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One more stop was all the New Mexico football team’s defense needed to make.
But just as the Lobos have done all season long, they allowed San Diego State to march down the field for the game-clinching score at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Aztec tailback Adam Muema ran it in from 1 yard out for a 35-23 lead with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter. SDSU went on to win 35-30. UNM Junior quarterback Clayton Mitchem led a late touchdown drive — a 36-yard strike to Tyler Duncan capped it — for the Lobos, and the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Aztecs to end the game.
“I’m going to do everything I know to do in the short term to try to get us to play defense and make some stops,” head coach Bob Davie said afterward. “I think we all see the challenge with that, but it’s all I care about. I don’t care about recruiting right now. I’m not worried about building the next step right now. All I’m worried about is how we give our defense every ounce of what we have so we can get some stops and win a game. I don’t care about the long term, I’m worried about right now.”
Except for a late drive in the first quarter and two in the second quarter, the Lobos’ defense was unable to stop the Aztecs’ offense. It was most evident on third/fourth and short: SDSU converted 6 of 9 times on third-and-short, and converted all three of its attempts on fourth-and-short.
SDSU (4-4, 3-1 MWC) pounded the ball on each of those attempts and picked up crucial conversions in the process. Muema gashed UNM for 233 yards on 27 attempts with three scores.
“There was a period of time late in the first quarter and early in the second where we actually played some defense and made some plays,” Davie said, “yet when it’s crunch time and the other team’s offense picks it up a notch, we can’t stop them.”
After spotting the Aztecs a 14-0 lead, the Lobos cut their deficit to seven heading into the second quarter. SDSU scored on the first play of the game, a 75-yard play on a pass to wideout Ezell Ruffin from quarterback Quinn Kaehler.
After a scoreless second quarter, the second half became a back-and-forth affair. Each time UNM scored, SDSU answered right back.
Ruffin gave the Aztecs a 21-10 lead with 4:54 in the third quarter after grabbing his second score of the game. He finished with 165 yards on seven receptions.
UNM quickly answered with a six-play, 72-yard drive that took just 2:47 off the clock, capped by a 20-yard score from running back Crusoe Gongbay.
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“Our offense kept fighting and kept us in the game,” senior linebacker Dallas Bollema said. “The defense just has to show up a little better and eliminate the big plays. We just have to play four quarters of good football.”
Muema brought SDSU a 28-17 lead with 8:29 remaining in the fourth quarter, scoring from 2 yards out.
On the Lobos’ ensuing drive, freshman halfback Teriyon Gipson reached the end zone from 5 yards out for his second career collegiate touchdown, having scored his first on a 20-yard run in the first quarter. UNM failed on the two-point conversion and trailed 28-23 with 5:17 left in the game.
The Lobo defense trotted out on to the field to force one final stop, but never came up with it. Muema scored to seal the Aztecs’ victory, just before Mitchem gave the Lobos life with a 36-yard score with 46 seconds left. Yet UNM ultimately lost 35-30.
Starting quarterback Cole Gautsche struggled throwing the ball and finished 6 of 16 for 101 yards and one interception. Mitchem threw for 69 yards, completing all four of his passes. Kaehler went 16 of 21 for 201 yards and two scores.
UNM (2-6, 0-4 MWC) had 423 yards of total offense, which was 60 yards fewer than SDSU.
Kasey Carrier and Gongbay each had ten rushes combining for 141 yards, while Gautsche had 13 carries for 57 yards.
