Croskey-Merritt runs for 204 yards, 2 TDs; New Mexico beats Fresno State 25-17

Nov 19, 2023, 12:49 pm

FRESNO, Calif. -- — Jacory Croskey-Merritt had 204 yards rushing and two touchdowns, Caleb Medford had six receptions for 122 yards and a TD and New Mexico beat Fresno State 25-17 Saturday night.

New Mexico (4-7, 2-5 Mountain West), which had lost five of its last six, snapped a three-game skid.

The Lobos scored on three drives of 90-plus yards. The first came when Croskey-Merritt eluded multiple would-be tackles on his way to a 50-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that capped a four-play, 92-yard drive and trimmed New Mexico's deficit to 14-12. Croskey-Merritt added a 10-yard TD that gave the Lobos the lead for good late in the third and completed a 93-yard drive.

New Mexico went 97 yards in 10 plays to cap the scoring with 8:57 left in the game when Medford caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from freshman Devon Dampier.

Fresno State (8-3, 4-3) has lost back-to-back games to fall out of contention for the regular season conference title.

Dylan Hopkins left the game with an apparent arm injury after completing 8 of 18 for 44 yards with two interceptions — on back-to-back pass attempts. Dampier replaced Hopkins in the third quarter and went 2 of 3 for 59 yards yards passing.

Fresno State's Logan Fife started at quarterback in place of the injured, but cleared to play, Mikey Keene (concussion like symptoms) and completed 9 of 16 passes for 125 yards and ran for a 1-yard touchdown before being replaced in the fourth quarter. Keene was 8-of-13 passing and led a scoring drive, moving the Bulldogs to the 27 before settling for a 44-yard field goal by Dylan Lynch that capped the scoring with 3:25 remaining.

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