By Phil Parker
Daily Lobo
For a team that shot itself in the foot so many times in a 37-35 loss to UNLV on Saturday, the Lobos still had a chance to win at the end of the game.
It was UNM's ball with three minutes remaining and the Lobos were down by only the two points. But quarterback Casey Kelly's third-down pass was tipped into the air and nabbed by UNLV linebacker Ryan Claridge at the UNM 13-yard line, effectively ending the game. It was Kelly's third pick and UNM's sixth turnover.
The loss dropped UNM's record to 5-4, 2-2 in the Mountain West Conference.
UNLV (5-4, 1-3) converted turnovers into points all night, starting with a first-quarter fumble by UNM tailback DonTrell Moore that resulted in a field goal.
"We made too many mistakes to win a football game," UNM head coach Rocky Long said. "We had too many penalties, gave up kick returns, roughed punters, had six turnovers and we didn't tackle well in the first half. There were thousands of mistakes. That's why you don't win games."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The Lobos committed 9 penalties for 96 yards.
Perhaps the biggest turnover of the night came with six minutes left in the contest when the Lobo defense forced a punt after Kelly's eight-yard touchdown run cut the Rebels' lead to 30-28. UNM was in UNLV territory again when Kelly threw an interception caught by Rebel defensive back Jamaal Brimmer. Brimmer tucked the ball and ran untouched down the sideline for the game-winning score.
UNM responded with an 85-yard, 12-play drive that ended with Moore scoring from a yard out. But the points were ultimately inconsequential.
Despite having two fumbles, Moore had an eventful night, throwing for one touchdown on a halfback pass in the first quarter, catching a touchdown in the third quarter and rushing for another score in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Moore, who ran for 130 yards on 17 carries, was focused on putting the loss behind him.
"We're a veteran, senior oriented group," he said. "We have to make sure we listen to the leadership of our seniors and I think we'll be able to bounce back the right way. We'll let whoever wants to dwell on this loss do that," he continued. "But we're not going to."
UNM finished with 578 total yards, compared to UNLV's 229. Kelly was 23-38 for 408 yards, two touchdowns and the three interceptions. Adrian Boyd caught 9 passes for 103 yards, and Dwight Counter had 6 for 171. Boyd and Counter each scored one touchdown.
Counter's score came on the Lobos third offensive play of the game, when Kelly hit him in stride for a 71-yard bomb that put the Lobos up 7-3.
Counter said that the deep receptions are simply a matter of speed.
"Basically, it's just outrunning them," he said. "I feel no one in this conference can stick me."
Now the Lobos must put an entire game of miscues behind them and prepare over the short week for Colorado State on Friday night.
Though a win over UNLV would have put UNM into a second-place tie with Air Force, Long said there's no reason to think the Lobos are no longer contenders for the MWC championship.
"It hurts our chances," he said. "But I've said all along that I think the conference champ is going to have two losses."
