Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
UNM Edges Colorado State 20–17, Vaults into Second Place in the Mountain West
For the first time in 14 tries over nearly 16 years, New Mexico walked off the field victorious
after defeating Colorado State 20–17.
This win ended a 13-game losing streak in the series. It marked New Mexico’s first-ever victory against CSU in Albuquerque, thanks to a strong defensive performance and a typical fourth-quarter surge.
The victory improved New Mexico’s record to 7–3 and 4–2 in the Mountain West Conference, tying them for second place in the league standings and securing a spot in the championship race for the next two weeks.
Additionally, New Mexico is 5–0 at home for the first time since 1962 and has not trailed at home for three consecutive games.
The way the local Lobo fans have responded to head football coach Jason Eck has been especially impressive, as they have fully backed him since his arrival. However, in the Fall of 2019, the Lobo fans took their backing of Coach Eck to another level.
The crowds at University Stadium are filled with an incredible amount of energy and belief by the fans, which has created one of the most energetic home-field atmospheres for the UNM Football Team in decades.
The crowd sizes have increased, and so have the noise levels. The city has clearly made it evident that this football team belongs to the City of Albuquerque, and this coach belongs to the town.
Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
Summary
New Mexico showcased an impressive defensive effort, limiting Colorado State to just 13 rushing yards, which ranks as the 17th fewest in school history and the second fewest in Mountain West action.
The Lobos forced four turnovers, including three interceptions of CSU quarterback Darius Curry—two of which occurred in the fourth quarter, directly contributing to 10 of New Mexico’s 20 points.
Despite facing adversity with four fumbles of their own, New Mexico emerged victorious for the first time in the Mountain West era.
Both teams committed four turnovers during the game, making it one of the rare games nationally this season where each team turned the ball over four or more times.
A crowd of 27,526, the largest for a UNM November game since 2008, witnessed New Mexico limit CSU to under 300 total yards and secure its biggest win of the season.
New Mexico Takes Control in the Second Quarter
After a scoreless first quarter, the Lobos finally broke through with a 12-play, 77-yard drive led by running backs D.J. McKinney and Damon Bankston. McKinney capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush with 6:17 remaining in the half.
In the last minute of the half, quarterback Jack Layne directed an 8-play, 52-yard drive to set kicker Luke Drzewiecki up for a 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
The successful kick made Drzewiecki the all-time leading scorer in UNM history with 247 points. At halftime, New Mexico led 10–0 and was in control of every aspect of the game.
Chaos Erupts in the Third Quarter: Turnovers Give CSU Momentum
The third quarter proved challenging for New Mexico. The Lobos fumbled the ball three times, including two consecutive turnovers deep in their own territory, both recovered by CSU lineman Andrew Laurich, who ended the game with three fumble recoveries.
Colorado State capitalized on New Mexico’s miscues, scoring a touchdown on a fourth-down attempt and adding a field goal, which tied the game at 10–10 and shifted the momentum in favor of the Rams.
Fourth Quarter Lobos: Defense and Layne Come Up Big
As it looked like CSU might take the lead midway through the fourth quarter, New Mexico’s defense stepped up. On a crucial 3rd-and-9 at the Lobo 27, Brett Karhu deflected a Darius Curry pass, which was intercepted by Austin Brawley and returned to the CSU 21-yard line.
Less than a minute later, on 4th-and-1, quarterback Jack Layne executed a designed run, weaving around CSU defenders for a 12-yard touchdown that pushed the score to 17–10 in favor of the Lobos.
Shortly after Layne’s touchdown, the Lobo defense struck again. Caleb Coleman intercepted Curry and returned the pick 24 yards to the CSU 20-yard line, setting up Drzewiecki’s second field goal of the night—a 35-yarder that extended New Mexico’s lead to 20–10 with 8:27 remaining.
CSU responded with a 41-yard touchdown on a swing pass, narrowing the gap to 20–17. However, the Lobo offense managed to consume most of the remaining clock, and the defense ultimately sealed the victory when a last-second desperation play by CSU resulted in a fumble recovered by Jon Johnson.
Statistical Leaders
With the 20–17 victory over Colorado State, New Mexico solidified its climb up the Mountain West standings, moving into second place.
The win underscores the Lobos’ resilience in close contests and positions them as legitimate contenders as the season heads into its final stretch.
Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
For a program seeking consistency and respect, this result is both a confidence boost and a clear marker of progress.
Saturday’s 20-17 victory for the Lobos against CSU wasn’t merely a victory; it was a declaration of their presence.
The Rams were left stunned as they were on the verge of securing this badly needed victory, and the crowd erupted as the Lobos charged to a second-place position in the MW.
This is a program that has consistently demonstrated its ability to succeed under pressure, and now they are part of the mix for a championship.
The energy surrounding this program is electrifying, and the momentum is building. There is much work ahead for a program seeking to build respect and consistency, but Saturday marked a milestone for the Lobos.
They are making that very clear with each successive victory that they are legit contenders this year under Jason Eck in the Mountain West Conference.
Photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
