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TMCNet: Albuquerque Journal, N.M., Rick Wright column: No Sitcom, Pure Drama

[November 22, 2009]

Albuquerque Journal, N.M., Rick Wright column: No Sitcom, Pure Drama

Nov 22, 2009 (Albuquerque Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- To the outside world, this was Sheldon Cooper from "Big Bang Theory" in a fist fight with Steve Urkel from "Family Matters" -- or, for the more literate, Tiny Tim trying to smother Camille with a pillow while she coughs in his face.


To Saturday's combatants and spectators at University Stadium, though, this football game between win-starved teams was no sitcom, the players no weaklings.

The New Mexico Lobos and Colorado State Rams fought as if a national title were at stake, each overcoming momentum swing after momentum swing in a desperate struggle for that elusive victory.

Maybe the Lobos, winless entering the game, were a little more desperate. Maybe, their losing streak (14) being twice as long as CSU's (seven), they were twice as hungry.

New Mexico, making big plays on offense, defense and special teams, beat the Rams 29-27 in a game probably as exciting -- if not as meaningful -- as any that was played on this Saturday.

Thus, when four eventful quarters of football were over, it was New Mexico that won the fight. Sure, maybe no one in the entire world cared except the happy Lobos, their devastated opponents and a joyous crowd that in reality was perhaps three-fourths of the announced 21,751.

It was clear afterward, though, that the people who cared really, really cared. Judging from the postgame celebration, you'd have thought a conference title -- not an escape from the Mountain West Conference basement -- had been at issue.

"It means a lot," said quarterback Donovan Porterie, speaking for himself and his fellow 16 seniors, about making their home finale a success. "We're gonna be leaving University Stadium as winners." The seniors couldn't have done so without the freshmen, in particular running backs Demond Dennis and Kasey Carrier. They were a secondhalf sensation, gaining 184 yards combined in the final two quarters.

"This is really satisfying," Carrier said. "We've been wanting to win that one game for the seniors. ... The line was making good blocks, and we just made a few cuts here and there and got a lot of yards." The result? A a ground game that produced 270 yards; a total offensive yield of 467 yards, achieved with 38 passes and 35 rushes.

Linebacker Joe Stoner, a redshirt freshman, tore the ball away from CSU running back John Mosure when the UNM defense couldn't stop him any other way. Stoner forced and recovered a Mosure fumble at the UNM 5-yard line when it appeared the Rams were going in for what likely would have been a game-clinching touchdown.

"We made the plays we needed to make to win the game," said a happy coach Mike Locksley after his first career victory. "That's something we've been close to doing this year, and we finally did it." Sophomores? Kicker James Aho, whose missed pointafter and field goals might have cost the Lobos a huge upset last week against Brigham Young, provided UNM's final six points against the Rams -- the final three coming with 12 seconds left.

Juniors? Offensive linemen Mike Cannon, Karlin Givens and Maurice Mears helped open the gaping holes that Dennis and Carrier found in the CSU defense.

Sophomores? Linebacker Carmen Messina led the Lobos with 12 total tackles.

Still, from beginning to end, it was senior night at University Stadium. Strong safety Frankie Solomon forced a fumble and was in on nine tackles; free safety Frankie Baca had a thirdquarter interception in the end zone; Porterie shook off two interceptions, one of which went back 97 yards the other way for a CSU touchdown, and picked up a big first down on the winning drive with a 4-yard, fourthdown scramble.

So, no, don't look for any UNM-CSU highlights on ESPN this morning. Don't expect to read about this game in the Times, be it Los Angeles or New York.

Know, though, that everyone who doesn't care missed a really good football game -- and, for all anyone knows, the start of something.

To see more of the Albuquerque Journal, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.abqjournal.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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