Tuesday, December 5, 2017

NM State Aggies vs South Alabama Jaguars Football 12-2-17 Part 1


This was the main event for Aggie athletics this semester.  The Aggie Football team has been flirting with being bowl eligible all season.  It’s come down to the final game of the season.  They have to win or the dream is dead for another year.  This would not be a big deal for any other Division I College football team, unless you own the longest bowl drought in the nation at 57 YEARS!  That this program has won two Sun Bowls and had an undefeated season is barely in living memory.  If the Aggies won today, they’d be 6-6 and would actually qualify potentially for the Arizona Bowl in Tucson.  The last time they had a winning season (2002), nobody wanted them and there was nowhere to go.  For the first time, I’m actually glad about the ridiculous proliferation of bowl games.

For the moment, I can only chuckle that Aggie football is finally better off than our nearest rival, UTEP.  Their coach suddenly quit halfway into the season, and they finished their season 0-12.  UTEP was the only FBS team without a win this season.  And then their Men’s Basketball coach very suddenly quit earlier this week over health concerns.  Not to mention, their new Athletic Director also just started this week.  What a way to come into a job! 

Coach Chris Jans had scheduled his Men’s Basketball team practice for early in the morning so they could go to the game.  He’s been a pretty big supporter of the football team for a guy in his first season.  The original game time was moved back a half hour, perhaps to accommodate the Women’s Basketball game in the late morning and so they could go.   

For my part, I was finally going to a football game this season.  I’d had free tickets offered at work twice, but couldn’t find anyone to go with.  This time, since I was already at the university for Women’s Basketball and given the importance of the game (and $5 tickets), I had to go anyway.  Oops, maybe those cheap tickets weren’t such a great deal.  I ended up with an endzone “seat” (actually just a concrete step).  Maybe you had to buy before game day to get an actual seat for $5?  Judging from the crowd after the game started, maybe they sold out of every other seat.  You could redeem your football ticket for a $5 Men’s Basketball ticket on Sunday, which didn’t help me, since I had free tickets to that game.

Coming directly from the Pan-Am Center after a short hike, I ended up at the stadium about a half hour early.  The good news was that I was about fifth in line to get in, which would pay dividends.  The Aggie Softball team was working at the ticket gates, as I had seen them doing last year.  This group of girls didn’t seem too happy to be there though, perhaps anticipating a long, busy afternoon.  I recognized diminutive Brandy Hernandez, but I wasn’t sure about the rest.  The girls did their job and handed out pom-poms, souvenir shirts, and programs to those at the head of the line, including me.  Unfortunately, my second giveaway shirt of the day was an XL.  I gave mine away inside to a guy that I met inside that I thought it would fit.  I gave away the pom-pom at work the next day.

A few Aggie football players came by.  Some of them were very big.  Some of them were surprisingly small.  The Aggie Volleyball team was also standing nearby at the head of the Student line.  I was pleased to see Jordan Abalos and Hannah Combs were out of their casts and walking normally.  Brielle Sterns was getting around in a boot, instead of on a scooter.  I said, “Hi” to a couple of the girls, but didn’t want to intrude.  (Not true at all, but I restrained myself.)

Little Caesars’ has apparently taken over the pizza concession from Papa John’s.  I wouldn’t be happy about this, but the Papa John’s, while better pizza, was overpriced and cold when I had a slice there last year.  I meant to get a slice of pizza, but somehow ended up with a small deep dish, which was way more than I wanted (not that I didn’t eat all of it anyway).  So I was juggling a small pizza box, a large drink, my stadium seat, a cushion, a notebook, and a jacket and didn’t know where my seat was.  I finally stopped in the concourse and ate half of the pizza because I couldn’t take the hunger any longer and was afraid I was about to drop everything without getting a taste.  When I resumed my search, a guy from Chik-fil-a put a free sandwich card on top of my pile.  I tell you, they just throw free things at you at Aggie sporting events.  (Literally, the cheerleaders were throwing stuff into the stands here too.)

I finally broke down and asked for help.  I was directed to the north end zone, east side of the stadium.  I was next to the visiting team’s section.    There isn’t even an usher guarding the section.  I had to keep turning around to see the video board and scoreboard during the game.  At least I was real close to the field.  Maybe this would work out later.  I had my pick of concrete when I arrived, but the section filled in later.  The whole stadium filled during the first quarter.  Las Cruces really turned out for this game.  Beyond being a big game, it was a beautiful 70 degree day.  It became overcast later, but didn’t get cold at all until well after the sun went down.  The Student Section (next to the Visitor’s Section, of course) was stuffed, and they were standing for the whole game.

15 Seniors were honored on-field before the game.  Quarterback Tyler Rogers came out first.  Defense captain, Dalton Herrington, came out with girlfriend, volleyball captain Jordan Abalos.  Put a ring on her, Dalton.  I foresee some very athletic children in your future.  The biggest round of applause went to All-American running back Larry Rose III.  These were the guys that football coach Doug Martin had recruited when he was first hired. 

I couldn’t see the Aggie Cheerleaders or the Sundancers where I was, but I could see the five Jaguar Cheerleaders.  They were spirited at least.  There were two Pistol Pete’s at the team entrance: the mascot and the horse riding one, who leads the team on to the field.  The Jaguars’ mascot, Southpaw, walked out in front of them and had a staredown with the Pete’s, but they quickly all made friends and took pictures.  Some of the Aggie Pride Band actually lined up next to me in the endzone area before they marched on to the field.  That really brought the pre-game show up close.   


First Quarter
One of these days, I’m going to do a whole post where I never actually talk about the game.  The Aggies won the toss and deferred to the second half.  The South Alabama Jaguars didn’t do anything with their opening series.  I know the Aggies wanted a big crowd, but it seemed like the team was playing with some stage fright.  Their opening series featured a near fumble, a near safety, and a punt from their endzone.  Thankfully, it was a good punt. 

Something I might have missed if I had been sitting on the other side of the stadium, South Alabama had like a little meeting room set up on their sideline.  There was a partition and seats where the players sat to get coaching.  An assistant also held up a screen when their coach was sending the team signals, perhaps so the other team couldn’t see them, though the opposite sideline could. 

The Aggies’ second series was marred with several penalties.  Nerves, again.  They ended up turning the ball over on downs in Jaguar territory.  The Aggies were passing a lot as usual.  At least Tyler was getting good protection.  For the Jaguars’ third series, they rotated in another quarterback.  They apparently use two normally.  They began a steady march downfield.  A group of Aggie cheerleader girls came over to start a fight with the Jaguar cheerleaders.  Oh unfortunately, no.  That would have made Sportscenter.  They all just fake smiled and waved at each other as they passed by.  Southpaw did high-five the Aggie girls.  He’s smooth.


Second Quarter
Between quarters, there was a contest in the endzone in front of me.  Four guys were dressed as hamburger buns and had to build a burger with toppings.  It sounds kind of dumb when I write it, but it was reasonably amusing.  The Jaguars finished their first quarter drive with a touchdown to go up 7-0.  The Aggies got a good return.  A bomb to wide receiver, Jaleel Scott, would set up a Dylan Brown field goal, 7-3 Jaguars.  Next series, Shamad Lomax recovered a Jaguar fumble on their end of the field, which would set up another field goal, 7-6 Jaguars.      

On the Aggies’ next series, a third down pass to Jaleel was ruled incomplete.  A replay on the video board disagreed, as did the crowd.  A full house roaring brought a review, which overturned the call.  There was a close up on the video board of the Student Section cheering the call.  Hey, there’s Kayla Green from the Softball team.  With a first down, the series continued and ended in an Anthony Muse touchdown reception, 13-7 Aggies.  The Jaguars came back with a long drive deep into Aggie territory.  The defense stood up and held and ended the threat with a Terrill Hanks interception.  The half ended with Tyler taking a knee.

Continued in Part Two.

                                             

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