A Memorable Aztec Season

And overall, a very satisfying season. An 0-3 start hardly promised a 7-5, bowl-eligible season. But winning seven of their last nine did it for this tough team.

Two of the losses were to the #2 FBS team (Ohio State) and the #2 FCS team (Eastern Illinois).

Will the Aztecs go to a bowl? Not definite yet, but certainly very probable. If so, which one? Check the various forecasters, you will find us in more than one. Wild guess: the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Any one but the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Been there, done that this year. And it’s on a bad day for a road game: Christmas Eve.

Four OT games in one season tied an NCAA record, and the OT win over Boise State was one for the memory book. Those OT games served as evidence of this team’s toughness. No matter what, they hung in there, came back and won three of those four OTs.

Even last night’s loss to UNLV had high points. The first two plays of the game were perfect. Donnel Pumphrey’s 30-yard end-around, followed by Kaehler to Muema to Ruffin to Kaehler, who threw a 39-yard TD pass to Colin Lockett. Aztecs 7-0 with less than one minute gone!

Donnel Pumphrey’s 30-yard run on the first play of the game set up the Kaehler-to-Muema-to-Ruffin-to-Kaehler-to-Lockett 39-yard double-reverse TD pass on the second (photos by Ernie Anderson)

Tim Vizzi tied the Aztec record for TD punt returns in a season with his 71-yard dazzler – his second in two weeks.

Whether you look at individual games or individual performance, 2013 was a football season to remember. From among my 68 seasons, I know I will always treasure this one!

GO AZTECS!