ALBUQUERQUE — With eight earlier losses for comparison – from an overtime field goal in the opener to blowouts – Colorado State defensive tackle Erik Sandie didn’t hesitate to rank Saturday’s 26-23 loss at New Mexico on the heartbreak scale.
“This was the hardest loss of the season,” the senior said. He and his CSU teammates watched helplessly as New Mexico kicker John Sullivan’s fourth field goal of the game went though the uprights as time expired.
It was Sandie who forced a late fumble to set up Jason Smith’s game-tying 32-yard field goal when CSU couldn’t punch it in on first-and-goal from the 11.
After killing as much clock as possible, CSU had to punt from its end zone with less than half a minute left. Under fierce pressure, Jimmie Kaylor’s punt went only 38 yards, and OJ Swift returned it 18 yards to the CSU 26.
Sullivan, leading the nation in field goals per game, came in with three seconds left and the 43-yarder joined his earlier kicks of 46, 39 and 34 yards.
“Coaches were telling us to be ready for overtime,” CSU defensive end Blake Smith said. “That was the worst thing that could happen. I can’t believe they were able to kick a field goal there.”
As if CSU didn’t find enough ways to lose this season, the Rams borrowed a page from last year when New Mexico won 20-19 on Kenny Byrd’s game-ending field goal. CSU never led Saturday, but tied it twice – at 17 near the end of the first half and at 23 with 8:24 left in the game.
Despite career days by wide receiver Johnny Walker (seven catches, 177 yards, two TDs) and running back Gartrell Johnson (31 carries, 172 yards), the Rams mostly picked up negative yards in the red zone for the second consecutive week. Zach Arnett sacked Caleb Hanie twice for 12 yards, while Tyler Donaldson had three tackles for 17 yards in losses.
Johnson repeatedly was sent in the wrong direction inside the 20 after having his way between the 20s.
“They pretty much blitzed the whole second half,” Johnson said. “But there’s no substitution for toughness.”
The Rams (1-9, 1-7 Mountain West Conference) lost for the third straight time and 16th in the past 17 games. New Mexico improved to 7-3 and 4-2.
“I think Colorado State has the best coach in the league, and I think to keep a team playing as hard as they did today is a great job of coaching,” New Mexico coach Rocky Long said. “There are a lot of teams in the country that at 1-8 they would have rolled over and died, but those guys came to play.”
Said CSU coach Sonny Lubick: “He probably feels sorry for me. He’s surprised how hard our kids play with the way they are this point of the season. Our coaches have done a good job of keeping our guys alive as long as they have.”
Give CSU credit for temporarily correcting at least some of its season-long mistakes. When the Rams had one field goal to show for three trips inside the 10 last week against BYU, and whiffed on an opening-drive, field-goal attempt for the second straight week, CSU decided it was time to avoid the red zone.
Walker twice slipped behind coverage and hauled in Hanie TD passes for 64 and 31 yards. The first score put CSU on the board with 4:17 left in a wild first quarter after the Lobos jumped in front 10-0.
“I don’t know how they do it,” Lubick said of his players. “How they keep coming and coming and coming and take heartbreak after heartbreak after heartbreak.
“They’ll be the best-prepared guys for life.”
The Grades | By Natalie Meisler
OFFENSE
B: An “A” for everywhere except the red zone. Two weeks of going backward in the red zone isn’t getting it done. Personal bests for RB Gartrell Johnson (172 yards) and WR Johnny Walker (177).
DEFENSE
B: The Rams kept the Lobos out of the end zone after the first quarter, when New Mexico had 195 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C: Another mixed bag. Jason Smith was 3-of-4 on field goals, but the miss on the first series was the difference in the game. Jimmie Kaylor dropped two punts inside the New Mexico 10.
OVERALL
B: Easily the best effort since beating UNLV and the most competitive game since the MWC opener against San Diego State.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
