The Lobos overcame a mistake-filled first half to defeat Hawai'i 21–10. Now Jason Eck's team must clean up those mistakes before North Dakota State arrives in Albuquerque for one of the Mountain West's biggest games.
By Roger A. Holien | Mountain West Connection
Even good football teams have nights when very little goes as planned.
Sometimes, they simply must find a way to win.
That is exactly what New Mexico did Saturday night in Honolulu.
The Lobos overcame a miserable first half, three turnovers, 16 penalties accepted, heavy rain, and an injury to quarterback James Laubstein to defeat Hawai'i 21–10.
Frankly put, the Aloha Spirit hit them full force, almost like a sleep at the wheel, before head Lobo Coach had the "Come to Jesus" meeting at halftime.
From this writer's perspective, coming out of the locker room, the team looked a heck of a lot more spark during warmups than Strength Coach Caleb Heim looked to get the players ready for the second half.
The old saying that good teams find a way to win was on full display, as the difference between the first half's really sloppy play and the second half, when they took care of business, was clear.
New Mexico improved to 5–1 overall and 2–0 in Mountain West play, marking the program's first 2–0 start in conference play since 1997.
It wasn't pretty, but it mattered. Traveling to Hawai'i can be challenging for any team: the distance, the four-hour time-zone change, and the disruption to the usual weekly routine can make it hard to stay focused in an unfamiliar environment.
Those factors may help explain New Mexico's slow start, but head coach Jason Eck did not offer them as excuses.
Eck described his team's first-half performance in one word: "Undisciplined."
The Lobos managed only 108 yards before halftime and committed 12 penalties for 95 yards.
Two unnecessary-roughness penalties came on Hawai'i's opening possession, and a holding call erased what would have been a 50-yard touchdown run by Toa Fa'avae.
New Mexico finished with 16 accepted penalties for 130 yards, tying the second-highest single-game penalty total in program history.
"We have to be more disciplined," Eck said. "We have to play with much better technique than we did tonight. We were fortunate to be down only 10 at halftime; it could have been a lot worse."
He was right. The Lobos trailed 10–0 at halftime after committing two turnovers and repeatedly hurting themselves with avoidable mistakes. Fa'avae finished the game with three turnovers, and New Mexico looked nothing like the team that had beaten Central Michigan, Mercyhurst, New Mexico State, and UTEP earlier in the season. Yet the Lobos did not panic.
The Second Half Revealed New Mexico's Character
The game's emotional tone shifted before halftime when Laubstein suffered what Eck described as a potentially serious lower-body injury.
As he was taken from the field, Laubstein kept encouraging his teammates and challenging them to respond.
"He's not feeling sorry for himself," Eck said. "He's encouraging his teammates and trying to motivate those guys. He's a winner."
The Lobos carried that energy into the second half.
New Mexico opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Offensive coordinator Luke Schleusner showed his aggressiveness by calling a trick play on third down, with wide receiver Bailen George throwing a 35-yard pass to Fa'avae.
"That's a play we really liked on third down," Eck said. "I always like being aggressive."
Scottre Humphrey capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, cutting Hawai'i's lead to 10–7.
Humphrey's performance meant far more than football. His father passed away earlier in the week, but the Lobo running back chose to make the trip and play.
"[My dad] would have wanted me to play, so there was no doubt in my mind," Humphrey said afterward.
Humphrey rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns, including 78 in the second half. His 49-yard touchdown run with 3:24 remaining gave New Mexico some breathing room and sealed an emotional victory.
"I'm so proud of him. I love that kid," Eck said. "I know his dad is looking down proud."
Humphrey demonstrated the kind of courage, toughness, and commitment a team can rally around. On a night when New Mexico needed stability, he became the heart of the offense.
The Defense Saved the Night
New Mexico's defense faced adversity throughout the game, but Spence Nowinsky's unit responded when it mattered most.
The biggest defensive play came as Hawai'i threatened to extend its lead. Quarterback Micah Alejado appeared headed for the end zone, but safety Drew Speech knocked the ball loose just before the goal line. The Lobos recovered in the end zone, preventing what could have been a game-changing touchdown.
"We talked all week that we had to be good in the red zone defensively," Eck said.
Hawai'i reached the New Mexico 20-yard line four times but failed to score on two of those possessions. The Rainbow Warriors also finished with only 25 rushing yards, while the Lobos ran for 170.
That goal-line takeaway gave the offense another opportunity.
Miles Williams made a critical catch on fourth-and-six, and Fa'avae responded to his earlier mistakes with a 21-yard touchdown run. The score gave New Mexico its first lead with 6:57 remaining.
Fa'avae did not have his best game, but he refused to let his turnovers define it.
"I think he will learn a lot from his performance," Eck said. "I thought we put him in some tough situations. He didn't play his best game, but I think he responded well."
That response matters for a young quarterback. Fa'avae stayed aggressive, made an important play with his legs, and helped lead the Lobos to victory after a difficult start.
Tavian Combsended Hawai'i's final possession with an interception, sealing a second-half shutout and securing the win for New Mexico.
North Dakota State Will Punish Those Mistakes
New Mexico can savor the victory, but it cannot ignore how close it came to letting the game slip away.
The team must correct penalties, turnovers, missed opportunities, and a slow start immediately because North Dakota State is coming to Albuquerque.
The Bison are 6–1 overall and 3–1 in the Mountain West after defeating Nevada 31–17. They have already earned bowl eligibility in their first FBS season, proving their championship culture successfully made the jump from the FCS level.
North Dakota State has also shown it can win on the road, including a 38–32 victory at Air Force. Its only loss was a hard-fought 13–7 defeat at UNLV.
The Bison are too experienced, disciplined, and physical for New Mexico to survive another penalty- and turnover-marred game.
Saturday's matchup at University Stadium could significantly shape the Mountain West championship race. New Mexico enters as the conference's only unbeaten team in conference play, while North Dakota State remains firmly in contention with one conference loss.
The game will be nationally televised on The CW, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. Mountain Time.
For the Lobos, the lesson from Hawai'i is clear.
They proved they can handle adversity. They showed they can recover from a terrible half, lean on their defense, run the football when it matters, and make decisive plays late in a close game.
Those are qualities every good team needs.
Championship teams, however, must learn from their mistakes before those mistakes become losses.
"Sometimes you gotta win games when you don't play your absolute best," Eck said. "That's what championship teams do."
New Mexico accomplished that in Hawai'i.
Now the Lobos must show they can correct their mistakes, return home, and play cleaner football against one of the Mountain West's most dangerous teams.
Surviving Hawai'i kept New Mexico unbeaten in conference play.
Beating North Dakota State would show the rest of the Mountain West that these Lobos are ready to take control of the championship race.
Really, from watching the conference this year, the Bison will come into Albuquerque more motivated than any team looking to prove they belong at the FBS level and try to claim the Mountain West Conference Championship, if not at least a share of it, in the first year they transition from FCS to FBS.
Jason Ecks Lobos must put together a very well-disciplined game plan on both sides of the ball to come out on top, and you can bet this team is very motivated as well; it should be a great game.
