It was an explosive, explosive night. We may run the ball, but we’re pretty entertaining to watch.”
Running back Richard McQuarley put himself in position to vie for the single-season school touchdown record. He rattled off 121 yards and rushed for three touchdowns to give him 16 on the season. That mark moved him into second-place, trailing only the 19 posted by Dontrell Moore in 2003.
Kicker Jason Sanders also stamped his name into the record books. He needed four extra points to supplant former Lobo Justus Adams for most consecutive made PATs. Sanders notched eight of them to run his active streak up to 80 made PATs in a row.
The Lobos also maintained control as the No.1 rushing team in the country, cementing a formidable season on the ground by setting single-season program records in points (454), rushing yards (4,331) and the potential to break the record for total offense in a bowl game.
One of the few drawbacks came late in the game involving a play by senior cornerback Ryan Santos. Santos tattooed Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen on fourth down, drawing a targeting penalty for roughing the passer.
After play was reviewed the targeting call was upheld. Santos was ejected from the game, and NCAA rules dictate the cornerback will also have to sit for the first half of the next game. That means the senior will miss half of his final game as a Lobo, which will also be a bowl game.
New Mexico will likely have several bowl options available after improving on last year’s performance. A decision should come soon regarding which invitation it accepts.
Robert Maler is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers football and men’s and women’s tennis. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.
