Boise State holds off new Mexico 32 - 29
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Joe Southwick passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns and Tommy Smith knocked down a fourth-down pass with two minutes to go Saturday to help No. 24 Boise State beat New Mexico 32-29 on Saturday.
Boise State (3-1, 1-0 Mountain West) led by 25 points at half time after turning three Lobos' fumbles into 18 points.
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New Mexico (2-3, 0-1) turned two Broncos' second-half fumbles into touchdowns to help close the gap. The Lobos did not throw a pass in the second half until its final play, but baffled the Broncos with their triple-option offense.
After New Mexico forced Boise State into a 44-yard field-goal attempt that failed, the Lobos took over on their 27. Three plays left the Lobos facing a fourth-and-4. New Mexico brought in starting quarterback B.R. Holbrook for the passing situation, but Smith batted away the toss that was intended for Lamaar Smith.
Jay Ajayi had 118 yards and a touchdown on six carries for Boise State.
New Mexico quarterback Cole Gautsche scored twice and added a 2-point conversion, carrying it 71 yards on 11 carries. Kasey Carrier added 86 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. The Lobos ran for 324 yards.
Two fumbles by Carrier led to scoring drives for the Broncos.
The first came at the Lobos' 43 and five plays later, Southwick hit Chris Potter with a 10-yard TD pass to make it 10-0.
On the next possession, a long New Mexico drive came up empty when Carrier fumbled on the Boise State 19. It took the Broncos just three runs from Jay Ajayi to go 81 yards for the score.
In the second half, Boise State's turnovers got New Mexico (2-3, 0-1) back in the game.
It started when Dallas Burroughs fumbled the kickoff and New Mexico recovered at the 26.
Jhurell Presley capped the scoring drive with a 3-yard run to make it 25-7. Carrier added a 5-yard scoring run late in the third.
Southwick connected with Shane Williams-Rhodes on an 8-yard touchdown pass to give Boise State a 32-14 lead with 13:49 left in the fourth, but the Lobos responded.
Williams-Rhodes fumbled at the 48 and New Mexico's Joe Stoner returned it to the 1, where Gautsche carried it over to cut the lead to 32-29 with 7:42 left.