Sacked

Three words sum up the Lobos' season opener against TCU: elation, separation and deflation.

After much hype, the Lobos came out flat-footed and were steamrolled 26-3 by Mountain West Conference rival TCU.

"They came out with a little bit more intensity," wide receiver Chris Hernandez said. "We didn't match their intensity right from the get-go."

On the first series of the game, the Lobo offense looked jittery, quickly succumbing to the pressure and going three-and-out.

TCU's elaborate 4-2-5 defensive scheme pressured and breached a Lobo offensive line that lost four starters in the offseason.

"They established the line of scrimmage," head coach Rocky Long said. "I thought (TCU) controlled the line of scrimmage on offense. I thought they controlled the line of scrimmage on defense."

Offensively, the Lobos never got into a rhythm, punting four times and turning the ball over twice in their first six possessions.

After a Lobo punt, TCU's offense drove 27 yards, into field-goal range. Kicker Ross Evans nailed a 50-yarder to put the Horned Frogs on top, 3-0.

On the next Lobo possession, the offense sputtered once again and was forced into another three-and-out.

Punter Adam Miller shanked a seven-yard punt, setting up the Frogs at the Lobos' 30-yard line.

"Our special teams was just like practice," Long said. "One minute he'll kick a 50-yarder; the next he'll shank it off the side of his foot for 12. And those that play golf know that no matter how much you practice, you guys do that, too."

TCU capitalized on the good field position, with quarterback Andy Dalton scampering in from 11 yards out to make it 10-0 Frogs.

With UNM pinned back in its own territory and down 10-0, offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin decided to open up the Lobos' package. But on the first play of the drive, quarterback Donovan Porterie was intercepted by TCU safety Steven Coleman.

Coleman returned it to the Lobos' 9-yard line, and, two plays later, running back Joseph Turner punched it in for the score. A missed PAT made it 16-0 Frogs.

Porterie - who was sacked twice and eventually knocked out of the game late in the second quarter with a neck injury - went 4-of-10 for 37 yards and a pick. Porterie has been cleared to play in next week's game against Texas A&M.

Filling in for Porterie, backup quarterback Brad Gruner went 3-of-14 for 93 yards and an interception. Eighty-one of those 93-yards came on the Lobos' first possession of the second half, when Gruner's first collegiate pass attempt was hauled in by Hernandez.

"They came off with a weak safety blitz, and I saw him coming," Gruner said. "I just rolled out and found Chris. It wasn't the prettiest ball, but it got the job done."

Hernandez said Gruner did a good job of finding him, given the circumstances.

"The coverage was man-to-man," he said. "(Gruner) got flushed out (of the pocket), so he didn't have as much time as he would have liked, but he still gave me a good ball."

Hernandez rumbled down to TCU's 12-yard line before being tripped up. However, the Lobos had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by James Aho, making it 16-3 TCU.

Despite playing solidly for three-and-a-half quarters, the Lobo defense tired after being on the field for much of the game.

TCU proceeded to tack on another field goal following an interception by Gruner. And with 7:57 left in the game, Dalton scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, this time from four yards out.

"I'm really disappointed," Long said. "And I'm the guy in charge, so we didn't do a very good job of coaching. But I'm not discouraged. We'll get better. We're going to be a good football team before it's all over. Whether it's next week, I don't have any idea. Or the week after, I don't have any idea. But we'll be a good football team before it's over."