By Ryan Hope
New Mexico''s confusing defense caused BYU''s offense to struggle for a season-low 188 total offensive yards.
The Cougar offense was not able to get into the end zone the entire game, as BYU fell to New Mexico 20-16, Saturday night Nov. 16.
'We just couldn''t get anything going offensively,' head coach Gary Crowton said. 'Offensively, we didn''t play very well, and we just have to get things going for next week.'
The Cougars fall to 5-6 on the season with one game remaining in the season.
BYU''s defense was responsible for 13 of the Cougars'' 16 points, forcing New Mexico to turn the ball over three times and punt eight times.
'Defensively we made some good stops and we did some good things,' Crowton said. 'Also, our special teams played pretty well.'
Sophomore kicker Matt Payne connected on three field goals for the Cougars, and also had a 28-yard run on a fake punt in the second quarter.
The only other scoring for the Cougars came on an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown by sophomore safety Jon Burbidge early in the first quarter.
'I stayed in my zone and he didn''t see me,' Burbidge said. 'Pressure on the quarterback also helped.'
The BYU defense forced New Mexico to punt eight times, intercepted the Lobos twice, recovered a fumble and sacked Lobo junior quarterback Casey Kelly once.
BYU junior linebacker Mike Tanner recovered a New Mexico fumble on the Lobos'' 24-yard line. The turnover led to a 32-yard Payne field goal to increase the Cougars'' lead to 10-0.
New Mexico countered with two touchdowns, a one-yard run by freshman running back Dontrell Moore and an eight-yard reception by junior receiver Dwight Counter, to take a 14-10 lead.
Payne''s fake punt extended a BYU drive, which ended with a 52-yard field goal by Payne.
On consecutive plays in the second quarter, BYU freshman quarterback Matt Berry was hit in the back of the head and in the ribs, causing him to miss the Cougars'' first two offensive series of the second half.
The hits caused Berry to become nauseous and vomit during halftime.
Sophomore Todd Mortensen started the second half at quarterback but struggled connecting on just two of six pass attempts for 13 yards.
Berry returned to the game but did not play much better; completing only nine of 26 passes for 81 yards.
'At times we were confused,' Berry said. 'We were just out-of-sync.'
Junior cornerback Chad Barney intercepted Kelly in the third quarter, which led to BYU''s final field goal. Payne connected from 37 yards out to give the Cougars a 16-14 lead.
New Mexico took the lead for good in the fourth quarter, when Moore scored his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard run.
'New Mexico did a great job,' Crowton said. 'Defensively they had a great strategy.'
New Mexico, 6-5 overall and 4-1 in the Mountain West Conference, can still win the MWC title with two games remaining on their schedule.
BYU must win at Utah on Saturday to become eligible for a postseason bowl.
'The Utah game is going to be a big game in a lot of ways,' Crowton said.