[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]
New Mexico Comes Up Short In Loss To Hawaii
Lobos offense showed signs of life.
Contact/Follow @MWCwire
Ultimately the defense let them down.
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors came to DreamStyle Stadium Saturday afternoon in this Mountain West matchup get a road win defeating Bobo Davie’s Lobos 45-31.
New Mexico dropped to 2-6 overall and 0-4 in conference play, while Hawai’i ended a two-game losing streak and moved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain West.
The Rainbow victory ended a seven-game losing streak to the Lobos by defeating the Lobos on their homecoming game.
New Mexico was preparing for an air assault from the Hawaii Rainbow as they were 3rd ranked nationally passing offense and knew putting pressure on QB Cole McDonald was not an option.
Jordan Peterson 3-3-5 defense blitzed the whole game with different defensive stunts and looks to try and limit McDonald spending time in the passing pocket.
They were able to get to him one time as he tried to roll out and run the ball.
In a little bit of a surprised by coach Rolovich, the Rainbows ran the ball 34 times and rushed for over 255 yards and passed the ball 323 yards.
Coach Rolovich after the game said: “I had a hunch we would have to run the ball a little more.”
The Rainbow Warriors ended the game with over 578 yards total offense with McDonald at the reigns and he was the leading rusher and passer with 9-144 yards & 17-237 passing yards.
OC Joe Dailey’s offense for the Lobos ended up with 207 yards rushing and 293 yards passing from Tevaka Tuioti, with over 500 yards total offense.
Tuioti had over 293 yards passing, two touchdowns, and a long 59 pass play as well. It’s obvious to anyone watching the Lobos that the offense is much different when he is in the game.
He has great poise, makes good decisions and can throw the football to give the Lobos offense more punch with the two very good running backs Ahmari Davis and Bryson Carroll.
Senior Running back Ahmari Davis had a monster day rushing with a career-high 200 yards rushing for the UNM.
It was the 14th time UNM has had a 200 yard rusher and 10th and the 10th individual overall.
He also had a career-long 66-yard touchdown in the third quarter along with a long 39-yard run that set up UNM’s first points of the game.
The Rainbows held a 35-3 halftime lead over the Lobos.
Hawai’i scored on four of its five offensive possessions and also added a 14-yard interception return for another score as Hawai’i raced to a 32-point halftime lead and defeated New Mexico 45-31 to spoil UNM’s 95th Homecoming game.
The Lobos had a monster second half with three consecutive touchdown drives of their own outscoring the Rainbows 28-10 in the second half but only to fall short in getting a win.
Coach Davie at his post-game press conference he commended his team for not throwing in the towel at halftime down 35-3.
New Mexico made a furious comeback effort, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]