San Jose State (8-4) vs. New Mexico (6-6)
Dec. 23,
4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
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New Mexico Bowl Preview.
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By
Richard Cirminiello
New Mexico Bowl Player Profile
RB Rodney Ferguson, New Mexico – Ferguson
is Exhibit A why putting too
much credence into spring
performances can often
backfire. The sophomore, long
pegged as DonTrell Moore’s heir
apparent in Albuquerque, was
downright mediocre in March,
losing his fire and slipping
unexpectedly on the depth
chart. Entering the 2006
season, it looked as if he
would, at best, split carries
with teammates Martelius Epps
and Paul Baker. That was then,
and this is now. Through 12
games, Epps and Baker have just
61 carries between them, while
Ferguson used his 230 touches to
rumble to the fifth best season
for a running back in Lobo
history. At some point in
August, he regained his
intensity, stopped dancing in
the backfield and embraced the
physical, straight-ahead running
style that fits his 6-0,
230-pound physique. The results
this fall were rather favorable,
particularly for an offense that
had three different quarterbacks
start games and desperately
needed a reliable constant amid
the sea of change. Ferguson
delivered 1,132 yards, capped by
210 yards in the regular season
finale, nine total touchdowns
and 20 receptions, which tied
him for third-best on the team.
Those concerns from earlier in
the year are now old news.
Ferguson is a new man,
confident, determined and more
motivated than ever to be the
Lobo workhorse for the next two
seasons. In other words,
bearing absolutely no
resemblance to the player that
couldn’t buy a complement back
in the spring.
Best Lobo Bowl Moment –
The pickings are slim here since
New Mexico has lost its last
four bowl games and boasts just
a pair of bowl victories, the
last one coming in the 1961
Aviation Bowl. That 28-12 win
over Western Michigan gets the
nod by default, however, it'll
fall by the wayside if the Lobos
can handle San Jose State later
this month in Albuquerque.
Best Spartan Bowl Moment
– San Jose State capped a
ten-win season and a Pacific
Coast Athletic Association title
by pounding Miami (OH) in the
1986 California Bowl. Mike
Perez, the nation’s leader in
total offense, led the way with
three touchdown passes, while
the Spartan did its part by
intercepting five passes. The
win helped propel San Jose State
to a rare season-ending
appearance in the rankings.
New Mexico's best win ...
New Mexico 34 ... Utah 31
Down 24-3 in the second quarter, New Mexico became unstoppable with
three touchdown passes from Donovan Porterie, including two to
Marcus Smith, and took the lead for good on a one-yard Martelius
Epps run with just over two minutes to play. Utah's final drive was
stopped around midfield when QB Brett Ratliff was stuffed on fourth
and two. The Utes got up early on two Darryl Poston touchdown runs
and the first of two Ratliff touchdown passes, and took a late lead
on a three-yard Brian Hernandez touchdown, but the defense couldn't
adjust when the light went on for Porterie.
New
Mexico's worst loss ...
Portland State 17 ... New Mexico 6
New Mexico turned it over three times and committed 11
penalties, and Portland State took advantage of the mistakes to overcome
a 6-0 halftime deficit to score 17 unanswered points. Sawyer Smith threw
two touchdown passes starting with a 39-yard pass to Brendan Ferrigno
and closing out with a 26-yard scoring strike. New Mexico's offense
gained 339 yards, but it only managed two Kenny Byrd field goals.
San Jose State's best win ...
San Jose State 24 ... Fresno State 14
San Jose State picked off FSU QB Tom Brandstater four times
while Spartan QB Adam Tafralis threw three touchdown pass in the first
half. Tafralis connected with John Broussard for an 85-yard touchdown on
the first play of the game, hit James T. Callier for a ten-yard score,
and threw a 42-yard pass to James Jones late in the first half. Fresno
State moved the ball, but turnovers proved costly. Dwayne Wright ran for
an 11-yard score and Alan Goodwin returned a fumble 28 yards for a
touchdown in the second quarter.
Player of the
game ...
San Jose State LB
Matt Castelo made 16 tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception
San Jose State's worst loss ...
Hawaii 54 ... San Jose State 17
Hawaii rolled over San Jose State with 568 yards of total
offense, while the defense got into the act allowing just 192 yards.
Colt Brennan threw five touchdown passes and ran for another, but the
Warriors didn't put the game out of reach until the second half scoring
the final 27 points of the game over the last 19 minutes with two Davone
Bess touchdown catches and scoring grabs from Ryan Grice-Mullen and Nate
Ilaoa. James T. Callier ran for two one-yard scores for the Spartans.
New
Mexico Bowl History (3-7)
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2004 |
Emerald |
Navy 34, New Mexico 19 |
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2003 |
Las Vegas |
Oregon St 55, New Mexico
14 |
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2002 |
Las Vegas |
UCLA 27, New Mexico 13 |
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1997 |
Insight.com |
Arizona 20, New Mexico
14 |
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1961 |
Aviation |
New Mexico 28, Western
Michigan 12 |
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1946 |
Harbor |
New Mexico 13, Montana
State 13 |
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1945 |
Sun |
New Mexico 34, Denver 24 |
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1943 |
Sun |
Southwestern Texas 7,
New Mexico 0 |
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1938 |
Sun |
Utah 26, New Mexico 0 |
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San Jose State
Bowl History (4-3)
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1990 |
California |
San Jose State 48,
Central Michigan 24 |
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1987 |
California |
Eastern Michigan 30,
San Jose State 27 |
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1986 |
California |
San Jose State 37,
Miami (Ohio) 7 |
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1981 |
California |
Toledo 27,
San Jose State 25 |
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1971 |
Pasadena |
Memphis 28,
San Jose State 9 |
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1949 |
Raisin |
San Jose State 20,
Texas Tech 13 |
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1946 |
Raisin |
San Jose State 20,
Utah State 0 |
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New Mexico Bowl Preview