“These guys’ goal is to play Sunday football, right? Well, those college kids — they got to do it.”
Head coach Bob Davie had that to say after New Mexico football (6-3, 4-1 MW) played into the wee hours of Sunday morning after a lightning delay to snare a 35-26 victory over Nevada (3-6, 1-4 MW) at University Stadium.
Davie said it seemed like the first half was “yesterday,” due to the time he made the comment. The late start time resulted in the first half ending near 10 p.m., as the teams played to a 14-14 draw.
But despite some odd circumstances, many things on the field looked familiar. Lobo fans saw the nation’s best rushing attack amass 373 yards, two quarterbacks behind center and a defense step up huge when the team needed it most.
New Mexico got off to its usual hot start as junior Lamar Jordan got the nod to start the game at quarterback. Richard McQuarley capped the opening drive, bouncing off defenders and going into the end zone standing up on a three yard touchdown run and the Lobos led 7-0.
The Lobos had been able to avoid being hurt by turnovers in recent weeks, but a pair of Jordan turnovers led to 14 points for the Wolfpack, both of which occurred when New Mexico had scoring chances in the red zone.
Running back Tyrone Owens tied the game, scoring from 25 yards out on fourth down. Nevada later missed a field goal just before halftime that could’ve put them ahead.
Then the lightning, along with torrential rain, engulfed the area, a power surge took out the stadium lights and some very faithful Lobo fans stayed huddled where they could find shelter, wondering if and when the game would resume.
About an hour and 40 minutes after the half ended, the teams finally kicked off the second half.
The Lobos surged ahead 28-14, as Davie elected to stick with Austin Apodaca to start the second half. However, Jordan did score the first touchdown of the half after re-entering the game when Apodaca was temporarily sidelined with an apparent injury.
Both quarterbacks have grown accustomed to the two-quarterback system. Apodaca said he will just be ready to help the team whenever his number is called.
A strong defensive effort yielded only four yards of total offense in the third quarter.
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The Lobo defense had been playing lights out since making a pair of fourth down stops to secure a 45-40 victory three weeks ago over Air Force. The squad had been limiting big plays, but the old problem resurfaced in the fourth quarter.
Nevada connected on passes plays of 55 and 57 yards and scored twice, but still trailed by two, 28-26. The PAT after the first touchdown was blocked by Ryan Santos, and the team failed to score on its subsequent two-point conversion attempt.
The Lobos were unable to pick up third and inches and were forced to punt the ball away. With 8:41 left to play, Nevada appeared to have momentum, but the Lobo defense stepped up in a big way.
Junior linebacker Kimmie Carson stuffed a first down run and blasted the quarterback to force an incompletion on the next play to bring up third and long. Needing a stop, cornerback Jadon Boatright dove and extended his arm just enough to knock down what would’ve been a first down reception and get the ball back for the Lobos.
Apodaca went to work, making nifty plays with his arm and his legs to convert two third down conversions. He scored on a run from four yards out to make it a two possession game, 35-26 with 2:54 remaining.
Davie said that defensive stop and subsequent scoring drive was a big moment in the game. And the head coach also said he told Apodaca several weeks ago, he knew the quarterback would have an impact on the team going forward.
“Our defense has stepped up at times, and that was a case right there because momentum was clearly on their side,” Davie said. “I said ‘Austin, you started the season—at some point you’re going to be a key component in us finishing the season.’”
Nevada still had all three timeouts and was driving down the field quickly, when the defense essentially sealed the game. Austin Ocasio recorded his second interception on the season, allowing the team to essentially run out of the clock.
The win makes New Mexico bowl eligible for the second straight year and improves its record to 6-3 (4-1 MW). The team has three games remaining and is still alive for a shot at the Mountain Division title.
New Mexico will look for its fifth straight win as the team travels to meet the Utah State Aggies (3-6, 1-5 MW) at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday.
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.
