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Skid snapped: New Mexico runs to victory against rival New Mexico State

UNM vs NMSU — UNM’s Devon Dampier (4) runs in for a touchdown past NMSU’s Quincy Davis (13) and Da’Marcus Crosby (2) on Saturday at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces.

Sean Reider Sean Reider Sean Reider Journal Staff Writer

Published September 28, 2024 - 10:59 p.m. Modified September 29, 2024 - 1:41 a.m.

LAS CRUCES — The Bronco Mendenhall era finally has a win to its name.

New Mexico overcame a slow start to beat New Mexico State 50-40 on Saturday at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Lobos' win snapped a four-game losing streak to start the season and a two-game Rio Grande Rivalry skid.

After grabbing an early lead, the Lobos (1-4) broke a 7-7 tie with five straight scoring drives across the first and second halves. In turn, UNM staved off a fourth quarter comeback from the Aggies (1-4) to earn its first win in Las Cruces since 2018.

"We worked really hard," Mendenhall, UNM's first-year head coach, said in a postgame press conference. "And I have a vision for this program that I'd like to see happening. I'd like it sooner rather than later.

"Winning helps."

UNM scored seven rushing touchdowns and outgained NMSU 570-474 on the night.

Quarterback Devon Dampier completed 13 of 28 passes for 248 yards and rushed for 70 yards and three touchdowns to contribute to the team's season-high in points.

All three of the sophomore’s rushing scores came on consecutive drives, setting UNM up with a commanding 17-point lead early in the third quarter.

NMSU quarterback Santino Marucci completed 13 of 29 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown while running backs Seth McGowan (74 yards) and Mike Washington (54 yards, two touchdowns) keyed the Aggies on the ground.

NMSU also scored a season high in points while missing offensive coordinator Tyler Wright after derogatory and offensive posts from his social media account surfaced via a report late Friday night from the Las Cruces Sun-News. Head coach Tony Sanchez said offensive line coach Andrew Mitchell called plays for the Aggies on Saturday night.

Wide receiver Luke Wysong led the Lobos with five receptions for 47 yards on a night where no Lobo caught a touchdown. Wide receivers Nic Trujillo (one catch, 41 yards), Caleb Medford (two catches, 91 yards) and Ryan Davis (three catches, 59 yards) each hauled in long gains to put UNM in scoring position.

Running back Na’Quari Rogers rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns, breaking the plane from three yards out to put UNM up 7-0 early in the first. NMSU answered almost immediately with a rushing touchdown of its own, an 84-yarder down the sideline from running back Larenzo McMillan to tie it.

"Two players just didn't do what they're supposed to do," Mendenhall said of McMillan's run. "And that's about our margin for error right now."

Both teams combined to punt on five of their next six drives before UNM went ahead 14-7 on Dampier’s 11-yard rushing touchdown midway through the second quarter. The Lobos held NMSU to its third-straight three-and-out and took a 21-7 lead off Dampier’s two-yard score with 22 seconds left in the second half.

Not that NMSU didn’t make the most of the time remaining. Running back Monte Watkins’ 24-yard run through UNM’s defense set up Abraham Montano’s 47-yard field goal as time expired for a 21-10 halftime score.

Dampier extended UNM’s lead to 27-10 with a 23-yard rushing touchdown, jumping over a diving Nick Session and outstretching his arm to break the plane and score. Washington drew NMSU closer with a 25-yard receiving touchdown before kicker Luke Drzewiecki and Montano traded 20- and 30-yard field goals, respectively.

Rogers’ second touchdown of the night, a physical four-yard rush, and Drzewiecki’s missed PAT handed UNM a 36-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.

"I think he changed the game ... I just liked everything about how he played," Mendenhall said of Rogers. "And that represents the type of offense I like offensively -- besides throwing the ball, when you run it, it looks like that."

Washington’s 10-yard rushing touchdown pushed NMSU back to within 10, but a failed two-point conversion attempt kept the Aggies at arm’s length.

Running back Javen Jacobs (80 yards) effectively dealt the knockout blow with a 50-yard rushing touchdown off a sweep, putting UNM up 43-26 with 5:14 left. NMSU didn’t go down lightly: late in the fourth, Marucci and Washington came up with 16- and 2-yard rushing touchdowns, respectively.

But it was Rogers who sealed the deal in between, breaking away for a 29-yard rushing touchdown to set up a 50-40 final, the most points scored by the Lobos at Aggie Memorial Stadium since 1994.