Alburquerque, New Mexico – Bronco Mendenhall’s New Mexico head coaching debut started out with a dominant lead. However, Montana State scored three TDs in the last period to prevail, 35-31. His Lobos led early in the second half, 31-14, thanks to two defensive scores. In the end, the same defense could not come up with the big stops when needed. Total yards by both teams tell this story. The Football Bowl Subdivision (FCS) Bobcats outgained the FBS Lobos, 567 yards to 324.
Exciting Bobcat comeback
Montana State took advantage of a misfired New Mexico 36-yard FG somewhat affected by a sudden, brief swirling windstorm that may have affected Luke Drzewicki’s attempt that went wind left. He connected on an earlier boot in the first period from 45 yards. The winds knocked over a video camera with tripod off the roof of the home side press box. It dangled by its wires for several minutes after the winds came through. With 13:59 remaining in the fourth, Bobcat QB Tommy Mellot raced 15 yards to finish the 80-yard drive to cut the lead, 31-21.
Once again New Mexico’s next drive resulted with Drzewicki’s boot from 42 going wide. The Lobo defense kept the pressure on the Bobcats, and they exchanged punts. A well-executed Lobo punt caught by their coverage team put Montana State back on their seven with 5:12 left to play. Montana State RB Adam Jones (17 carries for 167 yards, TD) issued an immediate response to that. On a sweep around left end, he raced 93 yards for a score to trail suddenly, 31-28. Only 4:35 remained.
Bitter ending for New Mexico
In front of 17,314 avid, hungry New Mexico fans, the home team moved the ball out to their 42. On third and eight they went for the first down to run out the clock. Devon Dampier’s pass glanced off the shoulder pad of his receiver who had covered the needed yardage. As a result of course, New Mexico punted. A holding call on the return put Montana State back on their 32 with 1:59 left on the game clock.
Mellot connected with WR Lonyatta Alexander for a 37-yard pass play to the Lobo 32. Alexander caught another for five more. Next, he hooked up with Jones who stepped out at the 20 to stop the clock. He followed with another strike to Ty McCullouch to the four. RB Scottre Humphrey (19 carries, 140 yards, TD) took it in for the first and only lead for the Bobcats with ten seconds left. The visiting Montana State contingent across the way celebrated a great come back victory on the road with their team. With hopes running high early in this one, dejected UNM fans could only look for better things to come under their new head coach later this season.
Extra points
New Mexico (0-1) travels to play Arizona, a new member of the Big XII. Montana State returns to FCS play at Utah Tech. They aim to play for this year’s Big Sky championship.
Two halves of two defenses
New Mexico started off to a 17-0 lead looking dominant in their first game under Mendenhall. The first score came on defense. LB Jayden Hall sacked Mellot and forced a fumble. S Christian Ellis returned it for a 41-yard score. After Drzewicki’s 45-yarder rang true to end the first quarter score, the Lobo offense kept things going. A 68-yard drive ended with Dempier (18 of 26, 171 yards, TD pass) connecting with TE Trace Bruckler for a 17-yard TD.
Montana State whittled the UNM lead to three. Mellot threw TD passes on the next two Bobcat drives. He connected with TE Ryan Schlepp for a five-yard TD pass and with McCullouch for 17. Dempier extended the first half advantage to 24-14 punctuating a 75-yard drive with a 24-yard TD run.
The Lobo defense opened the second half scoring as well. CB Noah Avinger scooped up another Mellot fumble and returned if for a 13-yard score. After that though, the Montana defense stepped in to shut down the New Mexico offense. Linebackers McCade O’Reilly and Danny Uluilakepa led with 10 and nine tackles respectively for the Bobcats.
Collegefootballfan.com numbers climb
Our trip to Albuquerque marked our first to UNM’s University Stadium and our first game in the state of New Mexico. Though only our 82 FBS stadium, we’ve attended college football games in 180 overall. New Mexico became the 38th state we’ve attended a game in. For a small crowd, the New Mexico stands were fired up for the win. Bronco Mendenhall looks to start this program on a winning track as he’s done at BYU and Virginia in the past.
St. Laurie attended the game with me this weekend. We enjoyed visiting the Pueblo Indian Cultural Center and Museum. For dinner we enjoyed the Flock of Moons Microbrewery in downtown. They had some great beers and some a nice variety of foods to order from restaurants right on the same block. On Sunday, we visited Santa Fe to eat and tour the International Folk Art Museum. I liked it. I was basically a very colorful toy collection.
Three FCS teams* and two new FBS venues for us
Four games with three more FCS squads on our docket starting this Thursday: NC A&T* at Wake Forest; Elon* at Duke on Friday will be our first game at Wallace Wade Stadium; and Saturday night we return to Tennessee to see FCS Tennessee Tech* at Middle Tennessee’s Red Foley Stadium. None of the three FCS teams play at the level of Montana State. However, one of these three could possibly be an upset.
Our big game for Week One comes on Monday night. For the first time, we go to Doak Campbell Stadium to see Florida State (0-1) at home. Off their opening 24-21 last second loss to Georgia Tech in Dublin, we were looking for just as tough a game coming up against Boston College. They start this season under new HC Bill O’Brien and with experienced starting QB Thomas Castellanos, a run/pass threat. One BC source tells us that Eagle players are already griping about O’Brien’s preseason camp! A good sign they are ready to play against somebody else.
-ed. by Steve Koreivo Member of Football Writers Association of America
