UNM fullback Jarrod Baxter rushed for a career-high 184 yards and scored two second half touchdowns to guide the Lobos to a 26-6 opening day victory Saturday over the University of Texas at El Paso.
Baxter led the Lobos past the Miners before a record-setting sellout crowd of 41,771. He had only 45 yards on 11 carries in the first half, as UNM clung to a slim 8-6 lead. But Baxter and the UNM offensive line gradually wore down the UTEP defense to offset the Lobos' stagnant passing game.
"I felt rusty running the ball because we were passing so much," Baxter said. "Thank you offensive line."
The Lobos opened the game strong with their new four-wide offensive pattern in place. After a three-downs-and-out drive on their first possession, the Lobos got a little help from a Vladimir Borombozin punt, which pinned the Miners at their own two-yard line.
After playing good defense and making the Miners punt, UNM took over at the UTEP 29 and seven plays later, Borombozin followed with a 27-yard field goal to get the scoring started.
After the change of possession, the Lobos scored again when safety Terrell Golden ran in unabated from the left side to sack Miner quarterback Wesley Phillips in the end zone for a safety, and a 5-0 UNM lead.
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UNM coach Rocky Long said the school-record crowd, particularly those at the north end of the stadium, helped the Lobos earn the safety.
"I'm sure that it was partly because they couldn't hear the snap count," Long said. "Anytime you get a crowd like that, it has to make some kind of difference."
At 4:54 to play in the second quarter, Phillips caught the UNM secondary sleeping.
He found Sherman Austin streaking downfield for a 56-yard touchdown strike to put the Miners up 6-5, but it would be UTEP's only points of the game.
Meanwhile, Lobo quarterback Rudy Caamano and the UNM passing game could not get on track. At one point in the second quarter, Caamano threw nine straight incomplete passes. He finished the half completing only five of 24 pass attempts and throwing two interceptions, but said his teammates were unwavering in their confidence in him.
"After every play they were saying, `We know you're going to do it'," Caamano said. "That lets you feel good about yourself."
With time running out in the first half, freshman kicker Wes Zunker booted a 51-yard field goal to put the Lobos up 8-6, and the score seemed to rejuvenate the Lobos in the second half.
UNM's second possession of the second half netted another field goal, this time a 37-yarder by Borombozin, to give the Lobos an 11-6 edge. Just prior to the score, Baxter broke off a 58-yard run that would be a sign of things to come.
Baxter and senior tailback Holmon Wiggins combined for 202 total rushing yards in the second half as the UNM offensive line established its dominance over the tiring UTEP defense.
With 11:09 to play in the game, Baxter scored from one yard out, and Caamano passed to tight end Bryan Penley for a two-point conversion and a 19-6 lead. Baxter scored again with less than four minutes to play for the game's final margin.
Caamano had only six pass attempts with one completion in the second half. And even though the passing game floundered, Long said Caamano will improve.
"Rudy didn't have a good night throwing the ball, but the offense ran the ball extremely well," Long said. "Rudy had some open receivers and he threw the ball with authority, so he's not throwing scared. He'll start hitting those receivers."
Caamano was similarly disappointed, but said it was getting the win that counted.
"I felt really bad because I had a lot of family here today and there was so much hype about our offense getting better," Caamano said. "Today my performance didn't show it, but I'm sure people noticed that our offensive line kicked butt and dominated."
Offensive coordinator Dan Dodd said the missed completions were only a matter of slight miscommunications between Caamano and the receivers.
"The bottom line of the whole thing is that we just couldn't put the ball in the receivers' hands," Dodd said. "We had guys open, we just couldn't get it in."
The Lobos now travel to Lubbock, Texas, next week for a rematch with Texas Tech University, and with the hope of avenging a 24-3 loss from a year ago.
"I think we're more prepared," Baxter said. "I know we're big enough and strong enough to compete with anybody, and we know we have enough talent. Hopefully next week we go out there and get a win."
Game Notes: UNM safety Scott Gerhardt had two interceptions Saturday. He had two all of last year. . Baxter's 184 yards tied for 13th all time in UNM history. He earned Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week. . UNM committed 17 penalties, which tied a school-record, totaling 122 yards . UTEP was one of five UNM opponents to go to a bowl game last year. The Miners lost to Boise State University 38-23 in the Humanitarian Bowl.
