Montana State pulled off a dramatic comeback to defeat New Mexico 35-31 in their season opener on Saturday. Adam Jones’ 93-yard touchdown run and Scottre Humphrey’s 4-yard touchdown run in the final four and a half minutes propelled the Bobcats to victory, stunning the Lobos.
New Mexico, under the leadership of new head coach Bronco Mendenhall, initially dominated the game. The Lobos jumped to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and held a 24-14 advantage at halftime. A 13-yard fumble return by Noah Avinger—New Mexico’s second defensive touchdown of the game—extended their lead to 31-14 three plays into the third quarter.
Despite strong drives of 57 and 50 yards that fell short, New Mexico maintained a 31-21 lead with just over four minutes remaining. However, Jones cut the deficit to 31-28 with a 93-yard dash down the left sideline, untouched by the defense.
After New Mexico punted with 1:59 left on the clock, Montana State embarked on an 89-yard drive, culminating in Humphrey’s decisive 4-yard touchdown with just 10 seconds remaining. The Bobcats racked up 182 yards on their final two drives and finished with a total of 567 yards, compared to New Mexico’s 325.
Jones led Montana State’s rushing attack with 167 yards, while Humphrey added 140 yards. Tommy Mellott contributed 205 passing yards and two touchdowns. For New Mexico, Devon Dampier threw for 173 yards and a touchdown, with Luke Wyson catching six passes for 95 yards.
The Lobos initially took control with a 41-yard fumble return by Christian Ellis, a field goal, and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Dampier to Trace Bruckler, making it 17-0. Montana State fought back with two touchdown passes from Mellott to narrow the gap, but Dampier’s 24-yard touchdown run before halftime put New Mexico up 24-14.
Montana State’s late surge secured a thrilling comeback win, marking a dramatic start to their season.