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Victory over San Diego State gives UNM a bowl berth
Photo by Steven St. JohnTribune
Tribune
University of New Mexico tight end Chris Mark (left) celebrates his third-quarter touchdown with fullback Matt Quillen (arm raised) against San Diego State. The Lobos won 41-14 on Saturday to clinch a berth in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 23.
Photo by Steven St. JohnTribune
Tribune
Lobos running back Rodney Ferguson breaks free in the second quarter against the Aztecs for the second of his two touchdowns. Ferguson finished with 210 yards rushing to become the eighth Lobo to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
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WHAT WENT RIGHT
1,000-yard club: UNM sophomore Rodney Ferguson exploded for 210 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries and became the eighth running back in school history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season.
Killer D: The UNM defense shut down the Aztecs, picking off San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell three times to set up 17 UNM points.
Bowl bound: After losing to Division I-AA Portland State in their season-opener, the Lobos clawed their way to a 6-6 record to land a berth in the New Mexico Bowl.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Slow start: UNM quarterback Chris Nelson had an average day but struggled passing the ball early, failing to lead the Lobos to a touchdown on their opening drive after taking over at the Aztecs' 37-yard line.
Late letdown: UNM's defense was stellar early but let up late, allowing San Diego State to gain 196 yards total offense and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Pile of penalties: UNM was called for six penalties for a loss of 38 yards, a trend that could pose problems in a bowl game against a tougher opponent.
NEW MEXICO BOWL
Matchup: New Mexico (6-6, 4-4) vs. San Jose State (7-4, 4-3) or Nevada (8-4, 5-3)
Game time: 2:30 p.m. Dec. 23
Site: University Stadium
On the air: ESPN; KKOB-AM (770) with Mike Roberts and Greg Remington
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The Lobos say they are done being a punching bag.
The University of New Mexico football program has been mired in bowl-game futility for more than four decades. UNM's last postseason win came in the 1961 Aviation Bowl.
The Lobos are 0-3 in bowl games under coach Rocky Long, a sore spot for his current team.
The players get a chance to end the slide this year. UNM accepted an invitation to the New Mexico Bowl following its 41-14 romp over San Diego State on Saturday afternoon in University Stadium.
"We're trying to establish a new tradition here at New Mexico," senior offensive lineman Bo Greer said. "That's going to a bowl and winning the bowl game."
The Lobos (6-6, 4-4) will likely face San Jose State (7-4, 4-3) in the bowl game to be played at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 23 in University Stadium.
UNM won't officially learn its bowl opponent until the final Bowl Championship Series rankings are released Sunday. Boise State is expected to officially claim an at-large BCS berth, likely moving Nevada (8-4, 5-3) into the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, and the Spartans to the New Mexico Bowl.
Long said he doesn't feel any extra pressure to break his losing streak.
He said this year's team is the toughest mentally he has coached, shaking off a season-opening loss to Division I-AA Portland State and posting three comeback wins to help UNM become bowl eligible.
"It's been 45 years and I've only been here nine, so why would I feel any more pressure?
"I think even if I tried to put more pressure on the players on this year's team, it wouldn't have that much, or any effect, anyway."
The Lobos are taking this week off, then will practice three days the following week and four days the week after. They will resume their regular game-week schedule the week of the bowl game.
The team will work out against a scout team during the first half of practice, then players returning next season will practice against each other in spring football-style workouts for the second half up until bowl week.
"I think it's critical to keep doing what we're doing on offense and defense now to keep the timing," Long said.
The coach said he didn't consider previous teams' struggles with bowl games when putting together this year's practice schedule.
His players, however, are eager to strike a different tone.
"We're focusing on going into the bowl games with a different attitude," Greer said. "Our attitude's going to be about being focused but having fun. When we went into the bowl practices two years ago, it wasn't like that. It was really tense."
Senior starters? Redshirt freshman quarterback Donovan Porterie is still recovering from a sprained ankle he suffered against TCU, allowing senior backup Chris Nelson to start in his place against San Diego State. Long said the coaches will start the quarterback who performs the best during practices leading up to the bowl game.
He also suggested he might start all 17 of UNM's seniors for at least one play. Nelson said he would like to stay on the field longer.
"I can't say that I would be the starter in the bowl game, but I hope I am," Nelson said. "I want to go out in the right way and show everybody that I worked hard. I want to please everybody."
