SAN DIEGO, CA –– Devon Dampier threw for 175 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 127 yards to carry the New Mexico Lobos (4-6, 3-3 Mountain West Conference) 21-16 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs (3-6, 2-2) Friday night at Snapdragon Stadium before 21,832.
New Mexico put up 475 yards, with Eli Sanders running for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Dampier completed passes to six different receivers.
“This game did not have the results that any of us were hoping for,” said SDSU coach Sean Lewis, “Not what the players and I worked so hard for.”
Both teams were 2-6 last season. New Mexico lost the prior nine games against the Aztecs coming in. Four of the previous five Aztec games have been decided by five points or fewer.
At halftime, New Mexico led 14-13. On the Lobos’ second possession, Sanders capped a 99-yard drive with a 51-yard touchdown. On the second play on their third possession, he raced ahead for a 68-yard touchdown to give New Mexico a 14-3 first-quarter lead.
The Aztecs roared back in the second quarter with a 31-yard Gabriel Plascencia field goal, and Danny O’Neil found Marquez Cooper for a 5-yard touchdown to bring San Diego State within 14-13 at the half.
San Diego scored 13 unanswered points to take a 16-14 lead with a 28-yard Plascencia third-quarter field goal.
On the ensuing possession, New Mexico’s Dampier connected with Ryan Davis for an 8-yard touchdown for the game’s final score with 13:07 left to play in the contest.
Half of the Aztec possessions resulted in a punt.
Dampier was 16 of 24 for 175 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions for the Lobos and carried 16 times for 127 yards. Sanders carried 16 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
San Diego’s O’Neil was 26 of 41 for 195 with one touchdown. Cooper carried 35 times for 123 yards and caught three passes for six yards and one touchdown. Jordan Napier caught nine passes for 63 yards.
“So we have to do a much better job in that area. The kids battled all the way through again.” said Lewis
Up Next:
New Mexico will host Washington State on Nov. 16th.
The Aztecs will travel to Las Vegas to face UNLV on Nov. 16t
