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Southwick throws 3 TDs as No. 24 Boise State edges New Mexico

Sep 30, 2012 - 3:11 AM Albuquerque, NM (Sports Network) - Joe Southwick threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on 24-of-34 efficiency as No. 24 Boise State opened its Mountain West Conference slate with a 32-29 win over New Mexico.

Matt Miller caught nine balls for 68 yards and a score, Jay Ajayi tallied 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground on just six rushes and D.J. Harper added 98 yards rushing for the Broncos (3-1, 1-0 MWC), who have won three straight games following a loss to Michigan State in their opener.

The Broncos jumped out to a 25-0 halftime lead, but the Lobos (2-3, 0-1), outscored the visitors 29-7 in the second half to make the game interesting.

As a team, New Mexico carried the ball 54 times for 330 yards.

Kasey Carrier ran it 18 times for 86 yards and a score, Cole Gautsche picked up 71 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries and Jhurell Pressley added 58 yards on the ground and a score on 13 attempts.

Pressley and Carrier ran for scores of three and five yards, respectively, for New Mexico in the third quarter before Southwick concluded a 10-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard TD pass to Shane Williams-Rhodes, which gave Boise State a 32-14 advantage.

The Lobos, though, scored touchdowns on their next two touches to make it a three-point game.

Cole Gautsche finished off a 10-play, 75-yard trek with a 7-yard TD scamper.

A.J. Butler then forced a Williams-Rhodes fumble on the third play of Boise State's next drive and Joe Stoner picked up the loose ball and rumbled 47 yards down to the Broncos' 1-yard line.

Gautsche ran it in a play later and then converted the two-point conversion, which made it a 32-29 game midway through the fourth.

Boise State then took 4:18 off the clock, but Michael Frisina missed a 44-yard field goal to give the ball back to New Mexico with 3:24 remaining.

But the Broncos regained possession four plays later when B.R. Holbrook's pass on 4th-and-4 fell incomplete.

With 2:09 showing on the clock, Harper picked up eight and 18 yards to move the chains. Three ensuing kneel downs sealed the outcome.

Frisina's 28-yard field goal on Boise State's opening possession of the game accounted for its only points of the first quarter, but the Broncos tallied 22 points in the second.

Southwick found Dallas Burroughs for a 50-yard completion on the final play of the first and Chris Potter capped the quick 3-play, 77-yard trek with a 10- yard TD catch.

The Broncos' Michael Atkinson forced a Carrier fumble, which was recovered by Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe at the New Mexico 43-yard line.

Southwick flipped a 9-yard TD pass to Miller on the fifth play of Boise State's ensuing march, and then Miller found Connor Peters for the two-point conversion.

Ajayi added a 1-yard TD run later in the frame for a 25-point Boise State halftime edge.

Game Notes

Boise State outgained New Mexico, 514-374 ... The Broncos were 8-for-13 on third down, while New Mexico finished 5-of-10 on third down ... Holbrook threw for 44 yards on 7-of-12 passing.