ARCHULETA: Lobos Football Season Opener Ends As Expected But With Momentary Hope for the Future
UNM head football coach Jason Eck made his coaching debut on Saturday against No. 14-ranked Michigan at the school’s iconic and historic Michigan Stadium. UNM entered the game as 34.5-point underdogs but was only down seven points late in the first half. Ryan Sun/Associated Press
A moment of uncertainty.
Perhaps, there are no moral victories, but there was that moment.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is progress.
The University of New Mexico football team suffered the anticipated season-opening defeat at No. 14 Michigan on Saturday night, 34-17.
The Wolverines of the Big Ten were the bigger, stronger, faster team.
But the Lobos didn’t blink. Even after spotting the home team a 17-0 lead after Michigan’s first two drives, which had all the makings of an embarrassing blowout loss.
Showing the moxie of first-year coach Jason Eck’s previous school, Idaho, showed during his tenure, UNM got back up and never flinched.
Leading to the aforementioned moment.
The Lobos defense began to get stops. The offense started moving the football. UNM outplayed Michigan in the second quarter and clawed back to cut the lead to 17-10 with 1:56 left in the half on Luke Drzewiecki’s 44-yard field goal.
Michigan’s ensuing drive started with two two-yard losses, and the home team faced a third-and-14 on its own 21 with 1:31 left.
The home crowd of 100,000-plus actually became silent. And the moment appeared.
Could the Lobos actually force a punt, score before the half and … gulp … threaten to end their all-time winless streak against ranked, non-conference opponents on the road?
Reality set in on the next play when Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Channing Goodwin. The Wolverines scored four plays later, and UNM was never again within one score of the game.
But that is so beside the point.
This UNM team, which former coach Bronco Mendenhall abandoned, has a new coaching staff and 75 new players.
They stood toe to toe with the Wolverines. It was an Eck of an effort.
They trailed 27-17 into the fourth quarter and faced a fourth-and-9 on their own 42 with 13:37 left in the game.
Quarterback Jack Layne threw downfield to Michael Buckley, who was open briefly. But the ball was a tad late, and Michigan intercepted to end that threat.
Layne is a tough son of gun. He suffered several hard hits, including a highly questionable targeting call on Michigan defensive end Jaishawn Barham in the third quarter, but got back up every time. After the targeting call, Layne drove UNM down the field on the heralded Wolverines for a touchdown and the 27-17 deficit.
Layne’s stats weren’t pretty. He was 31-of-47 for 208 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. He suffered his final pick in the fourth quarter when the Lobos were in the Michigan red zone trying to cut into a 34-17 deficit.
On the play, Layne was under pressure yet again.
Michigan outgained UNM 452-267 on the night. Underwood completed 20 of 29 passes for 243 yards and a TD. Justus Haynes rushed for 159 yards and three TDs on 15 carries. But the Lobos still won the time-of-possession battle.
UNM earned respect with its performance. Play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle summed up the Lobos’ effort with 1:22 left in the third quarter when he said, “New Mexico has clearly made their presence felt.”
Tight end Dorian Thomas is a playmaker. He had 10 receptions for 71 yards and two TDs. The offensive line is a work in progress.
The defense has some talent and doesn’t look to be the straw house it was last year under the “defensive guru” in Mendenhall. Defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby, safety Austin Brawley and linebacker Jaxton Eck, the coach’s son, all have talent.
The Lobos coaches know how to coach.
It wasn’t a win for UNM, and that seems to be a footnote. Michigan finished as a 34.5-point favorite. New Mexico lost by less than half that.
It was an Eck of an effort and makes for a promising 2025 season and beyond.
