Sept. 5, 2005
Final Stats | Notes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Kole McKamey threw two touchdown passes and Gabriel Fulbright's interception in the final minute preserved New Mexico's 24-22 win over UNLV Monday.
New Mexico (1-0, 1-0 MWC) scored on its first three possessions and jumped out to a 17-0 lead, then had to hold off a UNLV fourth quarter rally.
Shane Steichen's 7-yard pass on fourth down to Donell Wheaton with 1:31 left got the Rebels within 24-22. UNLV (0-1, 0-1 MWC) went for the two-point conversion, but halfback Erick Jackson was stopped inside the 1 by Lobo linebacker Aleem Harris.
UNLV's Chanti Bloomer then recovered an onside kick, giving the Rebels possession at the New Mexico 48. On the next play Fulbright stepped in front of UNLV tight end Greg Estrandia near the sidelines to pick off Steichen's pass with 1:20 left.
The combination of McKamey and wide receiver Hank Baskett, a missed extra point by UNLV kicker Sergio Aguayo and a pair of delay of game penalties on the Rebels were the difference.
McKamey, who threw only five touchdown passes last season, set career highs in completions by going 20-for-29 and for passing yards with 284. Baskett caught 6 passes for 132 yards. He caught a 47-yard TD pass in the first quarter and pulled in a 48-yard pass from McKamey early in the fourth quarter that set up DonTrell Moore's 1-yard touchdown.
It was just enough to hold off UNLV, which finally got its spread offense rolling.
Jackson scored on runs of 16 and 3 yards and Aguayo connected on a 31-yard field goal. But Aguayo's missed PAT after Jackson's first touchdown would prove critical. The usually reliable Aguayo was perfect on extra points last season, going 27-for-27.
The Rebels also had to settle for Aguayo's field goal in the third quarter after having a first-and-goal at the New Mexico 5-yard line. Back-to-back delay of game penalties pushed UNLV back to the 14 and Steichen, under pressure, threw incomplete on third down.
New Mexico scored in the first quarter on Kenny Byrd's 37-yard field, McKamey's pass to Baskett and a 10-yard McKamey to Moore screen pass.
McKamey was a picture of efficiency in the first quarter in the Lobos' version of the spread offense. He completed his first five passes and was 12-for-19 for 177 yards in the first half.
Steichen completed 18 of 30 passes in UNLV's new spread offense, which first year head and coach and former Utah offensive coordinator Mike Sanford has installed. The Rebels managed just one first down in the first quarter.
