Field Level Media
Nov 17, 2019
Third-string quarterback Jaylon Henderson passed for 292 yards and three touchdowns as No. 21 Boise State cruised to a 42-9 victory over New Mexico in Mountain West play on Saturday night at Boise, Idaho.
Nose tackle Sonatane Lui recovered two fumbles, returning one for a touchdown, as the Broncos (9-1, 6-0 MW) improved to 10-1 all-time against the Lobos.
John Hightower caught four passes for 124 yards and one touchdown for Boise State. Khalil Shakir (five receptions, 96 yards) was credited with both a passing touchdown and a receiving score, while Andrew Van Buren and Garrett Collingham each had touchdown catches.
Micah Gray scored on a 1-yard run with 3:53 remaining for New Mexico (2-8, 0-6), which lost its seventh straight contest. Standout Ahmari Davis carried just twice for 9 yards before leaving with a knee injury.
Tevaka Tuioti completed 14 of 21 passes for 175 yards for the Lobos, who were outgained 509 to 292.
Henderson, who completed 15 of 28 passes, drew the start as first-stringer Hank Bachmeier missed his second straight game due to a shoulder injury, while backup Chase Cord also was unavailable. Cord had his throwing hand examined on the sideline near the end of last week's win over Wyoming.
Boise State also lost star pass rusher Curtis Weaver (Mountain West record 33 career sacks) to a leg injury in the second quarter.
The Broncos scored 28 first-quarter points to seize control. The first score came on New Mexico's first offensive play, when Chase Hatada stripped Tuioti in the backfield and Lui scooped up the ball and raced 24 yards for the touchdown just nine seconds into the game.
Octavius Evans scored on a double-handoff play from 17 yards out to make it 14-0 with 7:53 left. Shakir boosted the lead to 21 when he collected a forward pitch in the backfield from Henderson and navigated 18 yards for a score with 3:24 left.
Boise State scored in a traditional manner with seven seconds left in the stanza, when Henderson tossed a 51-yard touchdown to Hightower.
Andrew Shelley's 40-yard field goal with 9:17 remaining in the third quarter got the Lobos on the board before the Broncos tacked on two more touchdowns later in the period.
Henderson threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Van Buren with 3:03 left before the Broncos unveiled another trick play on the final snap of the quarter. Shakir lined up as the quarterback in the wildcat formation and sent an underhanded forward flip to Collingham behind the line of scrimmage, and the tight end scored on a 2-yard play to make it 42-3.
New Mexico was playing for the first time since defensive end Nahje Flowers unexpectedly died on Nov. 5. Boise State held a moment of silence prior to the game.
--Field Level Media