Ags Beat Southeastern Louisiana 30 To 15
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Chase Holbrook threw for two touchdowns and 381 yards and New Mexico State University snapped the longest losing streak in Division I with a 30-15 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday night.
The season-opening win over the Division I-AA Lions was the first for the Aggies under second-year coach Hal Mumme. The Aggies had lost 13 straight, including going 0-12 last season.
They ended the streak by beating the school where Mumme coached for two seasons.
Holbrook, a former backup quarterback at Southeastern Louisiana who followed Mumme to NMSU, made an impressive debut in his first major college start. He hit 29 of 40 passes, including a 37-yard TD pass to Chris Williams and 15-yarder to Derek Dubois.
Holbrook broke open the game open with a 1-yard TD run late in the third quarter. It was a score set up by Holbrook’s 39-yard pass to tight end Nick Cleaver on fourth-and-15. Southeastern Louisiana scored in the first quarter on a 25-yard pass from Seth Babin to Merrick Lanaux and an 11-yard run by Jay Lucas.
Babin completed 17 of 28 passes for 130 yards. Williams caught seven passes for 146 yards and Dubois had seven catches for 93 yards. Halfback Justine Buries scored on a 10-yard run and rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries as the Aggies rolled up 519 yards.
The Aggies scored twice in the first quarter in 2 1/2 minutes and seemed headed for a quick rout. The offense pushed 80 yards in 11 plays to set up Buries’ TD. Southeastern Louisiana helped NMSU with its next score when it gambled and failed to convert on fourth-and-one at its 37-yard line.
On the next play, Holbrook hit a wide open Williams in the right corner of the end zone. Both teams wasted scoring chances in the first half. Leading 14-0 after two quick first quarter scores, Jamar Cotton recovered a short kickoff at the Lions’ 23.
Holbrook scrambled free on the third, was hit hard at the 1-yard line and fumbled into the end zone, where Tony Richardson recovered for a touchback.
The Lions’ had a first-and-goal at the NMSU 10 midway through the second quarter after Buries was stripped of the ball and Southeastern Louisiana’s George Leverette picked it up. But the Lions’ offense went back from there on two penalties, including a 15-yarder for offensive pass interference.
Southeastern Louisiana trailed 23-15 at halftime and could have been closer. Michael Johnson recovered Holbrook’s second fumble at the NMSU 28 with 32 seconds left and returned it to the 13.
Three plays later, the Lions settled for a 21-yard field goal by Jeff Turner.
