The Lobo football team losing streak hasn’t changed since the University fired head coach Mike Locksley.
The Lobos lost to in-state rival New Mexico State 42-28, in front of more than 30,000 fans at University Stadium on Saturday.
This is the fourth game of the season in which the Lobo defense allowed 42 points or more. They allowed 538 yards of total offense, 238 of which were rushing yards. The first four NMSU drives ended in touchdowns.
NMSU quarterback Matt Christian seemed untouchable as he threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 101 yards and had a rushing touchdown of his own.
Defensive lineman Joseph Harris said despite its recent levels of performance, the defense has the ability to shine.
“When our opponents make plays, it’s usually because people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do,” he said. “I feel that we can stop all of our opponents, but everyone has to play their position correctly on every play, not on some plays.”
The losses are starting to take their toll on the morale of the team, quarterback B.R. Holbrook said.
“It’s definitely frustrating, no doubt about it,” he said.
Interim head football coach George Barlow said he thought the team had a good week of practice and that it would translate into Saturday’s game.
“We didn’t start like I thought we would start,” Barlow said. “I thought we had a great four days of practice. We were loose, we were energetic, we were focused, but it didn’t start like I wanted it to start.”
The Lobos continued to make mistakes that cost them points throughout the game.
NMSU’s Austin Franklin returned the opening kickoff 54 yards but got an extra 15 yards added to the end of the run, courtesy of Lobo player Devonta Tabannah’s personal foul penalty, which put the Aggies on the UNM 31-yard-line. Two plays later, the Aggies were in the end zone for the first score of the game. The drive only took 44 seconds.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
NMSU would score two more unanswered touchdowns before the end of the first quarter, making the score 21-0 going into the second.
The quick start from the Aggies took a lot of confidence out of the Lobos, Barlow said.
“When you start that bad, it’s hard to keep your confidence throughout the game,” he said.
The first UNM score came with 8:17 left in the second quarter, on an eight-yard Crusoe Gongbay run. That run was the only UNM score of the first half. At halftime, the Aggies had a 28-7 lead.
The first UNM score of the second half didn’t come until 1:45 left in the third quarter, on a 9-yard run by running back Demarcus Rogers. That scoring play came immediately after a 43-yard completion from Holbrook to wide receiver Lamaar Thomas.
UNM scored two more touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.
Holbrook threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Thomas with 39 seconds left in the game, to make the final score 42-28.
