ARCHULETA: Lobo Victory Over Idaho State Like Eating a Bowl of Vegetables

One performance treasured is another performance nearly trashed. Until some grit and determination kept the performance from being labeled a disaster.

The UNM football team’s home opener mirrored its season opener of a week ago at nationally ranked Michigan. But because Saturday’s opponent was FCS foe Idaho State rather than the Wolverines, UNM’s struggle seemed more real.

Quarterback Jack Layne and tight end Dorian Thomas came alive at the right time to give the Lobos a come-from-behind 32-22 victory over the Bengals at University Stadium before 17,639 fans – the highest attendance in a home opener since 2018.

Eck, who talked earlier in the week about all the compliments he received after the Lobos’ 34-17 loss to the Wolverines, knew the importance of coming away with a victory Saturday to retain community interest in the program.

“It’s a big step back if you lose this game,” Eck said. “It takes away all the momentum from last week. So, it was big to get a win.”

Scottre Humprey rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and the Lobos amassed 216 rushing yards for the day. But outside his 61-yard TD run in the second quarter and UNM’s late TD drive to ice the game, the home team struggled to run the football.

Like last week in Michigan.

The Bengals (0-3) rallied from a 14-3 first-half deficit to take a 22-17 lead with 10:40 left in the game, and the outlook was dire.

And for the second consecutive week, these Lobos did not panic.

“I smiled at some of the guys and said this is awesome,” Eck said. “It’s like eating a bowl of vegetables, the bad taste of it. You love winning games by 40, but that’s awesome to come back and show toughness and respond when the game’s on the line.

After ISU went up by five, UNM embarked on a 70-yard, nine-play drive to retake the lead. Layne was 4 of 7 on the drive for 56 yards, including a pair of passes to Thomas. The second one came amid great ISU coverage from the Bengals’ Mason Young and a better catch for 25 yards to the Idaho State 4.

Two Damon Bankston runs regained the lead for the Lobos, and Layne improvised a flip pass to Thomas for the two-point conversion and the 25-22 lead with 7:16 left in the game.

Layne finished 13 of 21 for 155 yards. Thomas had five receptions for 56 yards.

UNM’s defense, which struggled against ISU’s rotation at quarterback between Davis Harsin and Jackson Sharman (a combined 28 of 39 for 265 yards with a touchdown and an interception), forced a three-and-out on the Bengals’ next possession.

The offense then iced the game with a 58-yard TD drive with 1:48 left.

UNM was relatively penalty-free again, getting flagged twice for 13 yards and now has three penalties on the season for 18 yards, showing great discipline under Eck.

New Mexico had a strong second quarter, like last week, to take its 14-3 lead. But the Bengals seized momentum with a TD just before the half and three straight scoring drives in the second half.

Michigan did the same with a TD before the half and extending the lead in the third quarter.

On Saturday, UNM overcame the adversity for the first win in the tenures of both Eck and athletic director Fernando Lovo.

“We just gotta be better,” said linebacker Jaxton Eck, who finished with a game-high 15 tackles. “We can’t play to Michigan’s level when we’re playing Michigan and then play to Idaho State’s level when we’re playing Idaho State.

“This was a good lesson; we found a way to win.”