Texas Teams

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The New Mexico Lobos used their punishing ground game and an inspired defensive effort to defeat the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners 23-20 in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

Richard McQuarley ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries while Teriyon Gipson added 60 yards and one score. Quarterback Lamar Jordan picked up 81 yards on the ground and 77 through the air.

It was the first bowl win for New Mexico (9-4) since it captured the New Mexico Bowl trophy in 2007, and the first under coach Bob Davie.

"After a win like that, there wasn't a lot of yelling, it was more of a feeling," Davie said. "It's all about these players. I've talked in depth about enjoying the moment."

After the Roadrunners (6-7) scored to pull within 16-13 in the fourth quarter, the Lobos drove down to the 2-yard line and elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 with 3:08 remaining. After a timeout and a replay review, McQuarley was able to get the yard right up the middle.

"Richard McQuarley really stood out to me," Davie said. "He's a heck of a player."

Another 1-yard run put McQuarley in the end zone and sewed up the victory for New Mexico. UTSA picked up a touchdown with 25 seconds left but failed to recover the ensuing onside kick.

"I told our guys to hold their heads up high, they had nothing to be ashamed of," Roadrunners coach Frank Wilson said. "Today our best wasn't good enough."

The Roadrunners had put together their first touchdown drive starting with 24 seconds left in the third quarter. They drove down to the 35, only to seemingly stall out after Dalton Sturm was stuffed on a run on third-and-15. UTSA elected to go for it and Sturm found Brady Jones for a 19-yard completion.

Two plays later, Sturm found Trevor Stevens and he did the rest, scampering for a 16-yard touchdown, the first of his career. The extra point pulled the Roadrunners within 16-13.

UTSA had 246 yards of rushing on the day, led by senior Jarveon Williams' 125 yards on 16 carries.

"We've always had a good rushing attack," Williams said. "Today, we didn't have enough good plays."

New Mexico started the third quarter with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Gipson's 10-yard touchdown run.

The next two drives for the Lobos, sandwiched around an unsuccessful drive by the Roadrunners, amounted to nothing.

"We didn't have a lot of offense, but we had enough when we needed it," Davie said.

The first half was surprisingly dominated by the defenses. Both teams showed the ability to move the ball through the middle of the field, but would then stall out inside the 40.

The Lobos led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter after McQuarley scored on a 1-yard run with four seconds left, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. It was the only touchdown of the half.

UTSA was able to drive down for a 28-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the second quarter to cut the New Mexico lead to 7-6. That still left the Lobos enough time to drive down to the 35 with four seconds remaining. Jason Sanders booted a 52-yard field goal into the swirling wind to make it 10-6.

For the Roadrunners, it was a game of what could have been.

"The (scoring) opportunities were few and far between," Wilson said. "We had to kick three field goals. If we were able to score touchdowns there, it would have been a different outcome."

For Davie and the Lobos, there was no need to look back at what could have been.

"I'm so happy these players have a chance to go home for the holidays to see their family, friends, former coaches and teammates, and hold their heads high," Davie said.

NOTES: The Lobos' duo of Gipson and Tyrone Owens each rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season, the first time that has happened in New Mexico history. Gipson had 1,209 yards, while Owens added 1,084. ... The Roadrunners matched the fastest run to a bowl game for a startup program. UTSA is in its sixth season, the same mark that South Alabama reached in 2014. ... The Lobos entered the game leading the nation in rushing with 360.9 yards per game. They needed to run the ball as they were 1-12 under coach Bob Davie when attempting 20 or more passes in a game.