No. 22 BYU slips past the Lobos

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The New Mexico Lobos kicking game left 10 points on the field Saturday and perhaps their first win as well.

In tight game, the Lobos fell to No. 22 BYU by a score of 24-19.

Lobo kicker James Aho hit the uprights on two field goals and an extra point. Aho also had one of his field goal attempts blocked.

The Lobos opened the ball game with and efficient 15 play, 80 yard drive that ended with a three yard touchdown scamper by senior quarterback Donovan Porterie.

BYU would respond by marching the ball 72 yards behind the hard-nosed running of junior Harvey Unga. Unga capped the drive with a one yard leap over the Lobo defense to tie the game at 7.

The defenses tightened up in the second quarter until Cougar wideout McKay Jacobson ripped through the Lobo defense for a 50 yard pass play, leading to a field goal and a 10-7 BYU lead.

A slowed Lobo offense turned to sophomore quarterback B.R. Holbrook for one series. But Holbrook was unable to move the chains, forcing New Mexico to quickly give the ball back to the surging Cougar attack.

BYU's Max Hall took advantage of the opportunity by finding tight end Andrew George wide open on the far side of the field for a 27 yard score.

With under two minutes to play in the half, Porterie went back in and led the Cherry and Silver 27 yards down the field for a manageable 46 yard attempt. However the Cougar defense busted through the Lobo protection and swatted away the try.

During the entire season, the third quarter had been the Lobos' Achilles paw, but New Mexico came out of the locker room strong.

After a defensive stop New Mexico moved the ball well on its first drive of the third quarter, but stalled on the BYU 39.

On fourth-and-2, Porterie rolled to his right and find an open Ty Kirk who barley tapped a foot down in bounce for the conversion.

A few plays later Porterie hit Darrel Jones on a nifty bubble screen for a 26 yard score. Although the drive would be dampened by an Aho miscue, as he clanged the extra point off the goal post.

Later in the third quarter, Aho's bad day got worse when he his 35 yard field goal attempt smacked into the right goal post.

The Cougars, who'd been quiet all quarter, took the momentum from the missed kick 75 yards down the field for a seemingly easy touchdown drive to take a 24-13 lead.

But those pesky Lobos just wouldn't go out without a fight Saturday. Porterie again engineered a solid drive, but committed a major miscue when he failed to connect with a wide open Kirk in the end zone for a desperately needed TD.

Two plays later, Aho once again found the goal post on a kick—this time from 42 yards out.

The Lobo defense, unlike many teams this year, refused to buckle and got their offense the ball back in excellent field position at the BYU 37.

Under seven minutes to go, the Lobos looked to young freshman Kasey Carrier who slashed his way down the field on a series of draws and screens. As the clock ticked down, Porterie hit converted quarterback Victor James for a 21 yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 24-19.

New Mexico's attempt at an onside kick was unsuccessful, but they would get the ball two plays later when linebacker Tray Hardaway jarred the rock loose from BYU's Bryan Kariya.

But it was too little, too late as the Lobos couldn't move the ball on the Cougars in the closing minutes.

The Lobos are now 0-10 for the first time since 1987. The New Mexico Lobos have never been 0-12 in a season.