Empty was the theme of the night at University Stadium.
Before a sparse announced crowd of 16,488, the UNM football team came up empty-handed 30-20 against San Diego State on Saturday.
With the help of a last-second, defining Hail Mary touchdown in the first half, the Aztecs pulled away. Even with quarterback B.R. Holbrook back in the starting lineup, the Lobos couldn’t sustain drives or generate enough offense.
Head coach Mike Locksley said he gets increasingly frustrated as the weeks go by.
“This team is in desperate need of a win,” he said. “All I know to do is to continue to come out, and I know those guys will show up Monday. They’ll come out and work hard for us.”
Holbrook made his first start since a 52-17 loss at home against Texas Tech.
Despite a five-week layoff, Holbrook completed 11-of-27 passes for 124 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
That touchdown pass to tight end Lucas Reed, one of his two on the night, cut the SDSU’s lead to 20-13 with 8:09 left in the third quarter. Holbrook, however, took a huge hit and re-aggravated a knee injury with 7:42 left in the game.
Despite playing a physical game, the Aztecs had luck on their side.
With little time left in the first half, UNM’s punter Ben Skaer’s 11-yard punt set up SDSU quarterback Ryan Lindley at the 40-yard line. He launched a perfectly thrown pass to receiver DeMarco Sampson in the end zone. Sampson leapt over four UNM defenders and brought the pass down to put SDSU up 17-6 heading into halftime.
Defensive back Bubba Forrest, one of the players defending Sampson, said he should have made a play to prevent the touchdown.
“Anytime you give up a big play, it’s real deflating,” Forrest said. “But to have it before the half, it was a little momentum swing, and it kind of hurt. But it was a great catch. He went up and made a play. You know, I was right there and so were a few other defensive backs, so we should have made the play, and there are no excuses for it.”
Once again the Lobos gained momentum early, but couldn’t maintain it for an entire 60-minute contest.
Following the Lobos’ opening drive, Aztecs’ returner Bryan Shields bobbled a punt, and UNM recovered, setting up James Aho for a 45-yard field goal to put UNM up 3-0 with 13:50 left in the first quarter.
However, SDSU responded immediately.
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Tailback Ronnie Hillman capped off a 10-play, 72-yard, four-minute drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Later, SDSU and UNM exchanged field goals, giving the Aztecs a 10-6 advantage.
Then came the Lindley-Sampson halftime Hail Mary.
Hillman, who came into the game seventh in the country in total rushing yards per game (130.8), was held in check by the UNM defense. He finished with 18 carries for 64 yards.
“I think today was some of our best pass defense, (but) on some of those dropped balls they were behind us,” Locksley said.
Junior Brad Gruner, who replaced Holbrook, hit Reed with 14 seconds left for Reed’s second touchdown of the game. He nabbed six passes for 100 yards.
“I am very glad for them to throw it to me,” Reed said. “… And hopefully it can carry on to next week.”
