Rally 'Cats: Montana State erases huge fourth-quarter deficit to stun UNM

New Mexico led for all but 10 seconds.

It wasn’t enough.

Montana State running back Scottre Humphrey’s 4-yard rushing touchdown in the final seconds sealed the fourth-ranked Bobcats’ comeback and sent New Mexico to a stunning 35-31 loss in the first game of the Bronco Mendenhall era.

Bolstered by two defensive scores, UNM led 31-14 entering the fourth quarter. But a pair of late rushing touchdowns, missed field goals and dropped passes ultimately doomed the Lobos (0-1) in their first loss to an FCS team since 2011.

“In any capacity — either throwing or catching, rush defense, kicking field goals — those plays weren’t executed well enough and weren’t consistent enough for us to put the game away,” Mendenhall, UNM’s first-year head coach, said in a postgame press conference. “… I saw capability, certainly — two defensive touchdowns, some fourth-down stops and some other positive things.

“But (it wasn’t) consistent enough, not clean enough and not sound enough really, from beginning to end, to put the game away.”

In front of an announced crowd of 17,314 at University Stadium, sophomore quarterback Devon Dampier completed 19 of 27 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown, and rushed for another score in his second career start. Running back Eli Sanders led the Lobos with 87 yards rushing, while wide receiver Luke Wysong led the team with six receptions for 95 yards.

Along with wide receiver Caleb Medford (two receptions, eight yards), Wysong dropped one of two fourth-quarter passes that could’ve sealed a win for UNM. Instead, the Lobos were forced to punt the ball with 1:59 remaining and the Bobcats drove 89 yards in 11 plays to pull ahead for good on Humphrey’s four-yard score.

“That’s just another belief thing,” Dampier said when asked about the dropped passes. “When the times are tough and your name gets called out, (you have to) believe in yourself before anything. (It’s) just something that we need to click in our minds.”

Tight end Trace Bruckler (four receptions, 38 yards) caught UNM’s lone passing touchdown, a 12-yard strike to put the Lobos up 17-0 in the second quarter.

Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott withstood pressure from UNM’s remade front to complete 21 of 32 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns that brought the Bobcats back into it after a slow start. Wide receivers Ty McCullouch (seven receptions, 66 yards) and Lonyatta Alexander Jr. (five receptions, 58 yards) each hauled in one of Mellott’s first-half touchdown passes.

Montana State outgained UNM 567-325 overall, with Humphrey (140 yards, one touchdown) and Adam Jones (167 yards, one touchdown) keying the Bobcats’ vaunted rushing attack to the tune of 362 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

All three of the Bobcats’ rushing scores came in the fourth quarter: Mellott’s 15-yard rushing touchdown cut Montana State’s deficit to 10 before Jones broke loose for a 93-yard run to make it 31-28 with 5:30 left. Montana State outgained UNM 327-99 and rushed for 101 more yards than the Lobos in the second half.

“We didn’t do much to discourage that by how we played,” Mendenhall said.

Kicker Luke Drzewiecki converted one of three attempted field goals, connecting on a 45-yard attempt to push UNM’s lead to 10-0 in the first quarter. The junior missed from 35 and 42 yards in the second half, kicking his last attempt into a crosswind that shook the goalposts.

Facing fourth and 7 on Montana State’s 25-yard-line, Mendenhall said there was a brief discussion over whether UNM would go for it due to the wind before opting to attempt the 42-yard field goal up 31-21 with 9:33 to go in the game.

“But 4th and 7, I didn’t feel good about that,” Mendenhall said. “And man, the way (Drzewiecki) had been kicking all camp, even though (there was) a crosswind, I have confidence in him. So, a discussion, but not very long.”

Defensive back Noah Avinger led UNM with 14 total tackles and came up with one of two defensive scores on a day where the defense started strong, but faltered down the stretch. UNM initially took a 7-0 lead on safety Christian Ellis’ 41-yard fumble return in the first quarter after linebacker Jayden Wilson (seven total tackles) knocked the ball loose while sacking Mellott.

And after Dampier’s 24-yard rushing touchdown at the end of the second quarter — a well-executed fake handoff to running back Na’Quari Rogers — Avinger scooped Mellott’s second fumble of the day and returned it 13 yards to set up a 31-14 lead early in the third quarter.

The score proved to be the Lobos’ last of the game, with Montana State seizing the momentum down the stretch to claim its first FBS win since 2006.

“When we didn’t capitalize on points with field goals at either end and then (Jones’ 93-yard score), I think that combination certainly influenced it,” Mendenhall said when asked about if he felt UNM lost momentum down the stretch. “Still plenty of chances even then to address and finish the game with opportunities then.

“And we didn’t.”

Step into the action with these photos from the UNM Lobos football game against Montana State