Fort Collins – Supposedly, the new game-clock rules don’t allow enough time for last-minute comebacks.
New Mexico had all the time in the world Saturday – plus an unused timeout – to set up Kenny Byrd’s game-winning, 33-yard field goal as time expired to beat Colorado State 20-19.
As redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie steadily drove the Lobos downfield, CSU even called a timeout with a minute left in a desperate attempt to get the ball back. The Rams had solved their third-quarter woes of the past two weeks, but taking a 9-point lead into the final quarter wasn’t nearly enough cushion.
Colorado State reversed nearly every negative trend of the last two weeks, found two rare field goals by Jason Smith and an other-worldly touchdown catch by Damon Morton. The Rams’ six-quarter scoring drought extended to seven, but the Rams finally found the end zone.
Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome New Mexico’s first and last plays of the final quarter. It was the third consecutive comeback win for New Mexico (5-4, 3-2 Mountain West), which came into Hughes Stadium having outscored opponents 46-15 in the second half of its last two games. The loss marked the first time in conference history that CSU (4-4, 1-3) dropped three straight league games in the same season.
“I’ve been on the other side of this deal, and it’s hard on a football team to play as well and as hard as Colorado State did and still lose,” New Mexico coach Rocky Long said.
Morton made a one-handed grab of a 30-yard Caleb Hanie pass in the end zone near the sideline with New Mexico cornerback Glover Quin draped on his back.
“I saw it thrown. I had to get to it; luckily I did,” Morton said. “I would have felt much better if we came out with a win.”
But after that grab put the Rams ahead 19-10 with 2:05 left in the third quarter, nothing else went CSU’s way. A botched hold kept Smith from getting his foot on the ball for the point-after attempt.
New Mexico capitalized on a Quincy Black interception at the start of the fourth quarter to get back in the game. Porterie, who struggled most of the game following a 350-yard breakout game against Utah last week, then hit Travis Brown for a 35-yard scoring pass on the next play to pull within 19-17 with 14:34 remaining.
Hanie shook off the pick, hitting Luke Roberts and Dustin Osborn down to the New Mexico 17 before being sacked by Tyler Donaldson for an 8-yard loss.
“It came down to the fourth quarter, and we didn’t do it today,” Hanie said. “It’s hard to put it into words.”
Then Smith, who earlier hit his first field goals since Sept. 16, was wide left from 42 yards. Both teams stalled on their next drives. Then the Lobos took over at their 21-yard line with 3:16 remaining on the game-winning drive.
“Without sounding too cocky, I knew I would make it,” said Byrd, who has hit 22 straight field goals inside the 40.
After New Mexico jumped to a 10-0 first-quarter lead, Morton’s 4-yard touchdown reception from Hanie on third-and-goal ended the scoring drought, which lasted a total of 112 minutes and 39 seconds. The Rams’ next drive stalled at the 32, and Smith drilled a career-best 49-yarder to tie the score at 10 with 1:36 left in the first half.
“Little things hurt us. All those things are magnified – five or six plays,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. “That’s the mark of a team not playing very well.”
THE GRADES
Offense
C: 19 points in two quarters ended seven quarters of shutout misery. Couldn’t get it done on the final drive.
Defense
C: Didn’t stop the Lobos when it counted on their final drive. Rams didn’t take enough advantage of New Mexico’s shaky center/quarterback exchanges.
Special teams
D: Improved return game bolstered the offense, and two field goals were a season first. But a botched snap on the final PAT attempt and a missed field goal represented the difference in the outcome.
Overall
C: Rams played well enough to win for the first time in three weeks, but CSU can’t close out a game. Season on the verge of spiraling out of control.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303- 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
