New Mexico football starts strong, rallies late to beat San Diego State

SAN DIEGO — Through eight games, the winning formula for these Lobos had been relatively simple: Score 50 or more points and hold on for dear life in the fourth quarter. Anything less and that’s when prospective wins flipped into losses, and big steps forward turned into costly stumbles backward.

Until Friday at Snapdragon Stadium.

Riding a potent defensive performance and another big night from running back Eli Sanders, New Mexico issued a bruising heel turn with a fourth-quarter comeback to beat San Diego State 21-16 and snap a two-game losing streak.

UNM rushed to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter after Sanders broke away for two explosive touchdown runs, fueling his second-straight week with 150-plus rushing yards. But four scoreless drives opened the door for the Aztecs (3-6, 2-2) to take their first lead of the game off kicker Gabriel Plascencia’s 28-yard field goal late in the third.

Down 16-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Lobos surged ahead for good off wide receiver Ryan Davis’ eight-yard touchdown and held on to snap a nine-game losing streak to SDSU. UNM last beat the Aztecs on Oct. 18, 2008, a 70-7 thrashing at University Stadium.

At 4-6 (3-3) with two games left, the Lobos remain in contention for their first bowl appearance since 2016.

“I’m not sure what game we play, or what game we will play that we’re not in it at the end — no matter who we play,” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a postgame press conference. “And those are huge things for a program.

“So, yeah — don’t count us out.”

Sanders led the Lobos on the ground with 16 carries for 173 yards, gaining the majority of them off 51- and 68-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter. Mendenhall said the Iowa State transfer’s scores “ignited” the team and allowed UNM to stay afloat as the offense lulled in the second and third quarters.

“(It) allowed us to play from the lead,” he added. “And that’s with the way our defense was playing and to play from the lead, I think the pressure was on San Diego State most of the night.”

After an uneven performance in last week’s 49-45 loss to Wyoming, linebacker Randolph Kpai (15 total tackles, one sack) led a hard-hitting defensive effort that saw UNM hold SDSU to 341 yards of total offense (195 passing, 146 rushing) and just one touchdown over four trips to the red zone. 16 points allowed is a season-low for the Lobos, the second time in three weeks they’ve held an opposing offense to under 20 points.

“People are tired. Like we’re tired — this season hasn’t gone the way we wanted it to defensively,” Kpai said in a postgame press conference. “And like something had to give, you know? That’s why I’m so proud of the boys. Guys showed up after Wyoming to work and that’s one of the things I really appreciate about being a Lobo.”

Linebacker Dimitri Johnson and safety Noah Avinger added 14 and nine total tackles, respectively.

“That defensive performance, this late in the year, with the challenges they’ve overcome, it’s paramount,” Mendenhall said. “And I think our entire team was happy for them — certainly for the win, but just to see the guys battle.”

Quarterback Devon Dampier completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown, and added 127 yards on the ground. The sophomore did not throw an interception for the first time in three games and sealed the game with a five-yard rush in the fourth quarter.

In his first game back after suffering a lower body injury against Colorado State, wide receiver Luke Wysong helped pace the Lobos with five receptions for 37 yards. Davis added five catches for 47 yards and the game-winning touchdown on a night where six different players caught passes.

SDSU quarterback Danny O’Neil completed 26 of 41 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown, a five-yard pass to running back Marquez Cooper (123 rushing yards). The fifth-year back’s score brought the Aztecs within one in the second quarter after Plascencias (3-for-3) answered both of Sanders’ first half touchdowns with field goals.

Both teams scored only once in the second half: Plascencias authored SDSU’s final strike with a 28-yard field goal while Davis caught the game-winning touchdown with 13:07 left. Dampier sealed the win on the final drive and for the first time in three weeks, the Lobos kneeled out the clock with all their goals still in front of them.

“Their words: Don’t count us out,” Mendenhall said.

New Mexico football surprises San Diego State on the road: Photos

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