Subtracting head coach Mike Locksley from the mix didn’t add up to a win for the UNM football team.
After a 14-point Lobo surge in the third quarter, which cut the deficit to 24-17 in favor of UNLV, a punt from Kyle Watson bounced off the leg of UNM returner Bryant Williams. UNLV recovered on the Lobos’ 11-yard line, and two plays later with 11:39 left in the game, quarterback Mike Clausen ran for a 4-yard touchdown.
The score put the Rebels up 31-17 and killed all momentum the Lobos had. The loss puts UNM at 0-7 overall and 0-3 in Mountain West Conference while the Rebels move to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the MWC.
George Barlow, who served as UNM’s interim head coach for the game, said the Lobos came out in the second half with more energy. But the Lobos were down 21-3 at the midway point.
“I thought the kids continued to fight,” Barlow said. “But the thing we need to do is quit beating ourselves. We had some penalties and the fumble on the punt. Those little things continue to kill out momentum.”
Together, UNLV quarterback Omar Clayton and wide receiver Ryan Wolfe sucked all the positive energy out of University Stadium.
On the opening drive of the game, Clayton went 4-of-4 for 38 yards and an eight-yard touchdown toss to Phillip Payne for a 7-0 Rebel lead.
On a 1st-and-10 with 4:13 left in the second quarter, Wolfe became the Mountain West Conference’s all-time reception leader.
Clayton connected to Wolfe on a 6-yard flat route that gave him 263 career receptions, surpassing San Diego State’s J.R. Tolver.
Wolfe finished with 11 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Later in the second quarter, Wolfe went one-on-one with linebacker Evan Jacobson. Wolfe split down the middle of the field and caught a 28-yard touchdown pass to put the Rebels up 21-3 with 4:09 left in the second quarter.
Defensively, UNM gave up 423 yards to the Rebels and looked a step slow in catching up the Rebels’ nifty offensive packages.
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However, Lobo quarterback Donovan Porterie played his best football of the season, leading two long scoring drives. He finished 20-of-30 for 219 yards and tossed two touchdowns and no interceptions.
On the first drive of the second half, Porterie managed a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a Porterie-to-Daryl Jones 25-yard hookup that cut the Rebel lead to 21-10.
After two UNLV possessions that resulted in a punt and a missed field goal, Porterie connected with tight end Lucas Reed for a 13-yard touchdown which capped a 79-yard drive. Reed’s score cut the Rebel lead to seven, 24-17, but it was the last points of the night for UNM.
“I think from a personal standpoint, I was able to do some things running wise,” Porterie said.
“By me running the ball more off a few option plays, we opened up a few things in the passing game and we were able to put up points.”
