Bulldogs Drop Heartbreaker in Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Louisiana Tech dropped another heartbreaker in overtime, falling by a final score of 33-30 to New Mexico State on Tuesday night at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
 
Tied up at 24-24 in regulation, LA Tech (2-4, 1-2 CUSA) drove down the field, getting into the red zone with three seconds remaining with a chance to kick the game-winning field goal.  The attempt was blocked, forcing overtime.
 
Buck Buchanan redeemed himself with two field goals in extras – one to tie it up at 27-27 in the first OT period and a second to take a three-point lead in the second OT period.  However, New Mexico State (2-5, 1-3 CUSA) found the end zone to take the game.
 
There was very little offense for the Aggies in the first quarter.  There was even less for the Bulldogs, which had negative 10 yards of offense.  Even so, the contest was scoreless after the first stanza.
 
NM State broke through first, connecting on a deep post for 53 yards and the score to give the home team a 7-point lead with 11:44 to go in the second quarter.
 
LA Tech responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a 7-yard strike from Evan Bullock to Tru Edwards to even things up at 7-7. 
 
After a forced 3-and-out by the Bulldog defense, Bullock and Co. took advantage of a short field.  The quarterback found Eli Finley for a big 24-yard gain that setup a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle by Omiri Wiggins to give the ‘Dogs a 14-7 advantage with 1:12 remaining in the first half.
 
The Aggies managed to connect for a 48-yard field goal just before halftime.  The home team then retook the lead in the third quarter, going 88 yards on 11 plays that was finished off by a 7-yard rush. 
 
After a scoreless third quarter, LA Tech found its offensive rhythm again in the fourth.  Buchanan nailed a 41-yard field goal that was followed up by Bullock connecting with Edwards yet again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown to help the Bulldogs retake the lead at 24-17 with 4:54 remaining.
 
The third tie of the night occurred with 1:41 left as the Aggies converted two third downs and capitalized on a targeting penalty to tie the game at 24-24 after a 4-yard rushing TD. 
 
After getting sacked for the fifth time, New Mexico State was thinking about getting the football back with a chance to win it.  However, Bullock and Edwards hooked up again, this time on a 3rd-and-15 to move the chains.  Back-to-back rushes by Omiri Wiggins and Amani Givens went for 22 and 11 yards, respectively, to put LA Tech in the red zone with a chance to walk it off, but Buchanan’s game-winning attempt was blocked as time expired.
 
The teams traded field goals before the Aggies’ third rushing TD of the game gave the Bulldogs their second OT loss of the season.
 
Bullock finished 22-of-41 for 225 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Edwards who cracked the century mark for a third time this season with 102 receiving yards.  Wiggins led the Bulldogs on the ground with 60 rushing yards on 13 carries and a score.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Sonny Cumbie
 
On the game …
“It was a tough game.  The biggest takeaway from me on down, I don’t know if we gathered our team’s attention like we should have.  We had chances to make plays on all three sides of the football.  That is disappointing.  Our team has to be able to handle what we did five days ago.  Everybody in this league can win.  When you let a team hang around like we did, you are going to be in for a ball game.  We just did not make the plays we needed to.”
 
On the run game …
“New Mexico State played better tonight up front.  They had some big bodies up front.  I don’t think we executed as well up front as we needed to.  The backs settled in as the game went on.”
 
On quarterback Evan Bullock …
“I think it took Evan a little while to get settled.  I thought he made plays in clutch moments.  We had a couple of throws there in the last drive that he completed to Tru Edwards and was able to keep us in the game.”

NOTABLES

• With the loss, LA Tech now leads the all-time series over New Mexico State, 8-6. This snapped a three-game winning streak by the Bulldogs versus the Aggies in Las Cruces.
• LA Tech fell to 4-10 all-time in overtime games. The Bulldogs also lost to Tulsa in OT this game.
• LA Tech had 44 rushing attempts as a team, second most in a game this season. The Bulldogs eclipsed 100 yards on the ground for the third time this season (135).
• The Bulldog defense had multiple turnovers forced for a second straight game (recovered two muffed punts).
• Evan Bullock tossed two touchdowns. The quarterback now has eight touchdown passes to zero interceptions this season.
• Tru Edwards registered his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. He also recorded his first career multi-touchdown game. 
• This marked the second straight game that a Bulldog caught two touchdown passes (Omiri Wiggins caught two TDs versus Middle Tennessee).
• Omiri Wiggins registered season highs in rushing attempts (13) and rushing yards (60) while also tallying his first rushing touchdown.
• Amani Givens also recorded season highs in rushing attempts (10) and rushing yards (57). 
• Kolbe Fields registered a team-high nine tackles.
• Jacob Fields recorded a career-high seven tackles to go along with two pass breakups. 
• Buck Buchanan made a career-high three field goals. He is the first Bulldog to do so since Jacob Barnes did it against Northwestern State (Sept. 9, 2023).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will host UTEP on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Joe Aillet Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
 
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