For the first time in Rocky Long's coaching career and the first time in Casey Kelly's college football career, the Lobos beat the Colorado State Rams.
"We're a football team that everybody keeps telling us we can't do things," Long said. "Somehow we keep doing things that no one expects us to do. That was just a bunch of guys hanging in there even when things looked terrible."
Lobo kicker Wes Zunker connected on a 33-yard field goal with four seconds on the clock to beat the Rams in Albuquerque for the first time in 15 years.
"I thought we were going into overtime," Long said. "But sometimes when you hang in there and keep playing, you get a lucky break."
Although luck was a vital contributing factor in the last seconds of the victory, it is not what put the Lobos into a position to win as they led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter.
Long predicted earlier this season that senior CSU quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt would turn pro after he graduated and start in the NFL within three years.
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Van Pelt, the most highly touted quarterback in the Mountain West Conference, lived up to the hype surrounding him Friday night. He was the leading rusher for the Rams with 83 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw for a touchdown.
"He must've got hit 50 times, and he kept making plays," Long said. "He's a great football player. There are not many quarterbacks in the country who could have handled the pressure we put on him. He's probably the best running quarterback in the country."
Although Van Pelt showed moments of brilliance, the Lobo defense sacked him four times for a total loss of 21 yards.
Lobo safety Sidney Wiley said UNM had a good game plan and the defense tried its best to execute it.
"You haven't been hit in all those other places," he said. "But when you come to New Mexico you're going to get hit."
Wiley was responsible for eight tackles against CSU - three of them amounted to a loss of nine yards.
Kelly, in his third year as starting quarterback for the Lobos, has had some of his worst performances against CSU in the past.
The last time the Rams came to University Stadium, Kelly threw a career-high five interceptions.
However, Kelly said he has learned to put his feelings aside.
"Football is a real emotional game," he said. "I get emotional, too, but from my position, I've got to stay focused and calm. I don't get too tight or too emotional."
Kelly completed six of eight passes in the first half and went on a 52-yard dash in the second quarter.
"If there was one team we wanted to beat this year it was Colorado State," he said. "It was a great game and it came down to a field goal with two seconds left. So it was an unbelievable experience."
Kelly finished with 180 total yards and completed eight of 12 passing.
With Saturday's win he moves into the No. 2 spot on the UNM all-time win list.
Even though the victory puts the Lobos in good shape bowl-wise, Long said the victory over the Rams is no more important than beating any other team.
"It's nice to know that we beat every team in the conference," he said. "That's a nice added benefit, but that doesn't override the victory."
