by David J. Chavez
Daily Lobo
This year, there will be a postseason for the UNM football team.
The Lobos routed San Diego State 41-14 at University Stadium on Saturday to ensure a spot in the inaugural New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 23.
UNM is making its fourth bowl appearance in the last five seasons after not being invited
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last year.
Head coach Rocky Long said this year's team has battled through adversity all year.
"This team has come a long way," he said. "We've had better football teams around here than this one, but this team is more competitive than any team we've had around here."
The Lobos finished the regular season 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Mountain West Conference.
UNM will face an opponent from the Western Athletic Conference, which will likely be San Jose State.
Tailback Rodney Ferguson ran his way to a career-high 210 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's victory.
He became the eighth Lobo to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He finished with 1,132, which is the fifth-best
single-season total in school
history.
Ferguson said he gives credit to his teammates.
"From Portland State to San Diego State, we got better and played harder," he said. "The O-line got better, the receivers got better, and all I had to do was find the holes and run."
The Lobo defense intercepted three passes from the Aztecs' Kevin O'Connell in the first
quarter.
The first interception by linebacker Cody Kase set up a 35-yard field goal by senior Kenny Byrd. Ferguson scored from 26 yards after a second interception by cornerback DeAndre Wright.
Safety Blake Ligon had the third interception and ran it back 24 yards for a touchdown for an early 24-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Byrd kicked a 45-yard field goal to put the Lobos up 27-0. The Lobos blocked a field goal from kicker Garrett Palmer to end the
first half.
Despite the lopsided win, the Lobos didn't play a perfect game, Long said.
"I thought, in the first half, the defense played unbelievable," he said. "We had short fields, and I was disappointed we didn't score more. The second half, I don't think our team played very well. I think we got real lackadaisical, and we lost intensity."
Ferguson continued his onslaught after halftime. He showed some fancy footwork on a 49-yard touchdown run in the middle of the third quarter to give UNM a 34-0 lead.
To end the third quarter, senior quarterback Chris Nelson threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Mark.
Kase said the team finally executed for all four quarters.
"We came out in the first half and established a good rhythm from the start," he said. "Today was the closest we came to putting to together a whole game."
The fourth quarter started with a San Diego State touchdown on a 28-yard O'Connell pass to Brandon Bornes.
The Aztecs' second touchdown came with 7:53 left in the game on a three-yard pass to Robert Miller from O'Connell.
The Lobos let up defensively to run some time off the clock,
Long said.
Nelson said the team is comfortable heading into the
bowl game.
"It's a great feeling, because we didn't go last year," he said. "It's like another home game for us. It's our stadium, and we're used to being here, so we're just excited."
Football VS. TBA
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 23
2:30 p.m.
University Stadium
