by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
Gabriel Fulbright's interception against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas with 1:20 left in the fourth quarter was more than just the play that sealed UNM's victory.
To the senior cornerback, it was a dream come true.
"I sunk back, and I saw the ball coming, and my eyes just lit up because I knew it was game over if I caught it," Fulbright said.
Head coach Rocky Long said Fulbright was in the right place at the right time.
"He read it very well," he said. "It was a zone coverage, and he read the throw very well."
After UNM gave up a touchdown on the fourth down to let UNLV pull within 24-22, the Lobos stuffed the Runnin' Rebels' offense on the two-point conversion. Fulbright said he thought the game was over, but knew he had to make a play after the onside kick was recovered.
"I thought we had the game won, and then I was like, 'We have to step up, we got to make a big play right here,'" he said.
Fulbright said because the onside kick was recovered on the Lobos' 48-yard line, the pressure was on the defense to create a turnover.
"We couldn't let them get 10 or 15 yards, otherwise they would be in field-goal range," he said. "I believe it was definitely necessary. They would've gone for it on fourth-and-one, but it just cancels out everything if you get the turnover. It just stops their hopes and dreams."
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Being one of the veterans and leaders on the team, Fulbright said he believed he could get back on the field and end the game.
"I was telling myself that if I was on the side that they threw the ball to, I would try to do anything and everything to get a strip, keep them inbounds, get a tackle for loss, or an interception," he said.
Fulbright said the play and the victory were a relief after the Lobos' defense started to fall apart in the fourth quarter. After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, and being up 24-9 with 13:09 left in the game, Fulbright said the team became complacent.
"Coach just got on us," he said. "He could see how we were slacking off. We were making mental mistakes."
Fulbright said the team failed to maintain the high energy it came out with. Both the offense and defense came out and played well in the first half, then Fulbright said the team switched from attack mode to safe mode.
"First we came out so crunk and pumped, and that's how we got a 17-0 lead, but then we let off the gas and let them back in it."
