Wright: The fans didn’t forsake the Lobos, and vice versa

It was Oct. 3, 1992. The visiting San Diego State Aztecs and their star running back Marshall Faulk had just routed the New Mexico Lobos 49-21 on a grub worm-infested grass field at University Stadium.

After the game, SDSU coach Al Luginbill emerged from a tiny, cramped visitors’ locker room at the north end of the stadium for postgame interviews.

Once interviews were concluded, Luginbill had a parting shot:

“Get us out,” he said, “of this god-forsaken place.”

I dredge up a 33-year-old quote not to pick a fight with Luginbill, who’s been gone from the Aztecs’ sideline since ‘93, nor with San Diego State University, and certainly not with the city of San Diego.

But, my, what an amazingly different scenario took place on Friday involving the same two programs and at the same, yet dramatically changed, venue.

Grub worms, according to my research, don’t thrive on artificial turf. None were observed on Friday.

Where that visitors’ locker room once sat, there now are some 20 rows of north end-zone bleachers — packed on Friday with rabid Lobo fans hoping to see UNM win the most momentous regular-season game in the 65-year history of the structure.

And yes, it happened. New Mexico prevailed over San Diego State, 23-17, in a double-overtime classic in front of a crowd of 30,575 — 7,389 more (many of the fans that night were there mostly to see Faulk play) than attended that sad, meaningless game 33 years ago.

Boise State’s 25-24 victory over Utah State later Friday leaves the Lobos (9-3, 6-2 Mountain West) at the mercy of computers to determine whether UNM plays in its first league championship game since 1997 and its first ever in the MW conference.

Regardless, this team — assembled almost from scratch by first-year coach Jason Eck — has achieved what would have seemed almost unthinkable back in August.

“It’s a great year,” Eck said, “no matter what happens.”

Friday, no matter what the computers spit out, is not the end; a bowl bid, if not a conference championship, is secure.

Not secure, yet, is Eck’s future at UNM. What he’s accomplished here will undoubtedly make him a front-runner for Power Four jobs. But for now, there’s a season, and a victory, to savor.

So, how do you beat a muscular SDSU team, intent on clinching a championship-game berth, that sacked Lobos quarterback Jack Layne seven times and held UNM to just 127 yards passing?

You outsmart them. Out-scheme them. Out-tough them. You do what it takes, again and again.

You take the initiative, driving for a 37-yard Luke Drzewiecki field goal on the game’s first possession.

You have alternate (don’t call him a backup) quarterback James Laubstein defeat contact and run 40 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead. Laubstein, who missed time earlier this season with a lower-leg injury, appeared to be limping a bit each time he came off the field on Friday. He kept playing.

You regroup after halftime, now down 14-10, and run D.J. McKinney wide on a fourth-and-1 from the Lobos 46-yard line when everyone in the place was expecting Laubstein to plunge ahead for the first down. It’s a touchdown. 17-14 Lobos.

“I had to reframe things in the locker room (at halftime),” Eck said. “… If I’d told this team in training camp we’d be down by four playing for a conference championship in the last game at halftime at home, I think everybody would have taken that situation.”

You overcome the shock of a Laubstein fumble, recovered by SDSU, just when victory seemed assured in the first overtime.

Then, you leak backup tight end Cade Keith right to left underneath the Aztecs’ linebackers to catch a pass from Layne and stroll down the west sideline into the end zone from 25 yards out on the first play of the second overtime. 23-17 Lobos.

It’s a play that I don’t think I’ve ever seen not work. It’s about calling it at the right time, and UNM offensive coordinator Luke Schleusner did — as he’s done consistently all season.

You get sacks from Keyshawn James-Newby and Darren Agu as the Aztecs self-destruct with three 5-yard procedure penalties on their possession in the second OT.

You celebrate with joyous fans who streamed onto the field after Jayden Denegal’s desperation fourth-down pass sailed beyond the end line.

The goal posts, firmly anchored, remained in place — as do the Lobos.

“They impacted the football game,” Eck said of the fans. “… They impacted (the Aztecs) with all those false starts (in the second OT) that kept pushing them back.”

In the books, with more to come, is a season with the most victories for a first-year coach and the first 6-0 home record since 1938. A first conference championship since 1964 is still, for now, a possibility.

So, then. God-forsaken place? Not anymore, Al.

UNM football defeats San Diego State: Photos