Lobos rip the Warhawks to shreds, 59-17
UNM scores 28 points in 1st quarter and never looks back
The New Mexico Lobos have been to Blowout City before, but too often on the wrong side of town. Saturday was a refreshing change. The Lobos got a rare blowout victory, outrunning and overpowering the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks 59-17 at University Stadium in front of a crowd announced at 18,009. The non-conference victory improved UNM’s season record to 4-3, leaving it two short of the six needed for bowl eligibility with five games to play. New Mexico resumes Mountain West Conference play this coming Saturday at Hawaii. The Lobos are 2-1 in MWC play. Louisiana Monroe, of the Sun Belt Conference, is 2-5.
The Lobos’ margin of victory was their largest against an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since a 66-17 victory over New Mexico State in 2013. Since then, they hadn’t beaten an FBS team by more than 12 until Saturday. “I’m just glad we’re better than someone,” Lobos coach Bob Davie said with a smile. “It was a good overall performance.” The Lobos have had a tendency this season to come out on fire, then see the opposition get equally hot if not hotter. Not this time. The Warhawks never had a chance. On the third play of the game, UNM cornerback Jadon Boatright stepped in front of a Will Collins pass and returned the interception 40 yards for a touchdown. It was Boatright’s first career interception. Boatright called Saturday’s victory, coming 15 days after a blowout loss to Boise State and a week after a 45-40 victory over Air Force, crucial for both confidence and momentum. “We’ve just got to carry the momentum to Hawaii,” he said. “That game, right there, really helped us with confidence.” After forcing a 3-and-out, UNM then got a 53-yard run from Tyrone Owens and a 12-yard scoring run from Richard McQuarley to make it 14-0. Following another defensive stop, the Lobos drove 85 yards on 11 plays — the key a near-perfect, 39-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Jordan to Q’ Drennan. The Warhawks again were forced to punt. On UNM’s next play from scrimmage, Owens bolted 83 yards up the middle to make the score 28-0 with 1 minute, 4 seconds left in the first quarter. Jordan completed the first-half onslaught with an 10-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Dameon Gamblin at the end of an 86-yard drive. The big play was a 45-yard pass from Jordan to Patrick Reed on a third-and-9 play from the New Mexico 16-yard line. The damage could have been worse. Lobo running back Teriyon Gipson appeared to have scored on a 59-yard run, but slowed near the goal line and had the ball punched out of his grasp for a touchback before he entered the end zone. The play was first ruled a touchdown, but then overruled and ruled a touchback. After scoring on the third play of the first half, the Lobos struck even more quickly in the second. True freshman Elijah Lilly returned the second-half kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. New Mexico stretched its margin with a 36-yard touchdown run by Diquon Woodhouse, a 36-yard field Jason Sanders field goal, all before the third quarter was over, and a 4-yard TD run from Daryl Chestnut in the fourth quarter. Louisiana Monroe broke into the scoring column with a third-quarter field goal, then added two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. NOTES: Lilly’s touchdown kick return ensured that UNM would score on offense, defense and special teams for the first time since the 2014 season finale against Wyoming. The Lobos now have had at least one touchdown kick return the past seven seasons. ... Referee Ted Pitts drew the ire of the fans when, in announcing that Gipson had the ball punched out before he crossed the goal line on the second-quarter touchback, he referred to UNM as “New Mexico State.”