LOBO RECAP

Flashback: We know it’s tough on the road, but this is ridiculous. The New Mexico Lobos commit seven turnovers, five of which Wyoming converts to touchdowns, in a 42-3 UNM defeat Saturday in Laramie, Wyo. What went right: Lobos punter Corey Bojorquez averaged 53.7 yards on six attempts, lifting him to No. 2 in the NCAA Football Subdivision rankings with a season average of 48.7. Backup linebacker Evah Tohi made the most of extra playing time in the lopsided loss, leading UNM defensively with seven tackles and two tackles for loss. Jason Sanders hit a 42-yard, fourthquarter field goal, preventing UNM from being shut out for a second time this season.

What went wrong: The Lobos trailed 42-0 at halftime, and clearly the outcome could have been far worse than it was. Other than the aforementioned seven turnovers, the Lobos were unable to move the ball against the Wyoming defense — crossing midfield only once in 16 possessions. The UNM defense didn’t give up a lot of yards, but, thanks to the short fields provided by the turnovers, the Cowboys didn’t need a lot of yards. The UNM defense couldn’t prevent Wyoming from cashing in on five of the seven turnovers for touchdowns. Starting strong safety Jacob Girgle was ejected on a targeting call in the second quarter. His absence seemed to throw the secondary into some disarray. Injury report: Offensive lineman Chris Estrella (lower leg), free safety Stanley Barnwell Jr. (neck/shoulder stinger) and wide receiver Chris Davis (shoulder) came out of the Wyoming game and did not return. Coach Bob Davie said Estrella’s injury appeared serious but did not rule out his return before season’s end. Quoting Davie: “It was a numb kind of feeling. That was the challenge at halftime . ... Everybody’s like, ‘What happened,’ and you realize you’ve got to go play another 30 minutes of football. That’s a position you hate to be in.” Next Up: The Lobos (3-5 overall, 1-4 in Mountain West play) host Utah State (4-5, 2-3) Saturday afternoon. The Aggies are coming off a 41-14 loss at home to Boise State, but beat UNLV by 24 points the week before and earlier lost to Wyoming by only five points (not 39).