San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Ryan Lindley threw for 253 yards and three
touchdowns as he led the San Diego State Aztecs to a narrow 23-20 win over the
New Mexico Lobos in Mountain West Conference play at Qualcomm Stadium.
Lindley, who now has 12 touchdown passes in the last three outings, converted
22-of-38 passes for the Aztecs (4-4, 2-2 MWC) as they won their second
straight and the third in the last four outings.
The Lobos (0-8, 0-4), having now dropped 12 straight outings dating back to
last season, were led by Donovan Porterie who hit on 27-of-52 passes for 277
yards and a score in the losing effort.
UNM scored the first points of the game on a 35-yard field goal by James Aho
four minutes into the contest. In the second quarter Porterie scored on a one-
yard run to provide the Lobos with a 10-0 advantage.
San Diego State woke up and ripped off 16 unanswered points to close out the
first half, beginning with an 18-yard TD pass from Lindley to Alston Umuolo.
The home team logged a safety and then followed that up with a seven-yard TD
catch by DeMarco Sampson, taking a 16-10 lead into the break.
Aho inched New Mexico closer with a 45-yard field goal at the 8:02 mark of the
third and a five-yard TD pass from Porterie to Daryl Jones pushed the Lobos to
a 20-16 edge as the teams entered the final period.
Capping a 10-play, 75-yard drive, Lindley logged his third TD pass of the day,
a four-yard effort to Sampson, providing the Aztecs with the three-point
triumph.
Sampson, who has a total of seven TD receptions in the last three games for
the Aztecs, caught seven passes for 56 yards.
New Mexico, which entered the week with the third-longest losing streak in the
nation, converted only 9-of-20 on third down and averaged just 4.3 yards per
play.