The Lobos needed one last defensive stop in the fourth quarter and got it when junior linebacker Billy Strother knocked down San Diego State quarterback Adam Hall's pass on the fourth down with seven seconds left in the game preserving a 15-8 victory.
The Aztecs made the game interesting in the final minute when Hall and wide receiver Kassim Osgood hooked up for a 39-yard completion down to the UNM 13-yard line with just 40 seconds left.
The defense held strong though.
Linebacker Fola Fashola tackled SDSU running back James Truvillion for a four-yard loss on first down and Hall threw it away on second down.
On third down, Hall found Tyson Thompson over the middle for an 11-yard gain bringing up a fourth and two. Strother broke up Hall's pass and the Lobos took over on downs and ran the clock out.
It was the Aztecs who opened the scoring when a bad snap went over the head of UNM punter Tyler Gaus and through the end zone for a safety and two points.
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SDSU extended its lead when kicker Tommy Kirovsky nailed a 46-yard field goal with the wind at his back giving them an early 5-0 lead.
The Lobos turned the momentum around when Strother blocked an Aztec punt with a little more than two minutes left in the first quarter and safety Josh Bazinet recovered the ball at the SDSU 30-yard line.
UNM quarterback Casey Kelly then orchestrated a five-play drive that finished with a 13-yard draw touchdown run by Kelly from the shotgun formation.
"It was a big hole," Kelly said. "It was a draw-play. The tackle pulled and opened it up. I saw one guy coming and I tried to go outside of him."
The shotgun formation turned out to the Lobos' bread and butter Saturday, relying on it throughout the game.
"For those plays to work, our wide receivers have to come up with big blocks," Kelly said. "They know that the better block they make the farther the play is going to go and I think they take pride in that."
UNM did not go without its mistakes. Running back DonTrell Moore fumbled twice in the half and SDSU linebacker Kirk Morrison recovered both fumbles. That set up the Aztecs for another field goal and an 8-7 lead going into halftime.
Moore did not let the fumbles distract him.
"That kind of stuff happens," he said. "It's a negative part of football but the good teams that are willing to work hard can weather the storm and come out victorious."
In the second half, the Lobos were able to weather the storm and finally pushed their way into the end zone with less than 13 minutes left in regulation when Moore redeemed himself and powered his way for a one-yard touchdown run and a 13-8 lead.
The rest of the game was all UNM defense. Corner back Brandon Gregory intercepted a Hall pass with less than a minute left in the third quarter, anchoring the Lobos secondary.
"I knew that the quarterback was going to throw the ball high and hard," Gregory said. "I knew that if I got over the top it was going to go through somebody's hands and I would have a chance to get on top and catch it."
The Lobos were unable to convert on offense but that did not stop the defensive unit from dominating. That was apparent when Strother and Brandon Ratcliff teamed up to sack Hall in the end zone resulting in a safety and a 15-8 UNM lead late in the fourth quarter.
The Lobos defense overpowered the Aztecs offense that came into the game ranked fifth in the nation.
UNM was also able to stop the duo of receivers J.R. Tolver and Osgood that both came in averaging over 100-yards receiving a game. Tolver and Osgood caught a combined eight passes for 105 yards.
Offensively, Moore and Kelly led the Lobos. Moore had 71 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Kelly passed for only 70 yards on nine of 15 attempts but added 28 yards on a career-high 16 rushes, including a touchdown.
With the win, UNM keeps its post season hopes alive and takes over sole possession of second place in the conference. The Lobos, (5-5, 3-1 MWC) must win two of their last three games to remain bowl eligible. Next weekend features a big test for UNM when they travel to Utah to take on perennial powerhouse Brigham Young University.
"We've got a chance to shock the conference." Strother said. "This gives us a lot of momentum to know that we're chasing the conference title and we're chasing a bowl game.
