The University of New Mexico football team came up big against nationally ranked No. 19/18 Washington State University Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 16, securing a tight 38-35 victory. The Lobos left Saturday night sporting a 5-6 record — 3-3 in conference play.
A scene from a movie unfolded at University Stadium. From end zone to end zone, fans wearing cherry and silver blanketed the field, howling for a Lobo victory against a nationally ranked team. The last time the Lobos beat a ranked opponent was 2003, and the last time they beat a ranked opponent at home was 1994, according to a Lobo Athletics Instagram post.
Although the victory surprised fans at University Stadium, Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall said he already expected the team to do great things.
“One of the things I believe is that everyone wants and needs an occasion to rise to,” Mendenhall said. “I expected this team to be able to do something remarkable in our first year … That doesn't happen without believing that we can.”
Winning was no small feat, as the Cougars were favored by 10.5 points on the road.
In the first quarter, the Lobos quickly started putting points on the board from a rushing touchdown by quarterback Devon Dampier on their opening drive.
However, the Cougars were quick to respond, with UNM allowing two huge plays that led to a WSU touchdown to even the score 7-7. The tone was set for the night: a tooth-and-nail fight to win it all.
Even though the Lobos started hot, they were stifled by the Cougars’ defense. The Lobos were held to a single touchdown in the first quarter. When the Cougars took the ball again, the Lobos could not stop them from crawling into the end zone and scoring, leaving the Lobos trailing 7-14 ending the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Lobos’ first drive went nowhere as they failed to pick up a first down. As the quarter went on, they also struggled on defense, allowing two touchdown passes to slip behind the Cougars 14-28. But the Lobos didn't make their shortcomings a death sentence, and they continued to fight.
“Washington State is really explosive and they’re really dynamic and they love playing from the lead,” Mendenhall said. “My message to the team this week is that if we can weather the storm in the first couple drives in the first half they would level out, and we would catch up.”
The Lobos did exactly that: They survived the initial impact of the storm, staying afloat for a second-half comeback.
This was reflected in the third quarter, during which the Lobos’ defense played aggressively and didn’t allow the Cougars to score.
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When the Lobos got the ball back, they showcased an explosion on offense. Dampier ran in a 33-yard rushing touchdown to keep the Lobos’ heads above water, but they weren’t done. They finished the third quarter by tying the game 28-28 after a 26-yard rushing touchdown by running back Eli Sanders. The Lobos were on the hunt for a victory.
Dampier made history at UNM with 3,657 yards of total offense, according to a UNM Football Instagram post, and became the Lobo quarterback with the most rushing touchdowns at 16. He said he motivated his team by staying in the fight.
“I try not to act different when situations are hard,” Dampier said. “The belief has always been there and you know I tell the guys every week, ‘I’m never going to lose trust in you. I’m always going to keep coming to you.’”
Dampier also broke the 1,000-yard mark rushing and moved to 17th in season rushing yards. He surpassed David Osborn and Lamar Jordan for most career touchdowns with 38 and moved alone into fourth on the single-season list with 28, according to Go Lobos.
Dampier didn’t just set records; he also delivered the final blow for UNM on a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Down by 4 after a Cougar touchdown, the Lobos used three minutes on the clock to drive down the field and score to dethrone the Cougars. The final scoreboard showed 38-35 after the Lobos made an outstanding second-half comeback.
Now, the Lobos boast five wins on their plate heading into their next matchup against the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa on Nov. 30 — their final hurdle to becoming bowl-eligible.
Mendenhall said their victory proves that the Lobos are a tough team that deserves recognition.
“Winning is hard. Winning at places that aren't used to winning is really hard, and against top 20 teams is really hard,” Mendenhall said. “The statement it makes is these kids are tough and resilient and they're capable and they deserve to be supported and cheered for.”
Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports@dailylobocom or on X @kubiakizabella
