I have a few stories running in the paper this week and will update my blog with news, but I’m taking my own bye week. I won’t be at football practice Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. I will be skipping the women’s basketball team’s exhibition game Wednesday against Vanguard, but Tribune reporter Jeremy Fowler will be covering the game. I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, but I don’t much of a break from August until April, depending on the time frame so spring football. This tiny window of opportunity opened up, and I decided to take it. So my apologies to fans who counted on practice reports this week, but I’m sure the break will make my reporting better over the long haul.

Posted by ilimon at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The UNM junior varsity game against Air Force scheduled for Saturday was cancelled because neither team had enough players for the game. Under NCAA rules, it counts as a regular season game so players who are redshirting or those who UNM plans to use for 12 games this season can’t participate. The Lobos didn’t have enough guys left over to fill out a roster.

Posted by ilimon at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The UNM women's basketball team's exhibition game against Vanguard will be streamed live online using coaches cameras. Fans need a PC with a high-speed Internet connection. The program does not run on Macs.

To see the game, visit golobos.com and click on all access. First-time users have to create a username and password, but there is no fee.

Posted by ilimon at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I cast a vote in the Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine Bowl Championship Series standings. The standings are used to award spots in the BCS bowl games and name a national champion. Here my picks this week:

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. West Virginia
4. Texas
5. Louisville
6. Auburn
7. Tennessee
8. USC
9. Notre Dame
10. Florida
11. Cal
12. Boise State
13. LSU
14. Arkansas
15. Rutgers
16. Oklahoma
17. Boston College
18. Wisconsin
19. Clemson
20. Georgia Tech
21. Missouri
22. Wake Forest
23. Oregon
24. Virginia Tech
25. BYU

I’m surprised Tulsa has landed ahead of BYU in most of the polls, considering BYU beat Tulsa pretty handily earlier this season. I know Tulsa only has one loss, while the Cougars have two but I think those were quality losses to nationally-ranked Boston College and Arizona.

What do you think? Where would you have put USC after its big loss to Oregon State? What about undefeated teams like Rutgers and Boise State? Are there any teams I left out you have added to poll?

Posted by ilimon at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos were riding high after this Saturday's win at Fort Collins, and both the players and coaches said they would have preferred to keep playing instead of having a bye this week. UNM coach Rocky Long did say he sees room for a lot of improvement. He said the team is making a lot of mistakes when it comes to fundamentals that have to be fixed if the Lobos expect to win any more games this season. Long's teams are undefeated after bye weeks, but the coach said streaks are made to be broken and he hoped UNM's nice bye week streak won't end this season.

The Lobos will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, then take the weekend off, resuming their regular practice schedule Monday of next week. UNM won't exchange tapes with TCU until Tuesday and won't begin serious game planning until Thursday at the earliest. So the Lobos will be working on those pesky fundamentals Tuesday and Wednesday.

Brett Madsen suffered a high ankle sprain during the Colorado State game, but Long said he should be fine by the TCU game following the bye week.

And here's a few amusing notes left over from Colorado State game.

Marcus Smith dyed his hair deep cherry red. I thought it might be a team pride thing, but he said he did it on a dare. No one believed he would dress up as Dennis Rodman for Halloween, complete with wacky hair, so he took the plunge. I told him he was missing a few colors, and he said he only did one to make sure he wouldn't get in trouble with the coaches. He may add a few more streaks by Halloween.

Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins is really nice, but we noticed one design flaw. The windows to the press box are tinted, which is a huge help during day games. But as soon as the sun dipped behind the press box, which happened around the start of the second quarter, we caught a lot of glare from the lights inside the press box. The view was so bad, Mike Roberts and Greg Remington called most of the game for 770-KKOB with the lights off in their radio suite.

That's all for now. Check out Monday's Tribune for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My postgame story is up, and I'm going to get a head start on my long drive back. It is a shame this game wasn't on TV because it was pretty exciting. I hope you all still enjoyed it.

Posted by ilimon at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM fumbled the first snap and Donovan Porterie recovered for a loss of one. Rodney Ferguson then ran for 15 yards. Porterie hit Ferguson for a six yard gain that was mostly run. It brought up second-and-four at the UNM 41 with 2:07 left in the game. Porterie rolled to the right side and scrambled six yards for a first down at the UNM 47.

Porterie hit John Mulchrone on the left side for 23 yards. UNM jumped ahead to CSU's 30-yard line with 1:54 left. Porterie's pass was complete to Marcus Smith for a gain of four yards but the clock keeps running. Ferguson ran for a one-yard gain on the next play. The Lobos faced a third-and-five at the CSU 25 with 1:00 left in the game. CSU called timeout.

The good news is UNM is definitely in Kenny Byrd territory.

CSU was called for offsides, giving the Lobos five yards and a huge first down. UNM has a first down at the CSU 20. Ferguson ran to the left side but was dropped for a one-yard loss with 42 seconds left in the game and the clock running. Ferguson ran again for five yards, and the clock ticked down to one second. UNM finally called timeout facing a third-and-six from the 16-yard line.

The Lobos all took a knee on their sideline, hoping for another huge comeback.

Kenny Byrd stepped up for a 33-yard field goal attempt. The CSU fans roared in attempt to ice him. It was good. It was Byrd's third career game winner.

I'm heading down to interview players and coaches. Check back soon for a complete story.

Posted by ilimon at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The UNM defense needs to make yet another big play here.

Caleb Hanie completed his pass to Johnny Walker, who was dropped for a loss of one. Nnamdi Ohaeri ran on the next play for no gain, bringing up a huge third-and-11 at the CSU 39. Hanie's pass intended for Luke Roberts was broken up by Quincy Black. It forced CSU to punt with 3:28 left in the game.

UNM ran the punt back five yards to its 21-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since it worked before, UNM's offense needs to step up and make a big play. If it's good for the defense, it might work for the offense too.

Rodney Ferguson ran for five yards to start the drive. Ferguson carried again for four yards. Ferguson carried again and gained two yards for the first down. Porterie rolled out, appeared to stumble and was sacked for a loss of eight yards. It brought up second-and-18 at the UNM 28. Porterie threw into traffic toward Travis Brown. Brown tipped it and UNM was lucky CSU did not grab it. It brought up a huge third-and-18 at the UNM 28. Porterie's pass was complete to Thomas Wilson, who gained five yards on the play.

UNM punted on fourth-and-13 at its 33. CSU's ran the punt back back to its 40-yard line with 5:15 left in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 06:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just for kicks, I say the UNM defense has to make a big play again. It worked on the last drive.

Colorado State's Damon Morton returned the kickoff to the CSU 19-yard line.

Nnamdi Ohaeri ran for a loss of one yard on the first play of the drive. Hanie's next pass was complete for no gain. It brought up third-and-11 at the 18. Hanie found Dustin Osborn across the middle and he gained 22 yards on the play. It gave CSU a first down at its 40.

Hanie's next pass was incomplete. His pass was complete to Luke Roberts for a gain of eight yards. It brought up third-and-two at the CSU 48. Hanie hit Osborn again across the middle for a gain of 29 yards on the play. These passes have been comparable to the gains UNM got against Utah. I'm not sure what safety Tyson Ditmore was doing on coverage, but it hasn't been very good.

Hanie's next pass intended for Luke Roberts was incomplete, bringing up second-and-10. Hanie's next pass was complete to Osborn for a gain of six yards. It brought up another big third-and-four at the UNM 17. Tyler Donaldson sacked Hanie for a loss of eight yards and put it on the left hash mark of the 25-yard line.

CSU kicker Jason Smith stepped up for a 42-yard field goal attempt. He missed, giving the Lobos a huge edge and the ball on the UNM 25.

Posted by ilimon at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Colorado State fumbled the ball on the return, but recovered it at the CSU 31 with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.

UNM needs a little help from its defense here, with some kind of big play.

Caleb Hanie's first pass was complete to Kory Sperry for a gain of four yards. Damon Morton carried on the reverse and was tackled by Michael Tuohy for a loss of nine yards. It brought up third-and-15 from the CSU 26 as time ran out in the third quarter. The teams had time to regroup with the end of period timeout, then Quincy Black picked off Hanie's next pass and ran it back to the CSU 15. UNM was called for holding, bouncing UNM back to the 25.

Donovan Porterie stepped back and hit Travis Brown on the right side for a 35-yard touchdown. Kenny Byrd hit an extra point, making the score New Mexico 17, Colorado State 19 with 14:34 left in the fourth quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith ran the kickoff back from the endzone to the 17-yard line.

This is a big drive for the Lobos with 1:54 left in the third quarter.

Donovan Porterie's first pass was complete to Marcus Smith for a gain of 14 yards. The Lobos had a reverse situation on a great trick play that had Smith open down field. But Porterie didn't set up and underthrew Smith, who was wide open up the field for a touchdown. Instead, the play brought up second-and-10 at the 31. Rodney Ferguson danced way too much on the next play and was dropped for no gain, It brought up a huge third down. Porterie had time but overthrew Smith around the CSU 40-yard line.

The Lobos punted again.

Posted by ilimon at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caleb Hanie's first pass to Dustin Osborn on the right side was broken up by Glover Quin. Hanie went back to Osborn on the left side and he gained 10 yards on the pass for a first down at the UNM 30. Osborn hit Damon Morton on a fade route. Morton hauled in a one-handed grab with Glover Quin on his heels. The play was reviewed and upheld, but it was either a muffed extra point or bad two-point conversion attempt. CSU extended it's lead to 19-10 over the Lobos.

The Lobos are going to have to snap out of their funk in hurry. Colorado State is getting a bunch of shots at long passes and making big plays because the Lobos are getting any significant heat on the Rams quarterback.

Posted by ilimon at 05:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Marcus Smith returned CSU's kickoff from the endzone to the 21-yard line. UNM began its drive with 5:40 left in the third quarter.

Rodney Ferguson ran on the first play of the drive up the middle for two yards. Donovan Porterie was in the pocket for a few seconds, avoided one hit and then was sacked for a loss of three yards. It brought up third-and-11 at the UNM 20. Porterie had more time and hit Marcus Smith for a 15-yard gain and first down at the UNM 35. The ball was a little low, but Smith came back to it and scooped it up before sliding down.

Porterie looked for Matt Quillen on a screen pass to the left side, but overthrew him. Porterie passed to Jason Caprioli for a gain of eight yards. Caprioli also had to come back for the ball, diving for it. It brought up third-and-two at the 42. There was a fumble on the snap and CSU recovered at UNM's 40-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 05:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jumping into the Colorado State first drive of the half, Glover Quin was called for pass interference, and CSU was called for holding so the penalties offset eachother. Colorado State gained 13 yards on the next pass play, bringing up first-and-10 at the UNM 34.

Nnamdi Ohaeri ran on the next play for a loss of one yard. Hanie's next pass was intended to Luke Roberts, who tipped it and the Lobos couldn't grab it. It brought up a huge third-and-11 at the UNM 35. Hanie completed a pass to Johnny Walker, who was hit hard by Quin but held onto the ball. Walker was injured on the play, but CSU got the 12-yard gain and first down at the UNM 23. Hanie's next pass intended for Korey Sperry sailed out of the right corner of the endzone and was uncathable. Damon Walker ran for two yards to the UNM 21. Hanie had Damon Morton relatively open on a fade route in the left corner of the endzone, but the receiver dropped the ball.

Colorado State's Jason Smith hit a 38-yard field goal to push the Rams ahead 13-10 with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had some techincal difficulties and am back a little late from halftime.

The Lobos couldn't score on the opening drive, and Coloraoad State just crossed midfield on its first possession of the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos returned the ball to their 20. Donovan Porterie's first pass was complete to Marcus Smith on the right side for a 20-yard gain but there was flag on the play. UNM was called for a personal foul and the gain was erased. Porterie's next pass intended for Smith up the right side of the field was overthrown and fell incomplete. It brought up second-and-10 at the UNM 25. Porterie's next pass intended for Travis Brown on the left side was high. It brought up third-and-10 for the Lobos. There was a flag on the next play. UNM moved back again after being called for false start. It brought up third-and-15 at the Lobos' 20. Rodney Ferguson ran for no gain on the next play.

Colorado State called timeout to stop the clock with 36 seconds left in the half.

Jordan Scott's punt went out of bounds at the 38 with 29 seconds left in the half. Herbert Felder sacked Caleb Hanie for a loss of nine yards on the first play of the drive. CSU called timeout to stop the clock at 14 seconds. DeAndre Wright patted away Hanie's next pass intended for Dustin Obsorn. It brought up third-and-19 with eight seconds left. Hanie ran for eight yards as the clock ran out in the second quarter. UNM called a timeout just before time ran out to make CSU punt. Hanie ran the ball on fourth down for a 12-yard gain and a meaningless first down as time ran out in the half.

The curse of the second quarter struck again for the Lobos and the momentum they picked up the first quarter was erased. The good news is they only go into halftime tied at 10 instead of down 14 points. We'll see how they pick up in the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos took a knee in the endzone and started the next drive at their 20.

Donovan Porterie's pass was intended to Travis Brown, but it was thrown into heavy traffic on the right sideline and fell incomplete after Brown tipped it. Rodney Ferguson ran up the middle on the next play for a gain of three yards. It brought up a quick third-and-seven at the UNM 23. The Lobos fumbled on the snap, but Porterie recovered the ball for a loss of two yards.

New Mexico quickly punted. Damon Morten returned it to the UNM 45, but there was a flag on the play. Colorado State was called for an illegal block to the back and was bounced back to its 30-yard line to start the drive.

Caleb Hanie's pass was complete to Dustin Osborn for no gain. Hanie scrambled out of pressure on the right side of the field and ran the opposite direction across the field for a gain of nine yards. It was the Rams' longest rush from scrimmage today. Nnamdi Ohaeri ran for two yards on the next play and a first down at the CSU 41.

Hanie threw the ball out of bounds to the right side on the next play. He didn't have a ton of pressure, so I'm not sure if that was intentional or the ball just caught extra air. Hanie danced in the shotgun pocket and was sacked for a loss of four yards. It brought up third-and-14 at the CSU 37. Hanie dropped back and completed a pass to Damon Morton in triple coverage. It slipped through George Carter's hands and was quite a reception. The Rams moved all the way to the UNM 37 on the play.

Morton took a direct snap on the next play and gained three yards. It brought up second-and-seven at the UNM 32. DeAndre Wright broke up Hanie's long pass attempt near the endzone, but it looked like he could have picked it off if he had not chosen to bat it down. It brought up third-and-seven at the UNM 32. Hanie's next pass was intended for Luke Roberts, but it was broken up by Glover Quin. It brought up fourth-and-seven at the 32.

CSU's Jason Smith completed a 49-yard field goal, a career long. It tied the game at 10 with 1:36 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caleb Hanie started the drive with an eight-yard pass. Then Hanie handed off to Nnamdi Ohaeri, who ran for a first down the UNM 43. Hanie then picked up a huge pass across the the middle for a gain of 19 yards. It brought up a first down at the UNM 24. Damon Morton ran to the left side on the next play and gained eight yards to the UNM 16. Hanie's next pass into the far right corner of the endzone was covered well by Glover Quin and fell incomplete. Ohaeri carried on the next play, a third-and-two, and gained eight yards. It brought up first-and-goal at the nine. Brett Madsen was injured on the play and was helped off the field.

Hanie's next pass was complete to Kory Sperry, who gained four yards. Ohaeri ran for one yard on the next play, bringing up third-and-goal at the 4-yard line. Hanie's next pass was complete to Morton for a four-yard touchdown. Morton slipped behind Tyson Ditmore on the left side and caught the touchdown strike over his shoulder. Colorado State hit the extra point, making the score 10-7 with 7:58 left in the second quarter.

The press box announcer just reported Colorado State starting receiver Johnny Walker has a rib and chest bruise. He is being evaluated and it is unclear whether he will return this game.

Posted by ilimon at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson carried on the first play for one yard. He stumbled and ran right into traffic going up the middle. Porterie dropped back to pass to Marcus Smith and was nearly picked off. Smith was covered well and the pass was a little behind him. It brought up third-and-nine at the UNM 22. Poterie overthrew Smith on the right side, forcing UNM to punt.

Jordan Scott punted and CSU took a fair catch at its 43-yard line.

Porterie had good coverage, he just was a little off this series.

Posted by ilimon at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CSU returned the kickoff from the endzone 18 yards to open the second quarter.

Caleb Hanie's first pass was complete to Damon Morton for a gain of 10 yards. Nnamdi Ohaeri ran on the next play, but Tyler Donaldson dropped him for a loss of one. Hanie had a lot time in the pocket and completed his next pass to Walker, who gained eight yards on the play. It brought up third-and-three at the CSU 35. Hanie's pass intended for Kory Sperry was behind him and fell incomplete, forcing another CSU punt.

Thomas Wilson evaded one tackle after the catch and ran the punt back to the UNM 31-yard line.A penalty was called on UNM for a block to the back, pushing the Lobos back to their 21-yard line to start the drive.

Posted by ilimon at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson carried on the first play, but he was stopped for no gain. Ferguson ran to the middle instead of the left side where it looked like he would have more room and gained four yards. It brought up third-and-six. There was a flag on the next play. It was false start on New Mexico, boucning the Lobos back for third-and-11 at their 19. Donovan Porterie kept the drive alive by hitting Thomas Wilson across the middle for a 13-yard gain. Porterie's getting good protection so far today and making the most of it.

Porterie's next pass to Travis Brown was complete for a 14-yard gain. It gave the Lobos a first down at their 46. Porterie handed off to Martelius Epps, selling the drop back for the pass first, but the Rams weren't fooled. Epps was stopped for no gain and really had nowhere to go on the carry. Ferguson stumbled to start the next run, then regained his footing and broke off a 25-yard gain. It gave UNM a first down at CSU's 28.

Epps carried on the next play for four yards. Epps carried again, this time running to the far left side for a gain of two yards. It brought up third-and-four at the CSU 22. Porterie threw into traffic to Marcus Smith, but it broken up by Ram Darryl Williams.

Kenny Byrd stepped up for a 39-yard field goal with one second left in the first quarter. It was good, pushing the Lobos ahead 10-0. Byrd has hit 21 straight field goals inside the 40-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Rams started again on their 20.

Caleb Hanie connected with Johnny Walker for an 11-yard pass, moving the ball to the 31-yard line. Nnamdi Ohaeri ran on the next play to the right side for a gain of eight. Ohaeri ran again, this time up the middle, and got three yards on the play.

Hanie passed on the next play to Walker on the left side, gaining nine yards on the play. Ohaeri ran to the left on the next play, but he was stuffed for a loss of one. It brought up third-and-two on the 50-yard line for the Rams. Hanie overthrew Dustin Osborn on the next play, forcing Colorado State to punt.

Thomas Wilson took a fair catch at the UNM 20-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 03:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie connected with Travis Brown for a seven-yard catch to start the drive. Then Rodney Ferguson danced for a first down, gaining five yards in traffic. Marcus Smith carried on the next play for two yards. Porterie's next pass was complete to Jason Caprioli, who was tackled immediately after catching the ball and gained three yards. It brought up third-and-five. Porterie rolled out and hit Marcus Smith for a 13-yard gain and first down at the CSU 25.

Porterie's next pass intended for Smith sailed way high out of the endzone, but there was a flag on the play. I'm not sure how it could be considered a catchable ball, but pass interference was called on the Rams. It gave New Mexico first and goal at the 10. Ferguson rushed for seven yards on the next play, He seems to be bouncing off defenders well today. Ferguson was dropped for a loss of two on the next carry. Both runs were to the right side, and the Rams were ready for the second one. Ferguson changed it up for a five-yard touchdown run up the midde. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point but there was a flag on the play. It was an offsides penalty on CSU but UNM declined the penalty, giving the Lobos a 7-0 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter.

The Lobos moved the ball well and seemed to handle CSU's pressure. It's a really good start for New Mexico, which could pick up a huge psychological edge if it jumps out to a big lead after the Rams have struggled so much lately. We'll see what happens on the next CSU drive.

Posted by ilimon at 03:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CSU started at its 20. The Rams carried three times, with receiver Johnny Walker taking a direct snap on third-and-eight. Walker was dropped for a four-yard loss. The Rams punted and Thomas Wilson ran it back to the the UNM 44.

It was a strange start for Colorado State that gave UNM nice field position.

Posted by ilimon at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not sure if our staff predictions were posted online this week, so here they are real quick:

Iliana Limon
Lobos 24
CSU 21

Van Tate
Lobos 21
CSU 14

Richard Stevens
Lobos 13
CSU 21

Posted by ilimon at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The coin toss was at the 20-yard line so the CSU band could line up for the Colorado State march into the field. Not nice.

Posted by ilimon at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a beautiful, sunny and clear day in Fort Collins. The teams are about to take the field.

Posted by ilimon at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's windy and cold. Very, very cold.

If you didn't know Bob Toledo had spent most of his career in California, you could definitely tell watching Thursday's practice. Most coaches wore sweats and jackets, but Toledo was bundled up like a kid going out in a blizzard. He was covered from head to toe and was the first guy off the field.

Speaking of blizzards, there was a blizzard warning from Fort Collins south to the New Mexico border, but the storm system should clear the area by midnight. It's supposed to be sunny and clear Friday all the way through Tuesday. The Lobos should have no problem taking off from Albuquerque Friday afternoon and I don't anticipate any problems on my drive up to Fort Collins, although I will be taking precautions and certainly heard tons of concern from friends, family and my bosses. I'm sure everyone heading to Fort Collins will be fine. Cold, but fine.

UNM has made it official and plans to stream the UNM-CSU game live on golobos.com. The game will not air on the Mountain or CSTV and Colorado State is not streaming it live online. UNM does not have access to the Colorado State stadium cameras, so school officicals will streaming the feed from the Lobos coaches scouting camera. There will not be any play-by-plays streamed with it and the only audio will be crowd noise and the stadium camera.

There were no injuries during Thursday's practice. UNM coach Rocky Long had a pep talk with the travel squad at the end of practice. He has rallied the troops before the past two games, and it obviously has been effective.

That's about all for tonight. Check our Friday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage. We'll also have our staff predictions and the pre-game podcast Richard Stevens and I did breaking down the Lobos showdown at Colorado State. I'll be hitting the road early in the morning but will update this blog from Fort Collins.

Posted by ilimon at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was a close race, but New Mexico was picked finish first for the first time in school history in a preseason poll of coaches and selected members of the media. Coaches are not allowed to choose their own teams.

Dionne Marsh and Katie Montgomery landed on the preseason all conference team, which only honors the top five players and doesn't go into second, third or honorable mention groups. Marsh also was named the league's top returning player.

Tribune reporter Jeremy Fowler will be filing a story with reaction from Las Vegas, which will be posted on Lobo Zone this afternoon.

Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. New Mexico (8) 137
2. BYU (7) 134
3. TCU (4) 126
4. Utah 102
5. Wyoming 96
6. UNLV 71
7. San Diego State 41
8. Air Force 39
9. Colorado State 36

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Dionne Marsh, New Mexico
Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming
Dani Kubik Wright, BYU
Adrianne Ross, TCU
Katie Montgomery, New Mexico

Top Returning Player
Dionne Marsh, New Mexico

Top Newcomer
Justyna Podziemska, Wyoming

I posted my ballot on my blog earlier this week, but keep reading to see my picks again and see how they compare to the final tally.

Share your thoughts about the final preseason rankings in the comments section of my blog.

Here was the ballot I submitted the rationale behind my vote:

MY PRESEASON TEAM RANKINGS
1. BYU
2. New Mexico
3. Utah
4. Wyoming
5. TCU
6. UNLV
7. Air Force
8. Colorado State
9. San Diego State

When I sat down to do my poll, I figured I would pick New Mexico No. 1. Then I started looking a little more closely at all the conference teams. The Lobos have the most returning talented players and it would hard to see anyone beating their top five. The problem is New Mexico is going to be relying on a lot of newcomers for depth. New Mexico has some huge questions marks after running through the top five or six players, depending on how much you figure Timi E-Nunu has improved. BYU lacks the star power, but the Cougars return the most experienced players and have the most depth in the conference. It was a really tough decision, but I had to pick BYU.

On to the individual honors.

MY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE TEAM
1. Dionne Marsh, New Mexico
2. Katie Montgomery, New Mexico
3. Dani Kubik Wright, BYU
4. Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming
5. Adrianne Ross, TCU

Top Returning Player
Dionne Marsh, New Mexico

Top Newcomer
Amy Beggin, New Mexico

The only thing I struggled with in the top five was whether to add Utah's Morgan Warburton or TCU's Adrianne Ross in the fifth spot. It's a little strange picking a player from the fifth-ranked team and leaving off one from the third-ranked, but I just think Ross is that good.

Marsh was the obvious top returning player, but the newcomer is a struggle for me every year. I follow recruiting news, but it's really hard to evaluate new players with relatively little information available. Last year's pick by the media, Mary Martha Abell, didn't do much for the Cougars. I chose Beggin because I expect her start for the Lobos by the time Mountain West Conference play rolls around. If she's the starting point guard for team that goes on to win or contend seriously for a conference championship, that's huge. I also think TCU will be loaded with the addition of Hanna Biernacka, a 6-foot-1 senior forward who transferred from LSU and must sit out the first nine games under NCAA rules. Then you have to consider San Diego State picked up a ton of players who should make an immediate impact for the Aztecs.

Posted by ilimon at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There still is no television broadcast scheduled for Saturday's game, although some rumors circulated that KRQE-News 13 could potentially pick up the game. It is my understanding from listening to a teleconference with Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson that no local stations can pick up TV coverage of the game because of a non-compete clause in the league's contract with CSTV. The New Mexico game will be played at the same time as another MWC game on the Mountain, so the New Mexico game can't be broadcast on TV. It would be deemed competition for the Mountain.

Colorado State officials have opted not to use the stadium cameras to stream the game live online. To be fair, this is a lot of work when the media relations staff may not have the technical skills or enough people to make it happen. People at UNM medial relations still are working on streaming video from the Lobos' coaches' camera, but they won't know for sure whether it will work until just before kickoff. UNM does not have access to Colorado State's stadium cameras and only available sound from the stadium (whatever the camera naturally picks up) will be heard online.

Sophomore wide receiver Glover Quin, who sat out Tuesday night's practice with a headache, was cleared to work out Wednesday. Quin had suffered a hard hit to the head during Monday's practice, so trainers were concerned about him. When he went inside during Tuesday's practice, he said he felt sick, but a series of tests ruled out any problems. The trainers won't let him take any hits during practices this week, but he has been cleared to play at Colorado State Saturday.

The Lobos seemed to be making good progress installing their game plan on both sides of the ball. On defense, even when the players missed tackles they were running hard.

The weather forcast calls for snow tomorrow in Fort Collins, but the weather should be clear by Saturday afternoon. Those same regional weather shift could be problematic for Thursday afternoon's practice here in Albuquerque, The forecast calls from rain. I'll bundle up and see if the Lobos can squeeze in a full workout.

I had planned to post an audio interview with DeAndre Wright, but the sound was a little shaky so I went with an interview I did with redshirt freshman quarterback Donovan Porterie. I think the people who download the audio win out in this deal. You download the interview by visiting the audio section of Lobo Zone.

That's all for tonight. Check out Thursday's Tribune for more football news.

Posted by ilimon at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today was the big media day for both New Mexico and Colorado State football teams. The Lobos sound like an upbeat team that doesn't want their winning streak to stop at two games. The Rams sound like a beat up team desperate to end their losing streak at two games. Sounds like a fun collision in Fort Collins.

The Lobos may riding high, but cornerback DeAndre Wright said every day is still brutal for him. Wright converted from safety to cornerback before the start of the season. He said the coaches drill the team every day, making game days light compared to the challenges they face in practice.

The Rams aren't looking forward to seeing Wright and the Lobos' defense. New Mexico is known for flying around on the field and keeping offenses guess. The Lobos also look to pressure the quarterback, forcing him to make mistakes. "To be honest with you, I call it organized chaos," Colorado State offensive tackle Clint Oldenburg said. The Rams have suffered a lot injuries, losing several starting offensive linemen. Oldenberg said the new starters barely got used to the regular formations, muchless the adjustments they will have to make for New Mexico's defense.

Colorado State is dealing with a lengthy injury list, which doesn't include the loss of star running back Kyle Bell, who suffered a season-ending knee injury before the Rams' played a snap this season. Center Nick Allotta (left foot) is doubtful after being injured against Wyoming. Defensive end Jesse Nading (right ankle), offensive tackle Dane Stratton (left knee) and safety Mike Pagnotta (left knee) are doubtful. All three missed the Wyoming game. Pagnotta was Colorado State's leading tackler. Defensive tackle Erik Sandie (left knee) is questionable, while cornerback Joey Rucks (right ankle) is listed as probable. Sandie and Rucks also missed the Wyoming game.

Cornerback Glover Quin was the only Lobo to miss practice due to injury Tuesday. UNM head trainer Dave Binder said he decided to send Quin in because he had a headache. It wasn't clear whether a hard hit he suffered Monday caused the problem. Binder said team doctors would check on Quin after practice.

UNM officials said they are still working on getting the coaches camera set up to stream the Colorado State game live on the Web. It would be a very primitive broadcast, but it's better than than vno isual cues at all. The game will be not be broadcast on television and the Colorado State will not be using stadium cameras to stream the game. The UNM media relations staff members won't know if they can pull off the broadcast until they plug the cables in on game day.

And here's the Rams' quirky stat of the week: Colorado State is 3-0 in its green and gold uniforms and 1-3 in its white uniforms. The Rams should be wearing home colors, the lucky green and gold, against the Lobos.

That's all for today. Check out the audio section of Lobo Zone tonight of audio from coach Rocky Long's interview with print and radio reporters during his weekly media lunch. Then check the same area Wednesday morning my full interview with DeAndre Wright.

Posted by ilimon at 06:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm going to roll out a hand grenade and reveal my pre-season Mountain West Conference picks. The team rankings and individual honors voted on by selected members of the media will be announced Thursday afternoon.

MY PRESEASON TEAM RANKINGS
1. BYU
2. New Mexico
3. Utah
4. Wyoming
5. TCU
6. UNLV
7. Air Force
8. Colorado State
9. San Diego State

When I sat down to do my poll, I figured I would pick New Mexico No. 1. Then I started looking a little more closely at all the conference teams. The Lobos have the most returning talented players and it would hard to see anyone beating their top five. The problem is New Mexico is going to be relying on a lot of newcomers for depth. New Mexico has some huge questions marks after running through the top five or six players, depending on how much you figure Timi E-Nunu has improved. BYU lacks the star power, but the Cougars return the most experienced players and have the most depth in the conference. It was a really tough decision, but I had to pick BYU.

On to the individual honors.

MY PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE TEAM
1. Dionne Marsh, New Mexico
2. Katie Montgomery, New Mexico
3. Dani Kubik Wright, BYU
4. Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming
5. Adrianne Ross, TCU

Top Returning Player
Dionne Marsh, New Mexico

Top Newcomer
Amy Beggin, New Mexico

The only thing I struggled with in the top five was whether to add Utah's Morgan Warburton or TCU's Adrianne Ross in the fifth spot. It's a little strange picking a player from the fifth-ranked team and leaving off one from the third-ranked, but I just think Ross is that good.

Marsh was the obvious top returning player, but the newcomer is a struggle for me every year. I follow recruiting news, but it's really hard to evaluate new players with relatively little information available. Last year's pick by the media, Mary Martha Abell, didn't do much for the Cougars. I chose Beggin because I expect her start for the Lobos by the time Mountain West Conference play rolls around. If she's the starting point guard for team that goes on to win or contend seriously for a conference championship, that's huge. I also think TCU will be loaded with the addition of Hanna Biernacka, a 6-foot-1 senior forward who transferred from LSU and must sit out the first nine games under NCAA rules. Then you have to consider San Diego State picked up a ton of players who should make an immediate impact for the Aztecs.

OK, so what do you think? Give me your picks and the rationale behind your team and individual rankings. We'll see how we all did Thursday afternoon when the official media poll is released.

Posted by ilimon at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

UNM coach Don Flanagan has scheduled another open scrimmage. It will be Saturday at 5 p.m. Unfortuantely, I'll most likely be watching the fourth quarter of the UNM football team's game at Colorado State during tipoff, but it's a good chance for everyone else to see the Lobos.

Posted by ilimon at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What a difference one game can make.

The crisp passing from the second half of the Utah game made a return appearance at Monday night's practice. Donovan Porterie hit a bunch of receivers. When his arm is off, he's starting to be ahead instead of behind his receivers. That's good because they can usually lean out and adjust pretty easily.

The long weekend was good for the Lobos. The long list of injured players following the Utah game, which included a lot of guys who would have missed one or two practices, was erased by Monday night's practice. Everyone worked out.

Poterie said his left ankle, which he sprained against UNLV and re-injured against Utah is feeling better. He said he spent a lot time going to the trainers for therapy during the weekend. Cody Kase, who wasn't even on the injury list, said he was glad to get some extra time to let his hamstring heal. Kase suffered the injury earlier this season. And Bob Toledo said John Mulchrone also should get a big boost off the time off. Mulchrone has been battling an ankle injury and probably could have padded Porterie's passing stats, but he wasn't mobile enough for the Utah game. Mulchrone should get in on more plays this week.

Toledo said, aside from the win itself, the biggest the he got out of the Utah win was his players' attention. He said the second half was a snapshot of what his West Coast offense can do when players buckle down and run it well. "Now I've got their attention," he said. "They got proof that if you do what the coaches tell you to do out there, we can make some really good things happen. And we can win."

That's all for now. Check out Tuesday's Tribune for loads more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM athletics plans on having UNM point guard Katie Montgomery do a live chat from the Mountain West Conference media day in Las Vegas Wednesday. You can visit this page on www.golobos.com to submit questions in advance. It would be pretty cool if a lot of fans participated because most of the women's basketball players don't get hit up for a lot of questions at the media day and spend a lot of time sitting around.

I won't be attending media day because I've still got to deal with football, but Tribune reporter Jeremy Fowler will be handling both men's and women's basketball coverage in Vegas. I trust he'll do a good job.

Posted by ilimon at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As previously reported, there's no TV coverage planned for the New Mexico-Colorado State game. The game was not picked up by CSTV, Versus or the Mountain. The game can't be picked up by local TV because CSTV owns the rights and the broadcast would conflict with the other Mountain West Conference games on the air this weekend. The Colorado State staff also isn't planning to broadcast the New Mexico-CSU game using stadium cameras, so UNM officials are working on using a single camera in the visiting coaches' box to broadcast the game. The video will not have any audio streamed with it. We'll know more later this week whether UNM can pull it off.

You can sign up for text message and e-mail alerts from the Tribune and also get a running play-by-play and analysis on this blog.

In other news, Donovan Porterie was named Mountain West Conference player of the week for his performance in the Lobos' win over Utah.

That's all for now. Check back for more after tonight's football practice, which runs from 6:30-8 p.m.

Posted by ilimon at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I casts a vote weekly in the NCAA college football Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine Bowl Championship Series standings. The standings are used to award spots in the BCS bowl games and name a national champion. Here are my picks this week:

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Michigan
4. West Virginia
5. Texas
6. Louisville
7. Auburn
8. Tennessee
9. Notre Dame
10. Florida
11. Cal
12. Clemson
13. LSU
14. Boise State
15. Arkansas
16. Rutgers
17. Oklahoma
18. Boston College
19. Wisconsin
20. Missouri
21. Georgia Tech
22. Nebraska
23. Texas A&M
24. Wake Forest
25. Oregon

I was not part of the flock that jumped Michigan ahead of USC. I just don't see the logic behind Michigan suddenly surging while USC has a bye week and still hasn't lost.

Let me know what you think and what you have changed on my ballot.

Posted by ilimon at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had scheduled a trip home to visit family in El Paso this weekend knowing the football team would not be practicing, then women's basketball coach Don Flanagan announced his open scrimmages. I decided to go ahead with my plans and will miss both scrimmages. I know it's disappointing, but I'm sure I will more than make it up to you all in the next few weeks and during the season.

I did write a preview of the scrimmages focusing on Angela Hartill, who will have to loom much larger for the Lobos this season. She did her part with a grueling off-season conditioning program. And I hear she did well in the first scrimmage.

I'd love to hear some scrimmage reports from blog readers. Fill me in on what I missed. I'll be back soon and have loads of women's basketball coverage for you all season.

Posted by ilimon at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I'm still impressed with what the UNM offense was able to pull off during the second half Thursday night against Utah. It was better than I had even seen them perform in practice. I hope this group sticks around because it could be a lot of fun wathcing it the rest of the season.

What do you think? Is this a taste of the future or should be we cautious in our expectations. Share your thoughts in the comments section.

We've got our post-game stories on Lobo Zone and Tribune photographs Craig Fritz and Erin Fredrichs also put together an awesome multimedia slide show (it includes great audio) you definitely should check out. I also posted Rocky Long's post-game comments to the media, so there's a lot of ways to enjoy the recap.

Posted by ilimon at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Brice McCain returned the kickoff to the Utah 34. The Utes get the ball with 1:55 left in the game.

Brett Ratliff hit Brian Hernandez for an 11-yard gain. He hit Hernandez for a five yard play. The clock stopped at 1:32 due to an injured Utah player. Ratliff just barely overthrew Derrek Richards. It brought up third-and-five at the Utah 49 with 1:27 left. Ratliff's pass appeared to be intercepted but there was some debate. The officials ruled it was complete to Bradon Godfrey for three yards, to bring up fourth-and-two with 1:03 left. Utah called timeout. On the next play, Ratliff kept the ball and did not appear to get the first down. The clock stopped at 1:00 and the Utes got a good spot. It was one yard short and the Lobos took over on downs. It's their game. All they have to do is protect the ball for one minute.

I gotta ask who are these guys? They don't even run this well in practice. This was a huge night for the offense. I'm heading down to the locker room for reaction. Check Lobo Zone for a story very soon.

Posted by ilimon at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith ran the kickoff back to the UNM 22.

Rodney Ferguson carried for seven yards on the first play of the drive. The clock is down to 5:18. Ferguson ran for nine yards and a clock-stopping first down. It moved the ball to the UNM 43 with 4:51 left. Porterie's pass was complete Marcus Smith, who had a nice 18-yard catch. Porterie traversed the backfield and was eventually sacked for a loss of two yards. Porterie's pass was complete to Ferguson who stayed on his feet for a three-yard gain under pressure. It brought up a big third-and-nine with 3:57 left. Porterie scrambled and ran for 16 yards before sliding down safely without being tackled. Porterie's pass to Marcus Smith was a little short and incomplete. It brought up second-and-10 at the Utah 27 with 3:25 left in the game. Ferguson ran for 18 yards to the Utah 9. Porterie hit Travis Brown for an eight yard gain, bringing up second-and-goal at the one with 2:29 left. Epps ran to the right side for a one-yard touchdown. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point and UNM jumped back ahead 34-31 with 2:09 left.

Posted by ilimon at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett Ratlliff ran for five yards, bringing up second-and-goal at the three. Ratliff's pass to Wilson was incomplete, bringing up third and goal. Ratliff's pass was complete to Brian Hernandez in the back of the endzone. The officials reversed the play on the field and called the pass incomplete. Then the play was under review. It doesn't look like a touchdown, but it's a tough call. It was finally ruled a touchdown. Utah earned the extra point and collected a 31-27 lead with 6:18 left in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Utah lost another player. Running back Darryl Poston is out with a knee injury and is not expected to return. That hurts. He had two touchdowns.

Rodney Ferguson ran on the first play of the drive for a loss of two. The Lobos have to be careful not to lose their aggression cause there's a lot of time left. Donovan Porterie rolled out to pass and hit Travis Brown on the sideline for a gain of 17 yards. Porterie pitched to Martelius Epps, who ran for five yards on the play. It brought up second and five at the UNM 40. Robert Turner jumped offsides, so UNM faced second and 10 at the UNM 35. Porterie's pass intended for Luke Walters was incomplete and it was surprising there was no flag on the play. Porterie's pass intended for Thomas Wilson. sailed high and was intercepted by Eric Shyne. He was tackled on the return by Robert Turner. There was personal foul penalty called on UNM, giving the Lobos a loss of 15.

Posted by ilimon at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kenny Byrd got in the way on Brice McCain's kickoff return, saving a touchdown. McCain ran it back 54 yards to the UNM 46.

Brent Casteel took the option pitch for three yards. Brett Ratliff's next pass was tipped by Quincy Black but fell incomplete. It brought up a big third-and-seven. Ratliff's best pass was overthrown and intended for Brian Hernandez. Utah punted for a touchback and UNM took over at its 20.

Posted by ilimon at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran for four yards on the first play. Donovan Porterie threw a screen pass across the middle, a rare but relatively easy throw, and hit Travis Brown for a gain of 21 yards. The Lobos moved to the Utah 41. Porterie threw across the middle again to Brown for eight yards. Ferguson ran again, for one yard. It brought up third-and-one. Ferguson ran again but was dropped for a loss of one. The Lobos called timeout and went for it. Porterie's pass intended to Brown was incomplete, but Utah's Eric Weddle was called for pass interference on the play and the Lobos earned a first down at the 29. Ferguson carried for a six-yard gain. Porterie was in the pocket but waited a little too long and made a smart move to throw the ball away. He could have run for a first down but, as I said, he waited too long. It brought up third-and-four at the Utah 23. Ferguson broke a lot of tackles, at least three, for a 17-yard gain. It brought up first-and-goal at the five. Porterie threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Brown.

Kenny Byrd hit the extra point, pushing the Lobos ahead 27-24 with 10:20 left in the fourth quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett Ratliff's pass deep to Derrek Richards was incomplete, and Glover Quin was credited with breaking up the pass. It looked like Ratliff was wide open for a huge run going the other way.

Utah punted 19 yards and UNM takes over at its 34.

Posted by ilimon at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kenny Byrd earned a touchback, and Utah started on its 20.

Brett Ratliff completed his first pass of the drive to Marquis Wilson for a six-yard gain. Darryl Poston ran on the next play for no gain. It brought up third-and-six at the Utah 26. Ratliff's pass was complete to Wilson, who gained six yards and a first down at the Utah 32. Ratliff kept the ball for a nine-yard gain on the play. Poston ran but there was a holding penalty on Utah, pushing the Utes back to second-and-eight at the 34. Ratliff completed his next pass for five yards to Derrek Richards. It brought up third-and-three. Ratliff hit Freddie Brown for a six-yard gain. Then Poston picked up five yards. Poston ran again for a loss of three yards. It brought up third-and-eight and the end of the third quarter.

Utah's starting defensive tackle Kelly Talavou injured his knee and will not return.

Posted by ilimon at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie hit Marcus Smith for 36 yards, picking apart Utah's secondary again. Martelius Epps was in serious danger of getting dropped for at least a five yard loss but worked hard for a three-yard gain on the next carry. Porterie found Travis Brown open on the right side again for a 14-yard gain to the Utah 14. Rodney Ferguson ran on the next play for six yards. Ferguson carried again, this time for three yards to bring up third-and-one at the Utah 4. Porterie kept it for two yards. Epps was stuck in the backfield again, this time he couldn't shake off tackles and was dropped for a loss of one yard. It could have been worse, but it wasn't pretty either. Porterie's pass was incomplete to Matt Quillen, bringing up third-and-goal at the four. Porterie gave an option toss to Epps on the left side, but it was dropped for a loss of one. Kenny Byrd hit a 21-yard field goal.

The Lobos are exploding on offense, showing their best effort of the season. This is an unbelievable turnaround. It's huger than UNLV because the offense is doing the scoring, although a TD obviously would have been better on that play.

Posted by ilimon at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Utes took a knee in the endzone and will start at their 20. Looks like Kenny Byrd definitely got some halftime help from the training staff because he's kicking a lot better.

Mike Liti gained three yards on the first play. Brett Ratliff overthrew Brent Casteel, who was on pace to catch the ball and go out at the UNM 40. Instead, the Utes faced third-and-seven. Ratliff completed his next pass to Casteel for 38 yards. Blake Ligon fell down on the coverage. Liti ran for six on the next play to the UNM 34. Casteel carried on the next play and was stuffed by the UNM defense for a one-yard gain. The Utes faced third-and-four at the UNM 33. Ratliff's pass intended to Casteel was incomplete, bringing up fourth-and-four. The Utes went for it. Ratliff's pass intended to Derrek Richards was incomplete. DeAndre Wright covered the play well.

UNM takes over on downs at its 33.

Posted by ilimon at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie's pass was complete to Thomas Wilson, who gained seven yards on the play. Rodney Ferguson ran down the middle for a gain of two yards. It's third-and-a-long one at the Utah 47. Ferguson ran outside and dove for the first down, finishing with four yards on the play.

Porterie pased to Marcus Smith, sniffing out blown coverage. Smith ran down the right side for a 42-yard touchdown. He shook off two tackles, but it didn't look like Smith scored and the play was reviewed. It looked like he was out around the one-yard line from my view of the Mountain's telecast. It's looked like bad camera work, so the play stood. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point, making the score New Mexico 17, Utah 24 with 11:23 left in the third quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lobos kicked off to open the second half. Kenny Byrd, who probably got some IV help at halftime, earned a touchback.

Darryl Poston ran for four yards on the first play of the drive. Poston ran again for a loss of one. Looks like the UNM D may have regrouped at the half. Brett Ratliff's pass was incomplete and was nearly picked off by OJ Swift.

The Utes punted and downed it at the UNM 45.

Tonight's attendance was a season-low 23,471. It is the lowest since Nov. 4, 2000.

Posted by ilimon at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie rolled out and completed a 14-yard pass to Travis Brown. The two are heating up tonight. Porterie's pass was on target to Chris Mark, but he missed it and Utah strangely did not gra an easy pick. Porterie's screen pass was complete to Rodney Ferguson, who gained 13 yards but ran slowly and took a lot of time off the clock.

New Mexico took a timeout with nine seconds left, giving it time to regroup.

Porterie completed his next pass to Thomas Wilson for 17 yards and stopped the clock with two seconds left.

Even though Kenny Byrd was suffering from flu-like symptoms and has had trouble hitting the endzone on kickofs, the Lobos attempted a 62-yard field goal. It was way short and Utah's Eric Weddle attempted to run it back but was stopped around the 10-yard line.

It's the end of the first half and UNM trails 24-10.

Posted by ilimon at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kenny Byrd kicked the ball out again, so Utah stared at its 35. Brett Ratliff's pass was complete to Brent Casteel for a gain of 21 yards. And the Utes are suddenly back in Lobo territory at the 44. Ratliff's next pass was incomplete. Mike Liti ran for six yards on the next play, bringing up third-and-four. The Lobos tipped Ratliff's next pass and nearly earned an interception but couldn't hang onto the ball in the crowd. DeAndre Wright blocked it and Quincy Black missed the grab.

The Utes punted and the Lobos took a fiar catch at the Utah 10-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marus Smith returned the ball from the endzone to the UNM 17.

Donovan Porterie threw across the middle, but it was ahead of John Mulchrone and fell incomplete. Porterie's next pass intended for Smith on the right sideline was incomplete, bringing up third-and-10. There was a flag on the next play, which wnet against the Lobos. They are facing third-and-15 at the 12. Porterie completed his next pass deep across the middle to Travis Brown for a 40-yard gain. That was huge. It should be a confidence booster.

The next play was an end-around by Brown, who gained eight yards on the play. Porterie's next pass to Smith was complete for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

Kenny Byrd's extra point was good.

The Lobos finally came to life on offense, just when they desperately needed it.

The Lobos now trail Utah 24-10 with 2:08 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett Ratliff's first pass was complete to Derrek Richards for a seven-yard gain. Darryl Poston ran for seven more yards to the Utah 19.

Brent Casteel was able to turn the corner in the backfield and pick up an eight yard rushing gain. Ratliff scrambled and held on to the ball for what seemed like an eternity. He was tackled for no gain. The Utah offensive line dug in and perhaps held Lobos on the play, allowing Ratliff to gain 10 yards on the play. It brought up a first down at the Utah 37. Mike Liti carried for three yards on the next play. Liddy carried again, this time gaining four yards. It brought up third-and-three, but Ratliff completed his next pass to Derrek Richards for 17 yards. Sean Smith picked up nine yards on a reverse play, plowing ahead to the UNM 29. Poston ran for four yards on the next play. Ratliff connected with a wide open Richards for a 26-yard touchdown. The extra point is good, pushing Utah up 24-3 with 3:27 left in the second quarter.

It's looking pretty ugly for the Lobos if they can't come up with a huge turnaround at halftime.

Posted by ilimon at 08:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos need some help on this drive.

Glover Quin got off to a good starter, returning the ball from the goal line to the UNM 30-yard line.

Donovan Porterie pitched to Martelius Epps, who ran for a loss of two on the slow developing play. It brought up second-and-12 at the UNM 28. Porterie stepped back to throw, ran away from pressure and threw out of bounds near Travis Brown. It brought up third-and-12 at the 28. Porterie had a lot of time and settled on Rodney Ferguson, for a gain of two yards.

So it's another punt for the Lobos in their territory.

After going so stinky on the last few punts, Jordan Scott punted for 65 yards and the Lobos downed it at the Utah five.

Posted by ilimon at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett Ratliff had a ton of time in the pocket and completed an 12-yard pass to Colt Sampson. It pushed the ball the UNM 29. Darryl Poston ran for six yards on the next play to the UNM 23. Poston ran again for seven yards. Ratliff kept the ball on the next play, gaining eight yards. Poston ran for an eight-yard touchdown. The Utes hit the extra point, extending their lead to 17-3 with 9:45 in the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos were called for a personal foul on the kickoff return, pushing the ball back to UNM's 17.

Martelius Epps ran for one yard to the UNM 18. Donovan Porterie was catching heat up the middle, so he threw a bad screen pass to Rodney Ferguson he was lucky didn't get picked off and only was incomplete. It brought up third-and-nine at the UNM 18. Porterie's pass went through Thomas Wilson's hands and almost was picked off by Utah.

Jordan Scott punted from the Lobos' 6. The punt was worth 42 yards and Maquis Wilson returned it to the UNM 41. This obviously doesn't help the Lobos' defense.

Posted by ilimon at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos nearly picked up an interception, but Brett Ratliff's pass was complete to Bradon Godfrey for a gain of 23 yards and moving the ball the UNM 6-yard line. Ratliff carried on the next play for a gain of three yards. Darryl Poston carried for one yard, bringing up third-and-goal at the UNM two. Ratliff's pass was batted down by Kendall Briscoe, bringing up fourth and goal at the two. Louie Sakoda hit a 19-yard field goal, pushing the Utes up 10-3.

At least the Lobos didn't give up a touchdown.

This could be a long night for the Lobos if the defense can't make some stops and force some turnovers. A little scoring wouldn't hurt either.

Posted by ilimon at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brent Casteel ran for seven yards, then Darryl Poston picked up another two yards. The officials measured his run just inches short of a first down. It brought up third-and-one at the UNM 27. The Lobos needed a big stop. Utah was slapped with a delay of game penalty, pushing the Utes back to third-and-six at the 32. Brett Ratliff completed his pass to Casteel for four yards. The Utes faced fourth-and-one at the UNM 28, but Utah called timeout. Ratliff carried on the play for a gain of one yard.The officials measured and he got the first down, much to the dismay of the relatively small UNM crowd.

There were flags on the next play. Utah was offsides again, bringing up first and 15 at the UNM 32. Casteel carried on the next play, for a gain of three yards. It brought up the end of the first quarter, with the Utes driving the Lobos in danger of falling further behind.

Posted by ilimon at 07:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Martelius Epps ran for eight yards on the first play, shaking off a guy to get a good gain. Epps ran again fora gain of one yard, bringing up third-and-one at the UNM 29. Donovan Porterie fumbled on the play and recovered his own bobble. Utah was credited with a sack by Martaill Burnett for a loss of seven yards.

Jordan Scott put up a bad punt, which bounced back and was downed for 15 yards.

Posted by ilimon at 07:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kenny Byrd was suffering from flu-like symptons and spent the day in the UNM training room getting treatment. He is off to a good start so far.

Utah earned a touchback on kickoff and the Lobos will start at their 20.

Posted by ilimon at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Darryl Poston opened the Utes' drive with a run for a three-yard gain. Poston ran again, this time gaining for four yards. Brett Ratliff carried for a four-yard gain and a first down to the Utah 47. Ratliff passed to Derrek Richards for a gain of 10ish. The officials went to measure it. It was good for 10 yards. There was an offsides penalty on the play, but the Utes took the first down off the pass. Mike Liti ran for a gain of two on the play. Poston ran on the next play for a loss of one yard on the play, bringing up third-and-nine at the UNM 42.

Ratliff passed to Richards for a 32-yard pass. Glover Quin didn't have very good coverage on the play. Poston ran for four yard, pushing the ball to the UNM seven. Then Poston ran one more time, walking into the endzone after one stutter step to shake off a defender. Utah hit the extra point and claimed a 7-3 lead with 4:27 left in the first quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The UNM women's basketball team was introduced during the lag between the field goal and kickoff. The players got rousing cheers.

Kenny Byrd kicked the ball out of bounds, so Utah will start at its 35.

Posted by ilimon at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran for three yards to open the drive. Martelius Epps ran for a gain of eight yards and a first down. Donovan Porterie completed a nice pass down the right sideline to Travis Brown for 27 yards, moving the Lobos to the Utah 37. Porterie passed to the right again to Paul Baker, who gained 18 yards to the Utah 19-yard line. Epps ran for two yards on the next play, pushing the Lobos to the Utah 17. Ferguson was supposed to pull a halfback pass but chickened out when no one seemed open and ran for a gain of three yards. It brought up third-and-five at the Utah 14. Porterie overthrew Marcus Smith, who may not have gotten off the line quick enough or run the right route. Hard to say who messed up this time around.

Kenny Byrd stepped up for a 30-yard field goal attempt. Byrd hit it, pushing the Lobos ahead 3-0 with 8:58 left.

Posted by ilimon at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Darryl Poston ran for two yards on the Utes' first play on offense. Poston ran again for a gain of one yard. It brought up third-and-seven at the Utah 28. Brett Ratliff's pass to across the middle was incomplete.

Utah punted for 47 yards and the Lobos took a fair catch at their 25-yard line.

Both teams are living up their reputations and look pretty rough on offense.

Posted by ilimon at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran for one yard, then Donovan Porterie's first pass of the game was knocked down at the line of scrimmage. Porterie threw behind Chris Mark, who was streaking across the middle. It brought up fourth-and-nine at the 22. Jordan Scott punted for 53 yards, and Utah took a fair catch at its 25-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 07:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are on the east side instead of the west sideline because of the skermishes during the last home game. Apparently there was some problems with Wyoming's bench and the student section the east side.

New Mexico received the kickoff. The Lobos returned the ball 16 yards and start on their 21.

Posted by ilimon at 07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's about 15 minutes before kickoff and University Stadium is pretty empty. It's pretty blustery out. We'll see if we get a late rush from the tailgate lots and folks who sit in their cars until the last minute.

I'll do my best to respond to comments readers make during the game, so feel free to share your thoughts during this running play-by-play.

Richard Stevens is in the house and will be chiming in every once in awhile. And the Linz will have his post-game gems on his blog.

Posted by ilimon at 06:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today we had our big Lobo Zone preview, with tons of coverage in the print edition of the paper. Just in case you can't grab a copy, here's a run down of the stories we had in the paper:

My main story was on the offensive line, which we all know has taken a lot of heat this year for its performance.

And here are the profiles of the five starting offensive linemen.

Richard Stevens asks if Donovan Porterie is up to the task of being the spark UNM's offense needs this season.

I did an interview with UNM punter Jordan Scott, a feature we call In His Words.

I also wrote about Utah's Eric Weddle, who is drawing a lot of comparions to former Lobo Brian Urlacher.

I also compiled notes about the New Mexico-Utah game and notes from the Mountain West Conference.

And finally, we've got our Tribune staff predictions. Van Tate, our broadcast partner over at KRQE-News 13, and I picked the Lobos. The columnist you all love to hate, Richard Stevens, swears editors pressured him into picking Utah so there would be more drama. Do you buy his excuse?

That's all for now. See you a little before kickoff ...

Posted by ilimon at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was the calm before the storm, with the football team going through it's walk-through that was closed.

I wrote two stories for today's Tribune, one about the Lobos looking for more out its running game and another a feature we call Conference Chatter that runs weekly and covers Mountain West Conference news.

I thought it was interesting that the conference chooses to reprimand coaches for violating sportsmanship policy in public with news releases but disciplines its officials behind closed doors. I think the league could say one or the entire officiating crew handling this game was disciplined for these violations. I think it would give fans and coaches the impression that the refs are evaluated and are held to high standards. When everything happens behind closed doors, it fuels doubt and conspiracy theories. I knew a lot of refs growing up in El Paso and understand, as much as I can from my position, the challenges of their jobs. I'm not saying name the refs or attack them. But it would be good to say, we messed up during this game and we're going to do better in the future. This goes against the policy all conferences have, but I think the untouchable refs only fuels fans over bad calls and puts the officials in more scrutiny on refs rather than less.

What do you think? Should the conference's reprimands of refs be made public? How would you rate officiating you've seen this season?

I also wanted to mention the Trib is giving away two UNM men's basketball season tickets. It's a steal. Visit this page to register for the tickets.

That's all I have for today, but I will have tons of Lobo Zone stories in Thursday's Tribune. We'll also have our staff predictions and our pre-game podcast online.

Posted by ilimon at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So the Lobos had their last full practice of the week today before the Utah game Thursday night. They only do a walk-through on Wednesday and it's a closed practice, so this our last dose of fresh pre-game information.

The team did look sharper running their game plans today, which is good considering how little time they had to prepare. Quaterback Donovan Porterie was getting more passes on target to his receivers. He was six-for-six in the first quarter last week but those were all scripted plays. You have to figure his second through fourth quarter performance will improve with more practice and a similar game plan from last week.

Everyone practice, and Porterie is no longer limping after spraining his left ankle. John Mulchrone insisted to coaches his ankle is strong and he's good to go, but coaches will check the practice tape to make sure he wasn't limping when he thought no one was looking. He is dying to get back in the game, but they don't want to rush him back and potentially make the injury worse. It's especially tough for a senior to miss games, but another injury would keep him out for a lot longer.

UNM coach Rocky Long has a lot of chats with his team during the week, but he had a pep talk at the end of the Lobos' last full practice the Thursday before the UNLV game. He gathers the travel squad around him and gives them a good old fashioned pep talk. It worked last week, so he did it again today. He spoke for a few minutes, then a few players took over the talk, and they ended practice with an impromptu mosh pit they usually form before taking the field to get fired up before game day. The players ran off the practice field with a spring in their steps. We'll see if they go 2-for-2 after pep talks.

Here's a few game day notes for fans. The tailgate lots still open six hours before kickoff, which would be 1 p.m. Thursday. The ticket office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as usual. The box office at University Stadium opens two hours before kickoff at 5 p.m.

I'll be posting the Tribune's game predictions on Thursday morning, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. List your score and your explanation to back it up in the comments section of the blog.

That's all for now. Check out Wednesday's Trib for loads of Lobo football coverage. You also can check out the audio section of Lobo Zone Wednesday morning to listen to my interview with running back Paul Baker. And if you can't make it to the game Thursday night, you also can visit www.abqtrib.com/alert to get e-mail or text message scoring alerts. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Posted by ilimon at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Lobos are cramming away, getting ready for the Thursday showdown with Utah.

Freshman Mike Love was the only player who did not practice. With the trio of Rodney Ferguson, Martelius Epps and Paul Baker available, Love had his knee scoped last week to repair damage he suffered back in high school. He already was doing rehabilitation work Monday night, but the coaches are going to apply for a medical redshirt this season so he'll be a freshman again next year. Love should be fully recovered by spring football.

Quarterback Donovan Porterie also looked a little smoother pushing off on his left ankle, which he sprained at UNLV. Linebacker Herbert Felder practiced Monday night after sitting out Sunday night with a fever.

UNM football coach Rocky Long pointed out that although Utah has been erratic this season, the Utes are on a cycle of playing really well one week and slumping the next. Utah did not play well at Wyoming, so he said the Lobos are once again stuck with the short end of the stick.

A lot of football coaches don't send their players to class when they are playing a home game that night, but Long has always insisted player go to all scheduled classes as long as they don't conflict with warmup and kickoff. He will continue the trend Thursday and send players to class before the Utah game.

I posted the audio from UNM football coach Rocky Long's interview with print and radio reporters during his weekly media lunch Monday. It's about 40 minutes long and will take a bit of time to download, but he talks a lot of strategy and breaks down a lot of decisions he made during the UNLV game. I won't be transcribing the whole thing, so this is your chance to hear it all.

That's all for tonight. Check out Tuesday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I casts a vote weekly in the NCAA college football Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine Bowl Championship Series standings. The standings are used to award spots in the BCS bowl games and name a national champion. Here are my picks this week:

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Michigan
4. West Virginia
5. Texas
6. Louisville
7. Auburn
8. Tennessee
9. Notre Dame
10. Florida
11. Cal
12. Clemson
13. Georgia Tech
14. LSU
15. Nebraska
16. Oregon
17. Boise State
18. Arkansas
19. Oklahoma
20. Rutgers
21. Boston College
22. Iowa
23. Wisconsin
24. Missouri
25. Florida State

It was a more than a little chaotic trying to get this poll done after the Lobos won in overtime and before I caught my morning flight back to Albuquerque. But I don't think I would have changed much in my lineup.

Florida bit the dust, as most people expected it would in the talent-rich SEC. Who would have thought the Gators and the big boys in the SEC would be joining the mid majors campaigning for changing the national championship system because it's unfair?

The first BCS rankings were released this week and they don't look much like my poll. It's the joy of computer rankings, which make for some wacky rankings. I'm not sure how Tulsa slipped in there at No. 25.

Feel free to share your thoughts on my poll in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos still had a spring in their step Sunday night after their thrilling 39-36 overtime win at UNLV. A win will do that. It can change the confidence and energy level of a team. As they say, winning cures everything.

Well, not quite everything.

Quarterback Donovan Porterie suffered a sprained left ankle but is expected to play Thursday against Utah. Wide receiver Thomas Wilson had the best game of his career, grabbing three catches for 39 yards and one touchdown, but he suffered a sprained ankle. Linebacker George Carter hurt his finger, but the trainers determined he did not break it and should be able to play. And linebacker Herbert Felder was the only player to miss practice. He had a fever and trainers suspect he has strep throat, although the tests aren't back yet.

Porterie will start again this week, but UNM coach Rocky Long said the coaching staff has not named Porterie the starter until the end of the year. Long said he thought Porterie did a good job for a freshman quarterback in his first start, getting out of trouble and making some nice throws. But he also pointed out Porterie made a lot of mistakes and his assessment didn't mean Porterie was anywhere near the performance of a veteran quarterback.

We'll hear a lot this week about how the short week will affect the Lobos. Both Utah and New Mexico are coming off Saturday games, then they face off on Thursday. Long said it could be a problem for the players who are recovering from injuries and may those were a little banged up susceptible to an injury against Utah. The players also don't get a day off from practice, but Long said he thought the team was fine with the quick turnaround because it means they Friday, Saturday and Sunday off.

Long said he doesn't expect to change much of the game plan on offense and defense because there isn't quite enough time to practice and install a lot of new things.

We posted a photo gallery from the UNLV game on Lobo Zone.

That's all for tonight. Check out Monday's Tribune for loads more Lobo football coverage. Richard Stevens listened to the game on the radio and then watched a tape of all the action. We did a post-game show with our take on the overtime win, so look for that Monday morning in the audio section of Lobo Zone.

We're also still taking questions for our Ask the Coach segment. You can use the submission form on the right side of Lobo Zone or just post your questions for any of the UNM football coaches in the comments section of the blog.

Posted by ilimon at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It's really late, but I stopped by Inn and Out Burger after the game to grab a midnight snack/dinner. So this is my final Game Day (sort of since it's after Gamey Day) note.

I wrote a post-game story, which you can read here, and posted audio of my interview with Rocky Long after the big win.
we'll have a photo gallery up on Lobo Zone Sunday.

This was an unbelievable game. I don't think I've seen anything quite that dramatic in a long time. It speaks volumes about the progress the Lobos have made as a team to get into a position to win such a back-and-forth game. It also is problematic that they suffered such lapses and dug such a huge hole.

The early hours of Sunday are for celebration. I'll be back in Albuquerque Sunday afternoon to break down what happened and start talking about those erratic Utes, who visit UNM Thursday.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Posted by ilimon at 02:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Major Mosley forced the fumble and Michael Tuohy recovered the ball for the Lobos' win.

Posted by ilimon at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Kenny Byrd stepped up to attempt at 28-yard field goal. He hit it, pushing the Lobos up 39-36 with the Rebels still getting an OT possession at the 25.

Posted by ilimon at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos start at the 25-yard line.

Talk about crunch time for a rookie QB. Let's see how redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie holds up here.

Rodney Ferguson ran for three yards. Martelius Epps then ran for one yard, bringing up third and seven. UNLV broke up the next pass intended for Marcus Smith. It brought up fourth-and-seven.

UNLV's Bradley Niles is down, stopping play.

Posted by ilimon at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New Mexico starts on offense during the overtime.

Posted by ilimon at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith returned the kickoff to the 34.

Donovan Porterie ran for one yard and the Lobos called timeout with 28 seconds left.

Porterie had Marcus Smith open down field for a touchdown, but he threw it past him.

UNLV defender Starr Fuimaono nearly picked off Porterie's next attempt and could have run it back for a score.

The Lobos opted to punt on fourth-and-nine at the 35. The Lobos downed the ball at the one yard with two seconds left.

It was unbelievable the Lobos didn't call timeout because they could have gone for a safety on the play. It's real hard to get out of the endzone in that situation.

This is the Lobos' first overtime game since 2002;

Posted by ilimon at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shane Steichen hit Ryan Wolfe across the middle for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 1:07 left. The play was reviewed and upheld. Steichen hit Renan Saint Preux in the endzone for a two-point conversion. The score is tied at 36 with 1:07 left.

Posted by ilimon at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm back because UNLV is driving. The Rebels have second-and-goal at the nine. It was clear the Rebels were out of bounds on the last pass play and did not score, but the officials are reviewing the play. The ruling was upheld.

There is 1:17 left in the game, plenty of time for UNLV to score in the redzone and go for two to tie the game and force overtime. x

Posted by ilimon at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Lobos ran the ball five yards to the UNLV 17 with 2:45 left in the game.

UNM is the driver's seat. UNLV called a timeout.

Donovan Porterie ran for 12 yards on the next play. The Lobos earned a first and goal at the five with 2:39 left in the game.

Martelius Epps ran for a four-yard touchdown. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point, pushing the Lobos up 35-28 with 2:32 left in the game.

I'm heading down to the locker room to get the Lobos' reaction. Check back later for a complete report.

Posted by ilimon at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNLV returned the kick to its 18-yard line.

Shane Steichen's first throw was incomplete. His next pass to Ryan Wolfe was complete for 13 yards. Steichen's next pass was deflected, bringing up second down at the UNLV 31. Steichen scrambled and the officials initially called that he fumbled and the Lobos recovered it. The refs reviewed it and upheld the ruling.

Posted by ilimon at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran for three yards on the first play.

Donovan Porterie had his best throw in awhile, hitting Marcus Smith for a 19-yard gain. UNM moved up to the 50-yard line on the play.

Porterie threw the ball short across the middle on a screen pass intended for Thomas Wilson. Martelius Epps ran for four yards to the 46. The Lobos faced third-and-six. Porterie hit Travis Brown, who got exactly the six yards needed for a first down at the UNM 40.

Epps ran on the next play and was dropped for a one-yard loss as he swept to the left side. Epps ran for five yards on the draw play, bringing up third-and-seven at the 35. Porterie's pass to Marcus Smith was incomplete. Pass interference was called on UNLV and cost the Rebels 15 yards. It appeared to be an uncatchable ball, so the Lobos got a big break. Smith may have been held early but I didn't see it.

The Lobos eanred first-and 10 at the 20 on the penalty.

Rodney Ferguson ran for two yards to the 18. Ferguson ran again for four yards. It brought up third-and-four at the UNM 14. Porterie pitched to Epps for one yard.

Kenny Byrd stepped up for a 30-yard field goal attempt and nailed it. UNM snagged a 29-28 lead with 4:37 left in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNLV ran back the kickoff to its 15-yard line.

Shane Steichen ran for his life and was almost sacked, but he managed to gain one yard on the opening play of the drive. It brought up second and nine at the UNLV 16. Erick Jackson ran on the next play for six yards. It brought up third-and-three at UNLV 22. Steichen completed another screen pass to Rodelin Anthony for 11 yards. UNLV scrambled for three yards on the next play. Steichen had another screen pass on target to Wolfe, but he dropped the ball. It brought up a big third-and-seven at the UNLV 36 with 11:01 left in the game. Steichen's five-yard pass was complete to Casey Flair, but Quincy Black hit him hard two yards shot of a first down.

The Rebels punted and Thomas Wilson took a fair catch at the UNM's 29-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jordan Scott had a bad punt. No bad snap. Just a bad punt and it went out of bounds. UNLV started at the 50-yard line.

The Rebels sent Shane Steichen back out despite the hard hit he took on the last drive.

Erick Jackson carried for no gain.

Cody Kase picked off Steichen's pass and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown. The Lobos went for a two-point conversion. Donovan Porterie rushed up the middle and was stopped two yards short. The Lobos trail UNLV 28-26 with 14:09 left in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Martelius Epps carried for one yard to start the drive. Epps ran again, this time sweeping to the left for four yards. It brought up a quick third-and-five at the UNM 22. Porterie underthrew Travis Brown, and UNLV deflected it.

So the Lobos punt again.

Posted by ilimon at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tons of flags went out on the kickoff. UNLV returned the kick to its 15-yard line. UNLV was called for holding on the return, bouncing the Rebels back to the eight to start the drive.

Erick Jackson carried straight up the middle for eight yards. Glover Quin saved the Lobos on the next play, Jackson ran for 22 yards and was clear for the endzone if he hadn't of been tripped up by Quin.

The Rebels' option attack faltered on the next play and UNLV lost two yards on the run by Shane Steichen. It brought up second-and-12. Steichen was sacked by Aleem Harris for an eight-yard loss. Looks like Steichen is woozy and may have a concussion. Fill in bird chirping noises here.

So Rocky Hinds is back in for third-and-20. He handed off to Jackson, who gained four yards on the carry and the Rebels were forced to punt on fourth-and-16.

UNM took a fair catch at its 17.

Posted by ilimon at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The ball was spotted at the UNLV 14 to start the drive.

Rodney Ferguson ran for two yards, then Donovan Porterie's pass was complete to Thomas Wilson for a nine-yard gain. It brought up first and goal at the UNLV 3. Porterie rolled out and overthrew Travis Brown, who looked frustrated in the endzone but didn't seem to run out his route.

Clayton Cardenas was called for offsides, moving the ball back to and bringing up second-and-goal at the UNLV 8. Porterie ran an option toss to Martelius Epps, who did gained one yard on the play. UNLV deflected Porterie's next pass attempt toward the endzone and the Lobos brought out Kenny Byrd again on a drive that should have ended with a touchdown.

Byrd hit a 14-yard field goal. The Lobos trail UNLV 28-20 with 5:18 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNLV returned Kenny Byrd's kickoff and start the drive at the UNM 24.

UNLV ran for a loss of four on the first play of the drive. Shane Steichen completed his next pass across the middle for a 10-yard gain. Steichen went across the middle again to Ryan Wolfe, earning a first down and moving the ball to the UNLV 35. Erick Jackson ran on the next play and lost three yards. It brought up third-and-13 at hte UNLV 32.

DeAndre Wright intercepted Steichen's next pass attempt, running it back the UNLV 13.

Posted by ilimon at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith ran back the opening kickoff from the endzone to the UNM 27-yard line.

Donovan Porterie is still in at quarterback. He handed off to Rodney Ferguson, who gained three yards on the first play of the drive. Porterie handed off to Ferguson again, who gained another two yards. It appeared he might of fumbled, but he didn't. Porterie hit Paul Baker for a 17-yard pass and a first down.

Martelius Epps ran for 12 yards and a first down on the next play. Porterie stepped back in the pocket and hit Marcus Smith for a 25-yard gain. Ferguson carried on the next play, but UNLV sniffed out the Lobos' routine and dropped him for a two-yard loss. Porterie was slightly off on the pass to Clayton Cardenas, who bobbled and dropped it in the endzone. It brought up third-and-12 at the UNLV 16. Porterie was hit and his pass was incomplete. It was intended for Thomas Wilson but fell way short.

Kenny Byrd stepped up and hit a 32-yard field goal. The Lobos trail UNLV 28-17 with 10:40 left in the third quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos turned in one good quarter, then they let UNLV senior backup quarterback Shane Steichen take over the game.

Steichen was nine-of-12 passing for 188 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 59 yards on five carries. He led the Rebels offense on every scoring drive, all of which came in the second quarter. Steichen made the Lobos' defense look meek.

The Lobos' offense failed to counter under pressure. Redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie went from steady in the first quarter to running scared in the second.

UNLV isn't 14 points better than New Mexico. It's up to the Lobos to step and prove they are tired of losing. It's up to them to prove themselves in the second half.

Here are some stats:

UNLV has 28 first downs to the Lobos' 14.
Vegas has 266 yards total offense on 29 plays to the Lobos' 138 yards totaal offense on 31 plays.

Rodney Ferguson ran for 44 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries.
Travis Brown leads the Lobos in receiving with four catches for 51 yards.
Porterie is eight-of-13 passing for 91 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Cody Kase leads UNM with four tackles.

I mentioned Steichen's stats above. He is the Rebels' top passer and rusher. And basically their offense. The Rebels' top receiver is Ryan Wolfe, who has four catches for 127 yards and one touchdown.

The second half is about to begin.

Posted by ilimon at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM was called for illegal block in the back on the return, pushing the Lobos back to the 22-yard line with 33 seconds left.

Donovan Porterie threw the ball under pressure to Rodney Ferguson, who picked up a nine-yard gain. The Lobos called timeout with 12 seconds left in the half.

Porterie was sacked on the next play, which ran all the time off the clock.

UNLV owns a 28-14 lead over New Mexico at the half.

Posted by ilimon at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shane Steichen hit Erick Jackson for an 11-yard gain. Ryan Wolfe rushed for no gain. Jackson then ran for a first down to the UNM 34. Steichen fumbled but recovered the ball for a loss of two yards. It brought up second-and-12 at the UNM 36. UNLV called timeout Steichen stepped back in the pocket and hit Wolfe across the middle for a 27-yard gain. It brought up first and goal at the eight. Steichen rushed for three yards, bringing up second-and-goal at the five. UNLV called timeout again with 55 seconds left in the half.

Steichen is having a monster game tonight. He was the Rebels' starter the past few years, but he lost his job to hotshot transfer Rocky Hinds.

Steichen hit Chris Butler for a four-yard touchdown pass. The Lobos bit on the fake run/trick play formation. UNLV hit the extra point and jumped ahead 28-14 with 48 seconds left in the half.

Posted by ilimon at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith returned the kickoff 27 yards to the UNM 40.

Donovan Porterie had time but threw a wounded duck pass that UNLV defenders dropped. It was intended for Clayton Cardenas. Travis Brown carried on a failed reverse, losing one yard. It brought up third-and-11. Porterie scrambled and threw across the middle. The pass was incompleted to Rodney Ferguson and nearly intercepted again.

Porterie hasn't looked very good the past few drives and Chris Nelson may get into the game soon.

Casey Flair pulled off a long rutern, pushing to the UNLV 38.

Posted by ilimon at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shane Steichen stepped back and completed a pass to Ryan Wolfe, who scored an 75-yard touchdown. Wolfe really had a five-yard gain but ran up the middle and found daylight on the play. The Rebels hit the extra point and took a 21-14 lead with 3:59 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tyler Donaldson got his hand on the ball and nearly got an interception. Shane Steichen completed an eight-yard pass to Ryan Wolfe. It brought up third-and-one at the UNLV 25. The Rebels called timeout with 4:11 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marcus Smith returned the kickoff 17 yards to the UNM 32 yard.

Donovan Porterie is still the Lobos quarterback. He handed off to Rodney Ferguson, who gained one yard on the running play. Ferguson carried again, gaining four yards. It brought up third-and-five at the UNM 37. Porterie underthrew Travis Brown. Then there was a flag on the play. UNLV coaches complained and the refs decided it was not pass inference because the ball was uncatchable.

Jordan Scott was back to punt and narrowly got it off without getting it blocked. It was a good punt considering the pressure, and UNLV took a fair catch at its 16.

Posted by ilimon at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Rebels capitalized on this turnover. Shane Steichen hit Aaron Straiten for a 14-yard touchdown pass. UNLV hit the extra point to tie the game at 14 with 6:47 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Donovan Porterie is still in at quarterback after the turnover. He handed off to Rodney Ferguson, who gained one yard on the play. Porterie's then passed to Travis Brown for an eight-yard gain. It brought up third-and-one at the UNM 21. Matt Quillen was called for a false start on the next play, and the Lobos faced third-and-six. Porterie rolled out of pressure on the blitz and probably could have run for the first down but he overthrew Clayton Cardenas.

Jordan Scott punted on fourth-and-six. It was blocked by UNLV. In the mad scramble, UNLV recovered it at the 14-yard line. It was a bad snap and Scott's first blocked punt of the year.

Posted by ilimon at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DeAndre Wright deflecteed a huge pass intended for Aaron Straiten. The Rebels gained nothing on a rushing play. Then Shane Steichen connected for a 16-yard pass to Corey Henderson.

Steichen carried on the next play and was tackled, but the Lobos were offsides. It brought up first and five at the UNLV 36. The Rebels gained three yards on a rushing play by Ronnie Smith. It was second-and-two when Steichen hit Corey Anderson for a one-yard loss. Then UNLV was called for a personal foul and bounced back for third-and-20 at its 21. Steichen ran for 18 yards and was hit hard by Tyler Donaldson. Steichen was woozy leaving the field and the Rebels punted on fourth-and-two at their 39.

The Lobos took a fair catch and will start at their 12.

Posted by ilimon at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The roughing the passer penalty was assessed on kickoff, so the Rebels kick off at the 50. Then UNLV kicked it out of the endzone, so it was pretty much a wash.

There was a penalty flag on the three-yard line on the kickoff. After the play ended it was a personal foul on the kicking team. So the Lobos started the drive on their own 35-yard line.

Maretelius Epps ran to the left side for a one-yard gain to open the drive. Rodney Ferguson then carried straight up the middle for seven yards. It brought up third-and-two at the UNM 43. Ferguson carried again, gaining four yards on the play and a first down. The Lobos improved to five-for-five on third downs with the run.

The officials had a little clock trouble, then Ferguson tried to turn to the right side on his next carry and only gained one yard on the play. Porterie stepped back to pass and appeared to be trying to hit Marcus Smith but overthrew him for a mile. It was picked off by Daryl Forte.

UNLV takes over its 15.

Posted by ilimon at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Backup UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen connected with Ronnie Smith for a 30-yard touchdown pass. The Lobos also were called for roughing the passer on the play.

The Lobos blocked the PAT, but it still went through and was good.

UNM did not look ready for the second quarter to start and got burned right out of the gate.

New Mexico now leads 14-7 with 14:54 left in the second quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNLV took a fair catch in the endzone, giving the Rebels a first down at the 20 to start the drive.

The Lobos bit on a running fake out of the spread formation and backup quarterback Shane Steichen scrambled all over the field for a 34-yard gain. It brought up first down at the UNM 46. Then Erick Jackson rushed for nine yards. Jackson ran again, picking up three yards and a first down at the UNM 34-yard line.

Jackson carried again, but this time the Lobos wrapped him up for no gain. Steichen scrambled for four yards and was hit hard on the play by Michael Tuohy.

That's the end of the first quarter, with UNLV facing third-and-six at the UNM 30.

Posted by ilimon at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie looked down field, but he was sacked on the first play of the Lobos drive for a four-yard loss. It brought up second-and-14 at the UNM 38. Porterie scrambled well, but he was tirpped from behind and he fumbled. Rodney Ferguson recovered the fumble and the Lobos gained 10 yards on the play. It brought up third-and-four at the UNM 49. Porterie's then completed a pass to Thomas Brown for a 4-yard gain and first down.

The Lobos then pulled off a flea flicker. Porterie handed off to Marcus Smith and then got it back. He then passed to Travis Brown for a 37-yard gain. Martelius Epps then lost a yard on the next carry. Porterie hit Yimin Bauman for a one-yard gain. He shook off some tackles to avoid a loss on the play. Porterie completed his next pass to Thomas Wilson was complete for a eight-yard touchdown pass. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point and the Lobos jumped ahead 14-0 with 2:59 left in the first quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Rebel Mil'Von James returned Kenny Byrd's kickoff to the UNLV 21-yard line.

Rocky Hinds lingered and threw an ugly option pitch to Eric Jackson, who lsot four on the play. UNM nearly picked off Hinds' next pass, which was intended for Corey Anderson. It brought up third-and-14. Hinds was sacked on the next play by Billy Brittain and Major Mosley.

The Rebels punted from their endzone. It was an ugly punt, but he got a lucky bounce to the UNM 43.

Posted by ilimon at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran for three yards, then Donvoan Porterie completed his next pass to Marcus Smith for one yard. Porterie passed again, hitting Thomas Wilson for 42 yards.

Ferguson ran on the next play for four yards, then UNLV also was called for offsides on the play. It brought up first-and-five at the UNLV 23. Ferguson ran for one yard on the next play, getting tripped up while driving up the middle. Ferguson ran again, this time picking up five yards and a first down.

Ferguson ran again and actually used a blocker, running behind the line to get a five-yard gain. The Lobos went to Ferguson again, and he delivered a three-yard gain to the UNLV nine. Ferguson ran again, and the officials initially ruled it a touchdown as he was shoved out of the bounds while hitting the pylon. The refs reviewed the play and determined the touchdown stands.

Kenny Byrd hit the extra point, pushing the Lobos ahead 7-0 with 8:48 remaining in the first quarter.

The scoring drive was eight plays and 54 yards in 4:38. It culminated with a nine-yard touchdown run by Ferguson.

UNLV's defense is rolling over to the once-dormant UNM running game, and the Lobos seem to be playing with a lot more fire and energy. If this holds up, the Lobos could be on their way to a huge win.

Posted by ilimon at 08:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNLV starts at its 15-yard line after the Lobos posted solid kickoff coverage.

UNLV's Rocky Hinds rolled out to pass, but the pass was incomplete. Eric Jackson rushed for four yards on the next play, bringing up third and six. Hinds passed again, but he threw a little too high for Casey Flair and the Rebels were forced to punt.

Marcus Smith laid a big block on the return, and Thomas Wilson ran the ball back to the UNM 46.

Posted by ilimon at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And defer until the second half. They are defending the south goal.

Posted by ilimon at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Linz is pouting at a casino tonight and won't be sharing his insight after the game. He decided if the Tribune wasn't going to pay for him to go to Vegas, he was going to drown his sorrows at a casino in the Land of Enchantment. He refused to release his location. He's still jumpy after his latest stint in jail.

So be it. I think we can live without him for one night.

I will, however, make sure both the Linz and Richard Stevens catch a complete tape of the game before they open their mouths to assess the Lobos. It's only fair.

The teams took the field and the captains are walking to midfield. Good news. Senior Kole McKamey is walking without crutches.

Posted by ilimon at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- There's a very sparse crowd in Sam Boyd Stadium with a little more than 15 minutes until kickoff. Perhaps the fans were scared off by rain that hasn't really hit yet, save a few sprinkles. Perhaps it was a matchup of two struggling teams. It doesn't matter because I'm here to relay it all blow-by-blow.

I noticed former athletics director Rudy Davalos chatting with UNM football coach Rocky Long during pre-game warmups. I pressume Davalos used his role as the executive director of the New Mexico Bowl selection committee to write off a nice trip to Vegas.

Well, let's hope the Lobos can generate some excitement tonight. There are only three Mountain West Conference games this week, with Air Force beating Colorado State Thursday and Wyoming beating up Utah earlier today.

OK, just waiting for the coin toss and kickoff ....

Posted by ilimon at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A few thousand fans showed up to greet the men's and women's basketball teams during tonight's Lobo Howl. I'll have a complete story in Saturday's Tribune, but here's a few highlights and observations:

The alumni split into two teams and played for 15 minutes. At first it appeared to be a fair split, with Abby Garchek-Jaramillo, Lindsey Arndt and Tamika Stukes among the leaders on the Cherry team and Jordan Adams, Chelsea Grear and Mandi Moore on the Silver team. Adams and company turned out to have more players in shape and dominated the game. Silver won 41-21. Moore, Grear and Adams all scored eight points apiece. Arndt led the Cherry squad with eight points.

I talked with Adams after the scrimamge and she said is back home in Nevada teaching and coaching varsity girls basketball. She spent the summer playing some exhibition games with the Canadian National Team. She got her Canadian dual citizenship last week, so she is cleared to join the Canadian team next summer for Olympic qualifying tournaments.

The scrimmage featuring current Lobo players was a lot closer. Brandi Kimble led the Cherry squad with 13 points, while Katie Montgomery led the Silver team with 11 points and knocked down the game-winning layup with 18.3 seconds left. The Lobos looked a little sloppy, but that's what you have to expect for the first practice of the year. Kimble stood out and seems to have improved quite a bit this season. I'd call her the early favorite to start at the two or three for the Lobos.

Amy Beggin put up a good fight during the first round of the 3-point shooting contest, knocking out early favorite Julie Briody by hitting 19 3-pointers in 60 seconds. Not bad for a player who isn't known as a hot 3-point shooter.Kimble and Montgomery squared off in the final round. Montgomery defended her unofficial title as the Lobos' best 3-point threat, hitting 22 treys to Kimble's 19 in the final round.

Amanda Best, who already orally committed to the Lobos, was at the howl. She is on her official visit to UNM and will be in town through Sunday. She said she enjoyed the event and the large, supportive crowd. She plans to come back for at least one game during the season.

UNM coach Don Flanagan announced the Lobos will have two scrimmages next Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. that will be open to the public. The scrimmages will be in The Pit.

That's all for now. Check out Saturday's Tribune for more women's basketball coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm flying to Vegas Saturday morning for the UNLV game. The team headed out today, but I still have a few football notes.

I wrote a story for today's Trib about Clayton Cardenas, who the coaches expect to start against UNLV. He's a really nice guy who seems very excited about his chance to make up for a weak performance against Wyoming. His dad was a third baseman in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

I also wrote a story about CJ Oakley, who orally committed to the Lobos Thursday. He listed a whole bunch of reasons for choosing the Lobos over UTEP, New Mexico State and Southeast Missouri State. In the story I mentioned the strong recruiting job by the coaching staff, the chance to play close to home and the long list of current and former New Mexico residents playing for the Lobos.

Oakley also said Bob Toledo played a big role in his decision. He said when he first started talking with UNM, the Lobos had a running-back heavy offense and he was turned off by the idea of playing wide receiver in the system. He said Toledo's West Coast offense sounds great. He also said he is confident the Lobos will get past their growing pains this season and continue to be a strong program. Oakley said the idea of playing at NMSU never appealed to him because his mom did not enjoy their time in Las Cruces and doubted her son would be happy there for five years of college ball. Oakley also said the Lobos were the first to seriously recruit him and never let up.

We also posted the Tribune's picks for the UNM-UNLV game. Richard Stevens, Van Tate and I all chose the Lobos. After spending a week studying all the stats, I really feel it's the Lobos' game to lose. What do you think? Share your predictions in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a quick note that I'll post a report here after the Lobo Howl. Since it's a glorified practice, I won't be posting commentary during the event. You'll get plenty of that during the season.

And for football fans, I'll be hitting the road for Las Vegas Saturday morning and should arrive in plenty of time for complete coverage of the UNM-UNLV game.

That's all for now. Check back for an update later tonight.

Posted by ilimon at 05:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

University of New Mexico women's basketball coach Don Flanagan announced Friday that he hired his son, Shane Flanagan, to be the Lobos third assistant coach. Shane Flanagan's duties will include assisting with floor coaching, scouting, recruiting, academics, community service and summer camps.

"I feel very fortunate to have an opportunity to work with Shane," Don Flanagan said in a news release issued by UNM today. "He is excellent with the players, familiar with the program and is a good teacher of the game. Shane is going to be a valuable asset to our program.”

Shane Flanagan replaces Mike Terry, who left UNM during the summer to take the top assistant coach position at Kent State.

Shane Flanagan played at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif., from 1994-95 and was named honorable mention all Western State Conference. He also played at Boise State University from 1995-98 and was named to the 1996 Big Sky all tournament team. In high school, Shane Flanagan was two-time all-state and three-time all-district and all-city at Eldorado High. He is an Albuquerque native who earned his degree in University Studies from UNM.

Shane Flanagan has been an assistant coach at Eldorado for the last three seasons.

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with an outstanding coaching staff," Shane Flanagan said. "This is a great opportunity and a good learning experience for me to work with a Top 20 program, and I look forward to helping them in any way I can."

Both coaches will be available for interviews at tonight's Lobo Howl, so check back later for more on the new hire.

Posted by ilimon at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Air Force was down 21-3 but mounted a furious rally to win 24-21 at home over instate rival Colorado State.

It was the Caleb Hanie show early, with the Rams quarterback making all the big plays. The Rams also capitalized on a lot of Air Force turnovers to build up what seemed like a healthy lead.

Then Air Force rallied. The Falcons scored quickly and picked up a quick turnover to get back into the game. The Falcons had a lot of ground to make up, but they proved the triple option offense can score in a hurry and is good for more than just marathon drives.

Air Force is off to a strong start at 3-0 in the Mountain West Conference, but Colorado State didn't look bad. The Rams clearly have a decent offense, which should prove to be very valuable in the conference this year with every team except BYU struggling to score consistently.

Posted by ilimon at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Former Lobo and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett did his part, catching three passes for 112 yards and one touchdown against the Cowboys. Fans returned the favor by voting Baskett the Rookie of the Week on NFL.com for games played Oct. 8-9.

I suspect a large contingent of New Mexico fans stuffed the ballot box in Baskett's favor, with people allowed to vote up to 10 times from one computer. Baskett beat Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints, Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals and Richard Marshall of the Carolina Panthers. More than 42,000 votes were cast, and Baskett had grabbed about 50 percent of the vote before the poll closed. The final percentages were not released by NFL.com.

I should clarify that I don't think there's anything wrong with stuffing the ballot box when it's a fan poll. It's obviously a popularity contest, and stars like Reggie Bush come out on top. Good job Lobo fans.

Posted by ilimon at 06:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos had a nice midday practice thanks to UNM's fall break. The players don't have class Thursday or Friday, although they worked out today and leave Friday for Las Vegas afternoon.

Senior tight end John Mulchrone practiced a little more today, but he still isn't 100 percent after suffering a high ankle sprain during the first half against Wyoming. Mulchrone will travel with the team, but backup Clayton Cardenas is expected to start. Offensive coordinator Bob Toledo said he plans to use a rotation of tight ends. It's the first time the Lobos really will tap a pretty deep roster at tight end. It's a nice bonus for third-string tight end Chris Mark, who is from Las Vegas and should get on the field in front of his hometown crowd.

The Lobos didn't lose any other players to injuries this week. Junior linebacker Michael Tuohy, who was benched against Wyoming because of an undisclosed violation of team rules, appears to have stayed out of trouble and should start at UNLV.

Toledo said redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie looked good in practice and seems to be handling the attention of being the new starter relatively well. He said Porterie still has some trouble with accuracy, at times overthrowing or underthrowing his receivers. I didn't keep a running tally, but Porterie looked like he was much more accurate Thursday than he had been all week.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Lobos also picked up a big recruiting win and got an oral commitment from star Alamogordo wide receiver CJ Oakley. He said the coaching staff was one of the big reasons he chose UNM over New Mexico State and UTEP. Oakley said cornerbacks coach Troy Reffett called him every other day, chatting as much about his social life and things like homecoming as he did about football. Oakley said he felt it was clear the Lobos wanted him the most, and he felt it comfortable with the program. I'll have a full story about him in Friday's Tribune.

That's all for today. Check Friday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage and our weekly staff predictions. We'll also have our pre-game show on the audio section of Lobo Zone Friday morning.

Posted by ilimon at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It looks like UNM has run the table, grabbing all the big-name instate recruits. CJ Oakley announced at 2 p.m. he has orally committing to play for the Lobos. Check back later for a full story on Oakley and why he chose the Lobos over NMSU and other schools courting his services.

Posted by ilimon at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'll start off with a little background about my main story today on UNM football coach Rocky Long. This is my third season covering UNM football, although I've followed the program since I arrived in Albuquerque eight years ago. I noticed very early on this season that Long was on edge. A lot of people I've talked to close to the program noted the same thing. Richard Stevens, who has been covering UNM athletics for decades, also noticed Long was jumpy. Long seemed to be reacting like a guy under the gun, especially as the Lobos' losses started piling up. The Wyoming loss was the last straw for a lot of fans because they expected the Lobos to win a game against a team they thought was inferior. Some vented as usual, but others began calling for a coaching change.

So, I set about talking with Long and new Athletics Director Paul Krebs about the coach's future. I happen think Long has more job security than he has given himself credit for this season. Long gave some interesting answers when I broached the topic and Krebs pledged his unconditional support of the football coach.

Stevens also decided to weigh in, admonishing Long for a bad season but noting he was the best coach for the job and unquestionably deserved to continue leading the program.

So that's how the story came together. I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's story. You can share them in the comments section of the blog.

On to today's practice notes.

Senior tight end John Mulchrone practiced again today, but his mobility still seems severely limited after he suffered a high ankle sprain during the first half of the Wyoming game Saturday. He may have better luck on game day in warmer Las Vegas. The colder weather lately has got to be killing his ankle and making it pretty stiff. UNM head trainer Dave Binder said it's the type of injury where Mulchrone can play if the coaches are satisfied with his range of motion. Mulchrone can't do more damage to the ankle by playing on it, but "there's no question he's going to be in a lot of pain," Binder said. Junior tight end Clayton Cardenas is running with the first team in practice and is expected to start Saturday.

The good news is Cardenas looks much better in practice than he did during the Wyoming game. He came in for Mulchrone against the Cowboys and dropped several passes during the Lobos' failed rally. Cardenas also regularly stays after practice with defensive coordinator Osia Lewis and other coaches to work on his blocking.

The Lobos should be well rested by the time they hit Las Vegas Saturday. UNM has its fall break Thursday and Friday. The Lobos adjusted their practice from 3-4:30 p.m. to 11-12:30 p.m. Thursday since the players have the day off from school.

UNM offensive coaches are trying a new motivational tactic to help jumpstart the offense this week. Every time a running back, wide receiver or tight catches a ball or gets the ball on a running play, they typically run back to the line of scrimmage after being tackled. This week wide receivers coach Dan Dodd has been shouting at all the players to keep going until they reach the endzone, regardless of whether they've been tackled. It can be amusing to watch players a little rattled by a hard hit get pushed about 10 yards out of bounds but keep stumbling toward the endzone. The message is pretty clear -- get to the endzone no matter what happens on the play. It's a good theme for a team that has been struggling to score this season.

That's all for tonight. Check out Thursday's Tribune for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

UNM just released the following tentative schedule of events for Friday's Lobo Howl, the first official men's and women's basketball practice of the year:

4-6 p.m. National Anthem Auditions
6 p.m. Select-A-Seat Begins
6:20 p.m. WBB Alumni Introductions
6:25 p.m. WBB Alumni Game
6:40 p.m. MBB Alumni Introductions
7 p.m. WBB Introductions
7:05 p.m. WBB Warm Up Drills
7:10 p.m. WBB Scrimmage
7:10-7:25 p.m. MBB Signs Autographs
7:30 p.m. WBB 3-point Contest
7:40 p.m. MBB Introductions
7:45-8 p.m. WBB Signs Autographs
7:50 p.m. MBB Warm Up Drills
7:55 p.m. MBB Slam Dunk Exhibition
8:10 p.m. MBB Scrimmage

Check out my earlier post to see the tentative roster for the alumni women.

Posted by ilimon at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're still running our Ask the Coach feature and are inviting fans to pose questions to any of the UNM football coaches.

You can either pose them using the submission form on the right-hand side of our Lobo Zone Web site or just list them in the comments section of this blog.

We fetch the answers and run them every Friday in the Tribune.

Posted by ilimon at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There will be no television or video streaming via the Internet for the UNM football team's game at Colorado State Oct. 28.

The game will be broadcast as usual on the radio via KKOB-AM (770) with Mike Roberts and Greg Remington. You can get a running play-by-play, sign up for e-mail and text message scoring alerts and get a complete post-game story at Lobo Zone.

We've had a few months to get adjusted to the TV deal. Are you happy with it? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNM released the roster for the alumni game during Friday's Lobo Howl. It is subject to change, but I can't imagine it will change too much with just a few days left before the game.

Alumni Players:
Melissa Forest
Nikki Heckroth
Miranda Sanchez
Cristal Garcia
Tamika Stukes
Jordan Adams
Mandi Moore (Stovall)
Chelsea Grear
Abby Garchek-Jaramillo
Lindsay Arndt (Day)
Sally Marquez
Liz Traille

Alumni Coaches:
Abbie Letz and Judy Vogt

Posted by ilimon at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Donovan Porterie Show officially began today.

Porterie naturally was the focus of a lot of attention today after he was named the Lobos' starting quarterback. He had postgame interviews with all the television stations after practice. The TV crews had to wait longer than they're used to for players because Donovan is keeping up his practice of staying late and throwing extra passes to Mike Vandenberg.

Porterie is the first freshman or redshirt freshman to start for the Lobos since Stoney Case in 1991. Case lost his debut 39-19 against Wyoming but went on to be one of the most successful quarterbacks in school history.

Greg Remington, the associate athletics director for media relations, compiled this list on recent Lobo quarterback debuts:

Year Player/Opponent/Result
2005 Chris Nelson at Utah (W, 31-27)
2004 Kole McKamey vs. Washington State (L, 21-17)
2002 Justin Millea* at UNLV (W 25-16)
2001 Casey Kelly at Wyoming (W, 30-29)
2000 Rudy Caamano vs. Oregon State (L, 28-20)
2000 Jeremy Denson at Texas Tech (L, 24-3)
1999 Sean Stein at San Diego State (W, 24-21)
1999 Eric Jaworsky at UTEP (L, 13-10)
1997 Graham Leigh vs. Northern Arizona (W, 24-7)
1995 Donald Sellers vs. NMSU (W, 36-24)
1995 Scott Peterson vs. Northern Arizona (W, 45-21)
1991 Stoney Case vs. Wyoming (L, 39-19)
1990 Marcus Goodloe vs. Utah (L, 29-27)
1988 Jeremy Leach vs. Fresno State (L, 68-21)
1987 Barry Garrison at Utah (L, 24-20)

* Only start of his career

Porterie gets the most snaps this week as the starter, but backup-turned-starter-turned backup Chris Nelson is still very much in the mix. UNM coach Rocky Long and offensive coordinator Bob Toledo emphasized again today that Nelson will play against UNLV.

Senior tight end John Mulchrone practiced today but he didn't do much because his ankle is still injured. Mulchrone suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter against Wyoming. The swelling is down, but it's a tough injury to overcome. Clayton Cardenas will start in Mulchrone's place if he is not ready to play.

That's all for now.

You can visit the audio section of Lobo Zone to listen to Long answer questions from the media.

Check the same area tomorrow for an audio interview with offensive lineman Anthony Kilby. We've also got tons of Lobo football coverage in Wednesday's Tribune.

Posted by ilimon at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos' Thursday, Oct. 19, home game against Utah is Brian Urlacher Day.

Urlacher, the former Lobo and current Chicago Bears star, will be honored during the game. Urlacher and the Bears have a bye, so UNM officials said he will be attending the game.

No word yet on whether any extra promotional, Urlacher-related items will be handed out on game day.

Kickoff for the Utah game is 7 p.m. and it is scheduled to be broadcast on the Mountain.

I'm heading to football practice right now, but I'll have audio of coach Rocky Long's interview with reporters from the weekly media lunch up soon afterward.

Posted by ilimon at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM coach Rocky Long has decided to start Donovan Porterie this week, with Chris Nelson coming off the bench. Long said Porterie isn't being named the starter forever, just for this week. He said the coaches know how Nelson starts and that he performs better off the bench, but they haven't seen how Porterie performs as the starter. So they're giving him a shot.

The football team practiced Monday night despite steady rain. The Lobos lost thier last 15 minutes of practice, but it could have been much worse if lightning from earlier in the afternoon lingered.

"I don't think it set us back," center Vince Natali said. "It felt like a regular Monday. We came out here to work hard and get ready for UNLV."

Senior tight end John Mulchrone walked gingerly and sat out of practice with a sprained ankle he suffered against Wyoming. Mulchrone told UNM head trainer Dave Binder he intends to play this week, and Binder said he believed Mulchrone.

Michael Tuohy was back at practice after being benched for the Wyoming game for an undisclosed violation of team policy. Long said his status with the team will be weighed on a week-by-week basis, but for now Tuohy has regained his old spot with the team.

That's all for tonight. Check out Tuesday's Tribune for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I cast a vote weekly in the Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine Bowl Championship Series standings. The standings are used to award spots in the BCS bowl games and name a national champion. Here are my picks for this week:

1. Ohio State
2. Florida
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia
6. Texas
7. Louisville
8. Notre Dame
9. Tennessee
10. Clemson
11. California
12. Auburn
13. Nebraska
14. Boise State
15. LSU
16. Georgia Tech
17. Missouri
18. Rutgers
19. Iowa
20. Virginia Tech
21. Boston College
22. Oregon
23. Oklahoma
24. Arkansas
25. Georgia

I had a tough time settling on this week's rankings.

There were a lot of losses up and down the poll. My headaches started at the No. 2 spot and kept going all the way down the line. Normally I don't penalize a team that wins. But, if you asked me today which two teams deserve to be in the national championship as a result of their performances so far, I would go with Ohio State and Florida. So I went with those two in the top spots of my poll.

Here's this week's Harris Poll, just as a comparison.
1. Ohio State (112)
2. USC (1)
3. Florida (1)
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia
6. Texas
7. Louisville
8. Tennessee
9. Notre Dame
10. Auburn
11. California
12. Clemson
13. Iowa
14. Georgia
15. Georgia Tech
16. LSU
17. Missouri
18. Virginia Tech
19. Nebraska
20. Oregon
21. Boise State
22. Arkansas
23. Oklahoma
24. Rutgers
25. Boston College

And here is the Master Coaches Poll. It is compiled by 17 former college football coaches who are in the Hall of Fame or are on track to get there. The coaches divide up top teams, compare notes and then vote. The poll doesn't get much press, but I think it's pretty interesting.
1. Ohio State (17)
2. (tie) Florida
2. (tie) Michigan
4. Southern Cal
5. West Virginia
6. Texas
7. Louisville
8. Tennessee
9. California
10. Notre Dame
11. Auburn
12. (tie) Georgia Tech
12. (tie) Iowa
14. Clemson
15. LSU
16. Georgia
17. Oregon
18. Missouri
19. Nebraska
20. Virginia Tech
21. Boise State
22. Rutgers
23. Wisconsin
24. Arkansas
25. Oklahoma

If you can't get enough polls, you can see the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls here.

Let me know what you think about my choices by sharing your thoughts in the comments section of the blog.

Posted by ilimon at 02:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The sun did come up for the Lobos and everyone else Sunday morning.

The Lobos will have a competition at quarterback this week. UNM football coach Long said he had not decided whether senior incumbent Chris Nelson will keep the job or redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie will take over. Long said Sunday afternoon the coaching staff had not discussed the starting quarterback job yet. Bob Toledo said last week he preferred to have one quarterback because it allows for the offense to develop some continuity, but Long said he wasn't opposed to having a rotation of two quarterbacks. He pointed out Florida is thriving with a two quarterback rotation. "For the quarterbacks, it all depends on how they handle it," he said. "If they handle it correctly, it's no big deal."

Michael Tuohy did not play or dress for the Wyoming game because he violated team policy. Long said Tuohy was slated to start the game until Friday morning. The coach would disclose what rule Tuohy violated, but he said the player is welcome back at practice Monday if he chooses to show up.

Long said after reviewing the game film from Saturday's game, it was obvious the offense completely broke down. But he said the biggest play of the game was a 35-yard pass from Wyoming redshirt freshman quarterback Karsten Sween to tight end Chris Sundberg. "That was an unbelievable catch," Long said. Sundberg tipped the ball with one hand, pulled it in with another and managed to retain control when he hit the ground. If Sundberg had not made the catch, the Cowboys would have faced third-and-10, and Long said there was a chance the Lobos would have won the game 10-7.

Long did not have an update on senior tight end John Mulchrone, who injured his ankle against the Cowboys. The coach said Mulchrone was walking slowly and didn't look very good Saturday night, but treatment from the training staff could help him out.

We posted a photo gallery from the New Mexico-Wyoming game early Sunday morning with some great pictures by Tribune photographer Steven St. John.

That's all for tonight. Check out Monday's Tribune for more Lobo football news. Visit the audio section of Lobo Zone Monday morning for the Tribune's post-game show. Richard Stevens and I break down the Lobos' loss to the Cowboys and preview their game at UNLV Saturday night. College football fans also can visit the blog tomorrow to see my weekly Harris Poll ballot.

Posted by ilimon at 07:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm catching up on women's basketball news today.

I talked with coach Don Flanagan, and he confirmed reports that transfer Amanda Adamson has been suspended from the team for one year for a violation of team rules. He said the suspension will be reviewed at the end of the fall semester, and she may be allowed to return to team workouts in the spring. He said she is still enrolled at UNM.

I asked Flanagan about her during the Lobos' open workouts when getting an update on all the players on the roster, but he said she's a transfer and doesn't participate in team drills. Under NCAA rules, she could not join the team for workouts until the first official practice Friday. It was my fault for not pressing him for more information about her.

Check out Monday's Tribune for more women's basketball news.

Posted by ilimon at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Former Lobo Hank Baskett is in the middle of a breakout performance for the Philadelphia Eagles, who are in playing the biggest hyped game of the week against the Dallas Cowboys.

Baskett has three catches for 112 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown catch to push the Eagles ahead 24-21 late in the third quarter. It was the first touchdown of his NFL career and couldn't have come at a better time for the Eagles, who are in a war with the Cowboys.

Posted by ilimon at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It wasn't pretty in the locker room after the game. The Lobos were pretty upset after the 14-10 loss to Wyoming.

I wrote a post-game story, with UNM players trying to explain why they couldn't find a way to score against the Cowboys.

The Linz's short run being sweet to the Lobos is over. He had some pointed remarks about the team's woeful performance on offense.

And I posted audio of UNM coach Rocky Long's post-game interview with the media. It was awkward, uncomfortable and another sign things aren't going well for the Lobos.

John Mulchrone hurt his ankle during the game and missed out on the Lobos' comeback attempt. He is a big target and could have helped, but it's hard to tell because the quarterbacks connect with him so rarely and the passing game was so bad at that point.

No word yet on why Michael Tuohy did not play. He was benched for violating team rules. He did not dress for the game and was not on the sidelines.

On a brighter note, Kole McKamey returned for the team's coin toss for the first time since his surgery. He has been to one practice since the surgery, but it seriously hurt his mobility. He looked much stronger today walking to mid-field with the captains.

And that's it for tonight. Check the blog Sunday afternoon for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm heading down to talk to players and coaches. The Linz did sneak back into University Stadium and will share his thoughts soon on his blog. I'll also post a complete story and photos soon on Lobo Zone.

Posted by ilimon at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Nelson is back at quarterback. Rodney Ferguson ran for four yards, then ran again for another five. Matt Quillen carried for one yard on a big third-and-one.

The Lobos are at their 33 with 2:51 left.

Nelson pass was intended for Clayton Cardenas, but he dropped it.

The Lobos face second-and-10 at their 33 with 2:40 left. Ferguson ran on the next play for two yards. UNM faces third-and-eight. Nelson's pass to Travis Brown was incomplete brought up fourth-and-eight at the UNM 35. UNM went for it.

Nelson hit Marcus Smith for a 21-yard gain, keeping the Lobos' hopes for a comeback alive. Nelson threw into traffic to Brown, but he couldn't handle it. Nelson's next pass to Matt Quillen was incomplete, bringing up third-and-10 at the Wyoming 44 with 1:49 left in the game. Nelson completed the next pass to Marcus Smith for one yard.

The Lobos face fourth-and-nine at the Wyoming 43 with 1:37 left in the game and called timeout.

Nelson's pass to Smith was incomplete and Lobos turned the ball over on downs.

That pretty much seals the 14-10 loss to Wyoming, with the Cowboys taking over with 1:31 left in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wyoming was called for illegal procedure and moved back five yards. Joseph Harris carried for three yards, bringing up second-and-13. Harris carried again for three more yards to the Wyoming 38. The Lobos faced a huge Wyoming third-and-nine. Harris carried one more time for a gain of three. Wyoming punted with 4:24 remaining.

It seems like Wyoming is daring the UNM offense to beat it. Can the Lobos do it?

Posted by ilimon at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rodney Ferguson ran on the first play but the ball was fumbled out of bounds at the end of the play. It was a nine-yard gain for the Lobos. Ferguson has had butterfingers all night. Ferguson ran for no gain, then he ran again for the one yard he needed and a first down at the UNM 30.

Porterie's pass intended for Marcus Smith was incomplete. Ferguson ran again for a seven-yard gain. Porterie pass intended for Clayton Cardenas also was incomplete, bringing up fourth-and-three at the UNM 37. Jordan Scott stepped back to punt and it was returned by Hoost Marsh 11 yards to the Wyoming 37.

Posted by ilimon at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Karsten Sween's first pass was incomplete to Tyler Holden. Wynel Seldon ran for seven yards on the next play. Sween hit Seldon on a screen pass for no gain, bringing up fourth and three.

The Cowboys punted into the endzone for a touchback.

Posted by ilimon at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Zach Arnett returned the kickoff to the UNM 30.

It's crunch time and Donovan Porterie is back in at quarterback.

Travis Brown took a reverse and ran for a 11-yard gain to the UNM 41. Porterie rolled out and attempted to pass to Marcus Smith but it sailed high. The Lobos were called for holding, bringing up first-and-20 at the UNM 31.

Porterie attempted to pass to Marcus Smith across the middle, but he was hit and the ball sailed high. It was nearly picked off after Smith tapped it, but the ball safely hit the ground. Porterie's next pass to Rodney Ferguson was incomplete, bringing up third and 20. There was a flag on the play. It was offsides on the offense, bringing up third-and-25 at the UNM 31.

Porterie's pass to Marcus Smith sailed just out of reach. The crowd wanted a pass inteference call, but the refs called it a fair play.

The Lobos punted and Wyoming signaled fair catch but was hit. The officials threw a flag and moved Wyoming up to its 46 to start the drive.

Posted by ilimon at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Karsten Sween's pass was complete to Chris Sundberg for a 33-yard gain. It was a crazy catch and gave the Wyoming a first down at the UNM 21.

Joseph Harris ran for two yards on the next play. Sween is heating up. He heat Tyler Holden for a 13-yard gain, setting up first and goal at the UNM 6. Sween overthrew Greg Bolling in the corner of the endzone. Sween kept the ball for a two-yard gain, bring up third and goal at the UNM four. Sween lingered in the pocket and hit Michael Ford for a four-yard touchdown. Wyoming hit the extra point and snagged a 14-10 lead with 12:48 left in the fourth quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Karsten Sween's first pass was incomplete. Sween was under pressure and knocked down but got the ball to Devin Moore for a nine-yard gain. A penalty was called as time ran out in the third quarter. It was roughing the passer on New Mexico, giving the Cowboys a first down at the 45 and free, untimed play at hte end of the quarter. Moore carried for no gain.

At the end of the third quarter, the Lobos offense is still struggling mightily. UNM leads 10-7 but the Lobos only have 128 yards total offense to Wyoming's 241 yards. If the trend holds, New Mexico will be hard-pressed to hang on to this lead.

Posted by ilimon at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie is back for another series at quarterback.

Rodney Ferguson ran for a five-yard loss, then Porterie connected on a 16-yard pass to Ferguson for a first down at the UNM 34. Porterie was sacked on the next play for a loss of one. His next pass was incomplete to Matt Quillen. Porterie got no protection on third-and-11 and was sacked quickly for a loss of two.

The Lobos punted yet again. Jordan Scott had a 47-yard punt and the Lobos hit Wyoming for no return. The Cowboys will start on their 23 with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wynel Seldon carried for five yards. Seldon carried again for a gain of one.

Tonight's attendance was just announced and is 31,375.

Karsten Sween's pass was complete to Hoost Marsh for a seven-yard gain, giving Wyoming a first down at the its 31. Sween's next pass was incomplete. Devin Moore ran for a three-yard loss, dropping Wyoming back for third-and-13. Sween was hit as Marsh was trying to pass. Kendall Briscoe was credited with the hurry on the play, forcing a Wyoming punt.

Posted by ilimon at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wyoming earned a touchback on the kickoff.

Donovan Porterie is back in at quarterback. Bob Toledo said he doens't like shuffling in different quarterbacks, but it's hard to keep Chris Nelson in when he's two-of-six passing.

Rodney Ferguson ran for two yards, then Porterie completed a pass to Travis Brown for a 35-yard gain. Porterie's next pass was knocked down by John Wendling and nearly intercepted but no one scooped it up before it hit the ground. The Lobos then ran a trick play, handing off to former high school quarterback John Mulchrone. Travis Brown slipped and Mulchrone's throw was short and incomplete. Porterie was sacked, or rather tripped, then recovered his own fumble for a loss of eight.

Jordan Scott punted and Wyoming took a fair catch at the 18 yard line.

The Lobos are putting an awful lot of pressure on their defense to win this game. Let's see what happens.

Posted by ilimon at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wynel Seldon ran for four yards on the first play. Seldon ran again for seven yards and a first down. Sween had a lot of room on the next play and so did receiver Tyler Holden. Sween hit Holden for a 25-yard gain to give the Cowboys a first down at the UNM 28.

Seldon carried again for no gain. Sween pass near the goal line was incomplete, but there was a flag on the play. It was pass intereference on DeAndre Wright, giving the Cowboys a first down at the UNM 18. Seldon ran again for a three yard gain. Sween passed to Kyle Jacobo for a three-yard gain. The Cowboys faced third-and-four at the UNM 12. Sween dropped back and hit Hoost Marsh for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys hit the extra point.

The Lobos lead Wyoming 10-0 with 8:01 left in the third quarter.

Posted by ilimon at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DeAndre Wright ran back the kickoff to the UNM 23.

Chris Nelson is back at quaterback. Rodney Ferguson ran for six yards on the first play. He carried again on the next play for one yard. Nelson passed to Marcus Smith for a first down, but the play did not count due to a penalty. It brought up second-and-11 at the 22. Nelson held the ball searching for a receiver, then threw it out of bounds. Wyoming hit Nelson after the pass and was called for roughing the passer, giving UNM a first down at the 37.

Ferguson ran on the next play for a gain of five. Nelson threw the ball toward Clayton Cardenas under more pressure and was lucky it fell incomplete instead of getting picked off. Nelson fell to two-of-six passing on the night. Nelson was sacked on the next play for a loss of seven.

The Lobos punted. Hoost Marsh returned it 11 yards to the Wyoming 35.

Posted by ilimon at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Linz slipped out to go catch the Cibola-Clovis game down the street at old Milne Stadium. While he was hanging around the press box, he was surprised by how bad Wyoming's offense looked.

Without a talking head around again at the half, I'll share my thoughts.

I am all for getting after it until the clock runs out, but Rodney Ferguson's fumble before the half illustrated why sometimes it's best to just take a knee. It was highly unlikely he was going to run 80 yards for a touchdown. I can see maybe passing, although the Lobos have been shaking going to the air all game. So it seems better to take a knee. Of course, hindsight is 20-20. I can see that one a mile away, now.

Here's some first half stats:
Karsten Sween went 10-of-18 passing for 98 yards and two interceptions. The Cowboys ran for 70 yards on 20 carries. The team had three turnovers, including a fumble by Sween.

Chris Nelson went one-of-four passing for 21 yards. Donovan Porterie went five-of-eight for 17 yards. The Lobos ran for 47 yards on 17 carries.

The difference obviously was the New Mexico defense, which has hounded Sween and once again helped the UNM offense tremendously.

Tyler Donaldson is having a monster night, leading all players with nine tackles and forcing one fumble. Quincy Black also is doing well, as usual, with five tackles and one interception returned for 35 yards.

The UNM offense needs to step up and help the defense out, although I just don't see Wyoming making a comeback.

For those of you who missed it, the halftime fireworks were nice. Now on to the second half. Let's home the Linz can dodge no re-entry rules and get back in to University Stadium.

Posted by ilimon at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Cowboys used a pair of running plays to get a first down and move the ball to 16-yard line. Joseph Harris carried on the next play for three yards, but the Cowboys are running low on time with 1:23 left in the half.

Karsten Sween passed to Michael Ford for a 10-yard gain and first down at the Wyoming 29. Sween threw again to Ford for a six yard gain with 1:06 left. Sween took a hard hit from Zach Arnett on his way out of bounds for a four-yard gain and first down with 59 seconds left.

Sween connected on a great pass across the middle to Kyle Jacobo, but he dropped it after being hit by OJ Swift and the pass was ruled incomplete. Fans wanted a fumble since Quincy Black recovered the ball.

On the next play Sween was sacked, but there was a flag on the play. The penalty was on Wyoming and the Lobos took the six-yard loss on the sack. Wyoming called a timeout to stop the clock with 44 seconds left in the half. The Cowboys face third-and-16 at te 33. Sween completed a screen pass to Devin Moore under pressure for a gain of eight yards. New Mexico called a timeout to stop the clock with 33 seconds left. The Cowboys face fourth-and-16 on their own 33.

The Cowboys punted into the endzone and the Lobos took over with 26 seconds left.

Nelson came back in for the drive and handed off to Rodney Ferguson. He ran for four yards, then fumbled on the play and Wyoming recovered with one second left at the Lobos' 24-yard line. Wyoming's Aric Goodman attempted a 41-yard field goal for the Cowboys, but he missed. Luck smiled on the Lobos and they retain a 10-0 lead at halftime.

Posted by ilimon at 07:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

They just made an announcement in the press box that Michael Tuohy would not play tonight because of a violation of team policy. No further details were shared. I'll try to get more information after the game.

Posted by ilimon at 07:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie is back for his second series. He led the Lobos to a field goal the first time, but his passing was not pretty.

Rodney Ferguson ran for a three-yard gain on the firsts play. Ferguson ran for five yards on the next play. Porterie's passed on the next play to rarely-used-but-always-open John Mulchrone for a gain of six and first down.

Porterie rolled out under heavy pressure then managed to connect with Matt Quillen for an 11-yard gain and first down. That was impressive. Porterie passed on the next play to Mulchrone for a six-yard gain. Porterie's next pass intended for Travis Brown was a little high and incomplete. The Lobos faced third-and-three a their 48 with 2:40 left in the half. His next pass intended for Marcus Smith was incomplete, although it looked like there could have been interference on the play.

The Lobos punted and downed the ball at the Wyoming three-yard line.

Posted by ilimon at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kenny Byrd earned another touchback on the kickoff.

Wynel Seldon ran for three yards on the first play of the drive. Seldon ran again for another three-yard gain. Karsten Sween's next pass was complete to Hoost Marsh for a five-yard gain and a first down.

Sween appeared to fumble on the next snap, but there was a flag on the play. It was offsides on the Lobos, so Wyoming got bailed out with first-and-five at the 36. The Cowboys ran again for a six-yard gain and first down. It appears they are much better on the ground than with the ball in Sween's hands. Sween threw on the next play and the ball sailed over the head of Tyler Holden, bringing up second and 10 at the 42. Sween then completed his a screen pass to Devin Moore for a 14-yard gain to the UNM 44.

Sween passed to Hoost Marsh, who was open on a nice run, but the ball was just out of reach. Seldon carried on the next play for a five-yard gain, which brought up third-and-five at the UNM 39. Sween stepped back to pass but missed receiver Derrick Levy.

Wyoming stepped back to punt and the ball rolled into the endzone, giving the Lobos a first down at the UNM 20.

Posted by ilimon at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Donovan Porterie came in for his first series and the Lobos used a series of run plays to gain six yards. On third-and-four, the he completed a pass to Travis Brown for three yards. He stayed in as the Lobos went for it on fourth-and-one at the Wyoming 29.

Rodney Ferguson carried on fourth down and gained three yards, good enough for the first down at the Wyoming 26.

Ferguson ran again on the next play for a gain of four yards. He looked a little slow hitting the hole and could have gotten a bigger gain if he plowed forward instead of stuttering. Porterie's next pass was incomplete and looked like a pretty awkward pass. On third-and-five, Porterie was under pressure and threw an awkward screen pass to Matt Quillen for a loss of six.

Kenny Byard then stepped up and hit a 45-yard field goal to push the Lobos up 10-0.

Posted by ilimon at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Nelson was hit hard on a botched running play and the Lobos punted and no on returned it, so Wyoming took over at the 45-yard line.

The Cowboys ran for three yards, then Karsten Sween missed on a screen pass that could have been picked off by the Lobos but they didn't get it. On the next play, Sween pass intended for Hoost Marsh was picked off by Quicy Black and returned 35 yards to the Wyoming 38.

Posted by ilimon at 06:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wyoming had a strange fake punt and was able to stumble out of its endzone for a firsts down. But their drive ended quickly when Cowboy quarterback Karsten Sween couldn't get rid of the ball under pressure and it was easy enough for the Lobos to focus on the running game.

The Lobos did not field the punt and Wyoming downed it at the UNM 3-yard line. The Lobos ran out of danger, but will start the second quarter facing a third-and-nine at UNM's 18-yard line.

At the end of the first, the Lobos lead 7-0.

Posted by ilimon at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Nelson threw out of bounds for an incomplete pass, then Martelius Epps ran for two yards. Nelson was about to be sacked when he connected with Travis Brown for a 21-yard reception. Rodney Ferguson carried on the next play, running for a three-yard gain. The Lobos ran a reverse to Marcus Smith, who gained another three yards, but there was a flag on the play that negated the run. It was offsides on Wyoming, so the Lobos have second-and-goal at the two. Ferguson jumped over the top on the carry but only got one yard. It brought up third and goal at the one-yard line. Ferguson ran up the middle again for the touchdown with 6:21 remaining in the first quarter.

It was Ferguson's first rushing touchdown of the year. Kenny Byrd hit the extra point, to give UNM a 7-0 lead.

Posted by ilimon at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Karsten Sween was sacked by Herbert Felder and Tyler Donaldson and fumbled. Tyson Ditmore recovered the fumble and at the Wyoming 23.

Posted by ilimon at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chris Nelson started at quarterback and handed off to Rodney Ferguson for a two-yard loss. Martelius Epps took the next handoff and ran for seven yards. Nelson ran on the next play, for a gain of two to bring up fourth-and-three.

The Lobos punted, with Jordan Scott booting the ball well but Hoost Marsh returned it for 19 yards to the Wyoming 27.

Posted by ilimon at 06:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a touchback. Wyoming was dropped on the opening run, then gained nine yards on a pass. The next running play was stopped due to a flag. It was false start on Wyoming, pushing the Cowboys back to third-and-six at the 24. Redshirt freshman Karsten Sween completed a 10-yard pass to Michael Ford for the first down.

Sween completed his next pass to Ford, who scrambled for a 28-yard gain. Ford dodged several tackles before Major Mosley wrapped him up. Sween threw a screen pass under heavy pressure to Devin Moore for a gain of one yard gain. Wynel Seldon ran on the next play for 12 yards to the 25.

The UNM defense looked shaky, but Sween's next pass was intercepted by DeAndre Wright in the endzone. The Lobos take over on their own 20.

Posted by ilimon at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And will defer until the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 06:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm settled in here in the University Stadium press box. The band is playing the fight song, and are starting to leave the tailgate lots to find their seats inside. It's overcast and supposed to rain later tonight, but it doesn't look too bad. Most fans already seated brought blankets and jackets just in case.

The Aggies aren't looking so good. New Mexico State is down 28-20 to Idaho with 2:09 left in the fourth quarter. It extends one of the stats Lobo fans love to mention any time Aggie fans say about negative about the UNM -- New Mexico State has not beaten a Division I-A opponent in two years. Eventually it will happen. And I'm pretty sure it will happen this season, just not today.

Colorado State is up 21-7 on UNLV. I'm not sure if it's so good that the Rebels will likely be 1-4 overall and 0-3 in conference when the Lobos visit next week. They could be hungry for a win or demoralized by their poor start. UNLV has a bunch of transfers from big Division I programs and seem to always give New Mexico a scare, especially in Las Vegas. When I talked to UNM coach Rocky Long before the season started, he said it's always tough to keep players focused because of the bright lights of Sin City. I would guess it's also got to be hard to play football in a stadium that is rarely full.

Posted by ilimon at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have to think BYU has emerged as the front-runner for the conference championship, with Utah not far behind. The Cougars didn't let up after upsetting TCU last week, earning a 47-17 win over San Diego State Saturday. BYU put together an incredible first half, jumping ahead 40-3.

Air Force was another hot team, but the Falcons fell 24-17 to Navy in the option vs. option war and lost the first leg of the Commander-in-chief's trophy. I said earlier this week the trophy would be settled by the Air Force-Navy game, but Army beat the Virginia Military Institute 62-7 and isn't the pushover it has been the past few years. Army is 3-3 and might not be such a longshot for the Poinsettia Bowl after all. The Black Knights already have been invited to play a Mountain West team in the bowl game, but they have pick up at least six wins.

Let's see how the Lobos do tonight. If they pick up a win, they jump into the middle of the Mountain West Conference pack and ahead of former favorite TCU.

Posted by ilimon at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Holy Smokes! BYU is rolling.

Most teams overlook San Diego State, and let the Aztecs stick around for a little while. Not BYU. The Cougars own a 40-3 halftime lead over San Diego State in Provo, Utah.

BYU Coach Bronco Mendenhall kept the same stiff jaw his old mentor Rocky Long usually uses when interviewed at halftime by the Mountain TV crews. When asked how he would keep his team motivated in the second half, Mendenhall said, "I want them to play a complete game."

Pity the Aztecs if Cougars heed Mendenhall's advice.

Posted by ilimon at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I don't want to stir up conspiracy theories since most New Mexico fans have a major grudge against BYU, but its pretty clear the Mountain loves the Cougars.

The Mountain is the new regional network launched by CSTV to cover Mountain West Conference athletics. BYU is a dream team for the new network because it has such a huge fan base and a rich football tradition. The network can now justify rolling tons of historic BYU footage, including its national championship run, to fill time and delight fans.

I'm not saying the Mountain is ignoring any other team, but from day one it was heavy on BYU coverage. We'll see if BYU holds up its end of the bargain and keeps winning. It ought to be relatively easy today against visiting San Diego State.

Posted by ilimon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TCU was supposed to be this year's BCS buster and a favorite to defend its Mountain West Conference title. A string of injuries and all-around weak offense have hurt the Horned Frogs mightily the past two weeks. They fell 20-7 at Utah Saturday, dropping to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the MWC. BYU, Utah and Air Force are the conference's hot teams. The Lobos need to step up play to become that fourth team and work their way into a bowl game. Of course, TCU isn't going to just roll over but they have opened the door for a lot of people.

At this point, it's probably better if UNLV upsets Colorado State because the Rams are bound to win other games while the Rebels don't seem as strong. The BYU-San Diego State doesn't affect the Lobos' standing much unless you really want to make sure the Aztecs stay in the cellar or hate the Cougars so much you want them to lose and give some other team a better shot at the title. It wouldn't hurt if Air Force lost to Navy and hurt its overall record. And, of course, UNM needs to beat Wyoming.

Today the Tribune was bursting with sports coverage. One of the big things we had was the print edition of our Lobo Zone section.

My main story was on Major Mosley, who is juggling his new gig at middle linebacker along with life as a newlywed and dad-to-be.

Mosley also is interesting because he's one of many Lobos who made a major position change. I wrote a sidebar on the way the UNM coaches move players around like chess pieces and have found a lot of success with the changes.

Richard Stevens talks about just how huge this game is for both UNM and Wyoming.

I did an interview with George Carter, who had some very interesting answers for our "In His Words" feature.

A reader asked coach Rocky Long about leaning on junior college recruits next season to help with the rebuilding process. You can read Long's answer here.

I took a look at Wyoming's defense, which has been leading the way for the Cowboys this season.

Then you can check out the audio section of Lobo Zone to listen the pre-game podcast Richard Stevens and I did previewing the New Mexico-Wyoming game.

That's all for today. Let me know what you think of our Lobo Zone stories and check back on game day for tons of game updates and post-game coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 03:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM coach Don Flanagan let the media watch one of his team's pre-season workouts Thursday afternoon.

The Lobos have a new walk-on this season. Stephanie Baldwin, a 5-foot-11 redshirt freshman and La Cueva grad, made it through walk-on tryouts and is on the Lobos' official roster.

I've seen all the players work out individually, but I never had a chance to see the team playing together. There definitely was a much more up-tempo pace to the workout and players were really getting after the ball. Of course, last year's team was constantly battling injuries. But the mix of five freshmen, one walk-on and the veterans seems to be working out very well. While smaller groups of freshmen usually deferred to the veterans, this group isn't afraid to run right at them.

Flanagan said he still can't announce his new assistant coach because UNM's human resources office still has not approved the hire.

That's all for now. Check out Friday's Tribune for a women's basketball story. I also update my blog Friday with a few more notes about the team.

Posted by ilimon at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Lobos' practice ran smoothly, with Michael Tuohy and Martelius Epps both cleared by team trainers to play Saturday against Wyoming. The team only works out in shoulder pads on Thursdays, typically focusing on assignments and game plans rather than really hitting each other.

The most amusing moment came late in practice when backup redshirt freshman quarterback Donovan Porterie was leading the Lobos' two-minute drill. He was moving quickly and lined up behind offensive lineman Bo Greer instead of center Vince Natali. He was clearly a little embarrassed and took a lot of teasing from his teammates, who could not stop laughing after Porterie's gaffe. It was funny but not really a serious indicator of what Porterie is capable of doing as a quarterback. Both starter Chris Nelson and Porterie looked fine during practice, with no noticable changes. It will be really interesting to see how they both perform Saturday.

That's all I've got for today, but check out a previous post for news on coach Rocky Long being reprimanded by the Mountain West Conference for his negative comments about the officiating following UNM's 24-7 loss at Air Force.

Friday is our big Lobo Zone blowout in the print edition of the Tribune. And we'll also have a pre-game podcast Richard Stevens and I recorded complete with our predictions. I will give a little hint ... all three Tribune analysts picked the same team to win. Come back Thursday to find out why we picked the Cowboys or Lobos to win Saturday.

Posted by ilimon at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Mountain West Conference reprimanded UNM football coach Rocky Long for the negative comments he made about officials following the Lobos' 24-7 loss at Air Force Saturday. Here's the story I wrote Thursday afternoon about the reprimand.

It was pretty clear Long would be reprimanded even if the league agreed with his protests behind closed doors. The Mountain West Conference's sportsmanship policy states no coaches, players or school representatives can publicly criticize officials or the conference. The punishment for the first offense is a public reprimand. The punishment for subsequent offenses is a public reprimand and at least a two-game suspension, according to the 2006-07 Mountain West Conference Handbook.

Is this a fair policy?
Should coaches be allowed to publicly question officiating or decisions made by conference administrators?
Share your thoughts in the comments section of the blog.

Posted by ilimon at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM has provided some detailed instructions about how to view the Lobos game against Wyoming Saturday at www.golobos.com. The game will be streamed live and free charge. Fans will get the feed from four stadium cameras used to generate scoreboard replays and hear audio from KKOB-AM (770).

Instructions for accessing the live video and audio:
• Click on All-Access icon on the front page of www.golobos.com.
• Register if you are a first-time user or enter your user name and password if you have already registered for All-Access.
• Click on the icon for the New Mexico-Wyoming football game.

Your computer needs to meet the following technical requirements access the game:
• Processor: Intel Pentium III 800 MHz ( or equivalent )
• Operating System: Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, XP Media Center 2005
• Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
• 512 MB RAM
• 16-bit sound card and speakers
• 65,000-color video display card
• Internet connection: 56Kbps dial-up for audio; High Speed Broadband Connection at least500kbps
• Web browser (see above); cookies enabled
• Media Player: Windows Media Player 9 and 10 ( Windows XP )
• Flash 7.0 or 8.0 for Internet Explorer
• Minimum Screen Resolution 1024 x 768
For questions about All-Access, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on www.cstv.com.

In other broadcast news, the Mountain and CSTV have lined up a deal so that fans can watch San Diego State's game at BYU Saturday via pay-per-view on TV and online. The game will be an In Demand option through most cable systems. The In Demand option, however, will be blacked out in New Mexico. The only way fans can catch the game here is via the Mountain, which is part of Comcast's digital classic cable plan.

Posted by ilimon at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Before I get started on my practice report, I want to share a few more details that didn't make into today's story on Donovan Porterie.

First of all, Bob Toledo really was that blunt in his assessment of Chris Nelson. He said he has talked with Nelson about his performance and didn't share anything with me hadn't already discussed with the senior. Toledo said he is spending a lot of time talking with Nelson this week to make sure he doesn't lose his confidence. Nelson has played better coming off the bench, so it could be the nudge he needs to perform a little better.

The story focused on the quarterbacks, but I also think I made it clear Toledo said the entire offense is still making mistakes. Toledo said he doesn't know if Porterie will fare any better than Nelson, but it's worth giving him a chance to play and show what he can do.

Porterie is still pretty rough around the edges and makes a lot of mistakes in practice, but some guys are game-day performers. Sometimes they take it another level on game day. For example, Dionne Marsh is arguably the best player in the Mountain West Conference this season but she doesn't perform anywhere near her game level in practice. UNM women's basketball coach Don Flanagan said he doesn't think she slacks off in practice, it's just that her competitive juices kick in during the game and she makes amazing plays. She jumps higher and makes plays he's never seen her come anywhere near accomplishing in practice. Porterie could be that guy.

I got a few e-mails from readers who said I'm just trying to write negative material and invent a quarterback controversy. All I set out to do was learn a little bit more about Porterie and find out what Bob Toledo's take was on the quarterbacks. Porterie could do well during his series and play the remainder of the game, or Nelson could confirm he is the best guy to run the offense. We'll all see what happens Saturday against Wyoming.

Good news for the Lobos on the injury front. Michael Tuohy had his MRI and it confirmed he only had a knee bruise. Tuohy was back in practice Wednesday, and he's the type of guy who just won't care how tender the knee is during the game. It's really good news for the Lobos because Tuohy is a firecracker on defense who really inspires his teammates to fly all over the place and gives opposing teams fits.

Tuohy's return means no one on the UNM travel squad is in the playpen recovering from injuries.

Maybe the Lobos shouldn't punt as often as they do during games. I watched the kickers a little bit during practice and saw senior Kenny Byrd hit a 62-yard field goal using a field goal holder tee. No, that was not a typo -- 62 yards with no problem. The guy already has hit a 52-yarder this season, the longest field goal hit by anyone in the Mountain West Conference this year and third longest in school history. With the UNM defense playing so well and Byrd's unbelievable range, I think the Lobos can afford to let him keep breaking records.

That's all for today. I posted our Lobo Zone Wednesday podcasts a little later than usual but they're up. I went to the doctor and he said I have bronchitis, so I'm a little sluggish this week. Don't worry, it's not contagious and the football team is safe -- at least from my germs. We've got audio from an interview with John Mulchrone and Long's media lunch. Check out Thursday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The women's basketball team is opening practice to the media Thursday afternoon, and I'll be there.

I'll have some time afterward for player interviews and was wondering if any women's basketball fans have burning questions they want answered. If so, post them in the comments section of the blog. I can't promise that I'll get to all of them, but I'll do my best to get a few of the more interesting ones answered.

So, fire away.

Posted by ilimon at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Michael Tuohy sat out another practice but did extensive conditioning work on the sidelines. He is scheduled to have an MRI on his knee Wednesday, which UNM head trainer Dave Binder said he was confident would not show any serious damage.

Binder said running back Martelius Epps has been cleared to play Saturday. He is working out with a soft cast that is applied by the UNM training staff. UNM coach Rocky Long said if Epps is in a position to play, he will try to avoid Mike Love the rest of the year. Love has a hyperextended knee and torn cartilage in the same knee, which needs to be surgically repaired. Long said he doesn't want to put any more pressure on Love or make the injury worse, but he isn't sure when Love will have surgery.

Backup quarterback Donovan Porterie stuck around after practice Tuesday to work with Mike Vandenberg on his timing on a three-step drop and passes. Porterie will play at least one series during the first half against Wyoming, and he said he wants to make the most of the opportunity. At the same time, he has been very careful to defer to starter Chris Nelson.

I talked with Wyoming and New Mexico players, and they both definitely sense the urgency going into this week. Both teams are eager for a win and have some bad memories from disappointing runs last season. Neither want to be 0-2 knowing they have the talent to be a much stronger team.

That's all for now. Check out Wednesday's Tribune for loads more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm a little behind posting my ballot from this week's Harris Poll, but it did run in the print edition of the Tribune Monday.

I cast a vote in the Harris poll, one of three factors used to determine Bowl Championship Series standings. The standings are used to award spots in the BCS bowl games and name a national champion. Here are my picks:

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Auburn
4. West Virginia
5. Florida
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Louisville
9. Georgia
10. LSU
11. Notre Dame
12. Oregon
13. Tennessee
14. Oklahoma
15. Florida State
16. Clemson
17. California
18. Nebraska
19. Boise State
20. Georgia Tech
21. Rutgers
22. Missouri
23. Iowa
24. Virginia Tech
25. TCU

It's tough figuring out the bottom end of the poll and how to move teams with impressive wins up if the top dogs aren't losing. I had a hard time deciding whether to rank TCU or Boston College No. 25, but I went with the Horned Frogs. I don't think it's necessarily fair that teams from lesser-known conferences get bumped right out of the poll after one loss, especially a team that had the nation's longest winning streak.

Disagree with my ballot? Tell me about it in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 02:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Tuohy sat out Monday night's practice with a bruised knee. He will have an MRI this week to make sure there is no major damage, but UNM head trainer Dave Binder said he didn't think it was anything more than a bruise.

Running back Martelius Epps is on track to play this week and participated in his first full-contact practice since fracturing his right hand. "I feel good and I hope I can get to play," Epps said. He has been injured all season and is anxiously awaiting his debut at running back for the Lobos. His grip is not quite at full strength yet, but Epps said he feels comfortable running with the ball in his hands.

I checked in with Wyoming's sports information department, and the school confirmed redshirt freshman Karsten Sween will get his first career start this week against the Lobos. Sween took over running the Cowboys' offense in the third quarter and threw four touchdown passes in Wyoming's double overtime loss at Syracuse.

The Lobos worked mostly on fundamentals and conditioning this week. The defense typically runs for the points they allow, while the offensive line runs after practice. The quarterbacks also did some post-practice sprints.

Senior tight end John Mulchrone said the Lobos are fired up this week after taking it on the chin at Air Force. "We're upset," he said. "We want to play better. We want to go out there and win this game, and we don't want this season to get away from us."

That's all for tonight. Check out Tuesday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM football coach Rocky Long said backup Donovan Porterie will play one series in the first half against Wyoming this week. He said he wants to get Porterie a little bit more experience as the backup and starter Chris Nelson didn't perform as well as the coaching staff expected.

Long said Nelson is still the starter. "I don’t think Chris performed as well as we expected him to perform or anticipated him to perform, so we want to continue to give Donovan experience," Long said. "Chris still gives us the best chance to win."

So could Porterie get more than one series?

"It would all depend on the situation of the game, the way the game was progressing," Long said.

As much as many fans are calling for Porterie to take over the top job this season, I can say based on watching him in practice that he still is very much a work in progress. He is still learning the Lobos' offense and doesn't always make the right decisions. Of course Nelson didn't exactly turn in dazzling performance against Air Force. Long said he was very average. Nelson said he was bad, and it's hard to disagree with him.

Air Force crushed the Lobos' budding running game, holding the New Mexico to 41 rushing yards. Long said he thinks it was a combination of the Falcons playing well and better than UTEP did last week against New Mexico and the Lobos' offensive line not playing as well as they did against the Miners.

Long, a former kickoff returner in the Canadian Football League, took some heat off sophomore Glover Quin. He said Air Force kicker Zach Sasser probably had really good booting a knuckle ball kickoff late in the third quarter.

"I used to return kicks, it was a very difficult kick to handle," Long said. "Even if you handle it right, what you do probably is like an infielder is knock it down and pick it up, then don’t get much of a return. And it hit bout a yard in front of him and took a nasty bounce and went right off his leg. I don't know what else he could have done except let it hit the ground and then jump out of the way, and then you’re hoping it goes into the endzone but it might jump sideways."

"... That’s one of those bad break deals," Long said. "That wasn't really Glover's fault. That wasn't the way were lined up's fault. That was one of those things that the ball hit a hard in front of him and there was nothing he could do about it."

The good news is the Lobos emerged from the Air Force game with a few bumps and bruises, but no serious injuries.

It looks there will be an awful lot on the line when Wyoming visits the Lobos for homecoming Saturday. The Cowboys are 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the Mountain West Conference, but they've been in a lot of tight games. The Associated Press is reporting Wyoming also will start a new quarterback against the Lobos, Karsten Sween. He played well in the second half of Wyoming's double overtime loss at Syracuse and could pose some problems for UNM coaches trying to scout his tendencies based on very little game tape.

That's all for tonight. Check out Monday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage and visit the audio section of Lobo Zone to listen to the post-game podcast Richard Stevens and I did following the UNM game. We discuss the Lobos' performance at Air Force and the big game this week against Wyoming.

Posted by ilimon at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)