by Phil Parker
Daily Lobo
LAS VEGAS - The Lobos waited until the last game of the year to play their worst football.
UNM (8-5) was completely dominated in a 55-14 loss to Oregon State (8-5) in this year's Las Vegas Bowl on Christmas Eve.
"We played as bad as you can play," said head coach Rocky Long after the game. "We'll take pride in this season but that definitely puts a damper on the season, to lose like that."
The numbers paint a grim picture. UNM gained 127 yards passing and six rushing in the game - all but 21 of their total offensive yards came in the garbage-time fourth quarter. OSU went for 154 on the ground and 386 through the air. One offense was firing on all cylinders, while the other never seemed to get started.
The Lobo rush defense, outstanding all year and ranked fourth in the nation, was shredded by the Beavers' star runner Steven Jackson. Jackson easily won game MVP after running for 149 yards and four touchdowns, while also catching five passes for 51 yards and another score.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
One of only three players to ever score five touchdowns in a bowl game, Jackson announced after the game that he would be entering next year's NFL draft.
"He's the best running back we've played against all year," Long said.
Only once this season had UNM allowed an opposing running back to gain over 100 yards.
"We knew he was their top weapon going in," said safety Brandon Ratcliff. "They controlled the line of scrimmage more than we're used to, and he's a strong runner. He was tough to tackle."
Ratcliff was one of the few stars for the Lobos in the game, intercepting a pass in the second quarter and breaking some long gains on kick returns.
Oregon State's offense began dominating from the game's onset. Quarterback Derek Anderson threw for 188 yards and two scores in the first quarter. The touchdowns came on a short pass to Jackson that he broke for a long run, and a flea-flicker bomb to receiver Mike Hass.
Down 10-0 in the first, UNM managed to close the gap on a deep pass from quarterback Casey Kelly to Hank Baskett in the corner of the end zone, but it was the lone big play for the Lobos until the game had been decided.
UNM managed just one first down through the first three quarters of play.
It was Jackson's show the rest of the way. Behind strong blocking he bowled his way into the end zone twice in the second quarter, once in the third, and then a final time early in the fourth on a fourth-down dive from the one-yard line.
UNM's own star back, DonTrell Moore, was suffocated by swarming defenders on each of his carries. Moore came in with numbers very similar, if not better, to Jackson's season totals, but he couldn't find any room to run. After averaging 119 yards per game this year, he gained just 5 yards on 11 carries in the Vegas Bowl.
Moore summed up the feelings of his entire team after the game.
"I've never played in a game like this before," he said. "It sucks. And it hurts."
