Three first half turnovers sink New Mexico in loss to Nevada

RENO, Nev. — Three turnovers in a shutout first half dug New Mexico a hole the Lobos couldn’t climb out of in a 34-24 loss to Nevada on Saturday.

Accustomed to strong starts, the Lobos (3-5, 1-3 Mountain West) fell behind early as quarterback Dylan Hopkins (18 of 34, 271 yards, one touchdown) threw three interceptions in the first and second quarters, including a 43-yard pick six to Richard Toney Jr. to set up the Wolf Pack (2-6, 2-2) with 18 points off turnovers on their way to a 24-0 halftime lead.

“That was the difference in the game,” UNM head coach Danny Gonzales said. “Our kids, I thought the energy was fine. We just made too many mistakes.”

UNM cut into their deficit with two scoring drives to start the second half as Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis (8 of 16, 92 passing yards, 67 rushing yards) left the game with an apparent ankle injury. Backup A.J. Bianco, however, proved to be enough as the Wolf Pack leaned on a depleted running back room to close out a 34-24 victory.

UNM wide receiver Jeremiah Hixon (4 receptions, 116 yards) tied his career-best in receiving yards while running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the Lobos on the ground with 46 yards on 11 carries.

In place of regular Lobo starter Tavian Combs, freshman safety Dereck Moore led UNM with 10 tackles.

After missing two field goals in Nevada’s 6-0 win over San Diego State last week, kicker Brandon Talton was a perfect 4-for-4 against UNM, including a 52-yard make to put the Wolf Pack up 16-0 in the second quarter.

After both teams traded punts to open the game, Lewis hit wide receiver Dalevon Campbell for a 51-yard gain to set Nevada up deep in UNM territory. The Lobos held strong on a short field, however, leaving Talton to connect on a 34-yard field goal to give Nevada a 3-0 lead.

Things unraveled quickly. On the ensuing drive, UNM opted to go for it on 4th and 3. Hopkins dropped back, looked to his right and released a pass intended for wide receiver Ryan Davis only for linebacker Jonathan Maldonado to step in front of it. His sprint to the Lobos’ 34-yard line set up Nevada with another short field, one the Wolf Pack capitalized on with Talton’s 47-yard field goal.

Down 6-0, Hopkins missed wide receiver Caleb Medford and for the second straight drive, Nevada made him pay for it. Toney Jr. came up with Hopkins’ second interception and sprinted 43 yards down the sideline virtually untouched for a pick six and a 13-0 Wolf Pack lead.

Talton added a 52-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to push Nevada’s lead to 16. Then, Hopkins missed again: his third and final interception sailed high again over Medford and into the hands of cornerback Michael Coats Jr.

Wide receiver Jamaal Bell ran around the edge and capped off Nevada’s five play, 29-yard drive with their first offensive touchdown of the night and a 24-0 halftime lead.

“Obviously we don’t expect him to play like that,” Gonzales said of Hopkins. “He was able to overcome it. Dylan’s a veteran — it was tough to get us in that hole, but he played good in the second half.”

UNM opened the third quarter with two straight scoring drives, getting on the board off Luke Drzewiecki’s 47-yard field goal before wide receiver Jeremiah Hixon capped a two-play scoring drive with a 59-yard touchdown reception to make it 24-10.

And after Lewis sustained his injury, redshirt freshman Bianco helped lead the Wolf Pack deep into UNM territory, helped at one point by a fresh set of downs after Lobo linebacker Alec Marenco was ejected for targeting.

UNM, however, held Nevada to Talton’s 22-yard field goal to extend a 27-10 lead. “I thought that kind of stole a little bit of the momentum back,” Gonzales said.

But the Lobos’ ensuing three-and-out paved the way for an eight play, 32-yard scoring drive capped by Jacques Bodolato-Birdsell’s 2-yard touchdown plunge to push the Wolf Pack’s lead to 34-10 with 12 minutes left.

Tasked with making what would’ve been the largest comeback in school history, UNM managed a quick four-play drive capped by Devon Dampier’s 1-yard rush and ensuing two-point conversion to make it 34-18.

Then, after Nevada chewed up just over five minutes of clock, the Lobos embarked on a grinding 93-yard drive ending with Croskey-Merritt’s 2-yard touchdown. Hopkins’ pass on the ensuing two-point conversion sailed out of bounds and UNM’s opportunity to whittle their deficit down to one score fell flat.

Luke Drzewiecki’s onside attempt failed and Nevada knelt out the final 58 seconds to seal a 34-24 win, its second in as many weeks after a 16-game losing streak.

UNM will now have to go 3-1 against the likes of UNLV (Saturday), Boise State (Nov. 11), Fresno State (Nov. 18) and Utah State (Nov. 25) to qualify for a bowl.

“We’re 3-5. We got to find a way to win three of four,” Gonzales said. “And they understand that. They know that. They believe in that.

“I think (this team) is resilient and they’ll show up (Sunday) ready to work.”