ALBUQUERQUE (Interstat) — New Mexico defeated visiting North Dakota State 21-16 on Saturday in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game at University Stadium. The Lobos improved to 6-1, while the Bison fell to 6-2 before an announced attendance of 34,794. New Mexico’s defense and special teams made the decisive plays down the stretch, and the home side did enough to protect a narrow lead after a back-and-forth afternoon.

Kiefer Sibley opened the scoring for New Mexico with a 29-yard touchdown run around right end with 11:51 remaining in the first quarter. Grant Glasgow’s extra point gave the Lobos an early cushion. North Dakota State answered later in the first quarter when Drew Klein connected on a 27-yard field goal with 5:17 remaining. The Bison moved the ball effectively at times, but New Mexico’s front kept the visitors from turning those possessions into larger rewards.

New Mexico extended its lead just before halftime when Scottre Humphrey powered in on a 2-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Glasgow added the extra point after a North Dakota State timeout. The sequence capped a methodical drive and gave the Lobos momentum entering the locker room. Sibley finished as New Mexico’s leading rusher with 11 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown, and he also had one reception for minus-3 yards. Humphrey added eight carries for 29 yards and a score.

North Dakota State quarterback Nathan Hayes, a 6-foot-3, 206-pound junior from West Chicago, Ill., completed 10 of 23 passes for 125 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He found Reis Kessel for a 15-yard touchdown with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter, but Drew Klein’s extra-point attempt failed. That score brought the Bison closer and kept the pressure on the Lobos. Kessel finished with two receptions for 37 yards and the touchdown. Jackson Williams had three catches for 50 yards and contributed in the return game with one kick return for 23 yards and five punt returns for 75 yards.

New Mexico’s Grant Glasgow had a 54-yard field-goal attempt sail no good with 10:18 remaining in the third quarter, and his 42-yard try missed with 12:10 left in the fourth. Those missed chances left the door open for North Dakota State, but the Lobos’ defense came up with a pivotal takeaway. Austin Brawley intercepted Hayes and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown with 10:57 remaining in the fourth quarter. N. Romero’s extra point restored a two-score advantage for New Mexico. Brawley finished with three tackles, one interception and one touchdown. CJ McBean also intercepted a pass for the Lobos and recorded two tackles.

North Dakota State refused to fade. Hayes threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Collins with 6:44 left in the fourth quarter, and Drew Klein’s extra point made it a one-score game. Collins had two receptions for 8 yards. The Bison had other contributors on offense: Myles Mitchell ran nine times for 39 yards, DJ Scott carried seven times for 7 yards, Chris Kiel caught one pass for 16 yards and returned a kick 17 yards, Jett Zabel had one reception for 11 yards, and Jeremiah Patterson added one catch for 3 yards. Preston Brown had three rushing attempts for 4 yards.

New Mexico’s Toa Fa’avae completed 8 of 14 passes for 92 yards and added 11 rushing attempts for 8 yards. Cade Keith was the Lobos’ top receiver with five catches for 53 yards. Bailen George had one reception for 22 yards, and Massiah Mingo contributed one run for 4 yards and one reception for 20 yards. Deshaun Buchanan added three carries for 39 yards. Defensively, Mercury Swaim led New Mexico with eight tackles. Jayden Flaker had six tackles, Brett Karhu recorded five tackles and one sack, and Tavian Combs, Austin Brawley, Jahmir Torres and Brian Booker each finished with three tackles. Ormanie Arnold and Eric McClain added two tackles apiece.

For North Dakota State, Donovan Woolen finished with four tackles. Aaron Bickerton punted six times for 285 yards. Gavin Sell recorded nine tackles and one sack, while Ray James Jr. had eight tackles, one sack and one interception. Keenan Wilson, Will Steil and Marion Moore each added four tackles. Logan Larson, Jaylin Crumby and Victor Isele each had three tackles. Hudson Artz, Obald Niyonkuru, Deron Russell and Anthony Okes each recorded two tackles. Kelton McCaslin contributed one tackle and one quarterback hurry, and CJ Anderson, Matthew Stenbroten, John Gores, Jack Liwienski, Taylen Eady and Zach Vanderpool each had one tackle.

New Mexico’s win came in a game that featured two missed field goals by Glasgow and two interceptions by the Lobos, including Brawley’s return for a score. North Dakota State’s late touchdown pass to Collins kept the outcome uncertain until the final minutes, but the Bison could not complete the comeback. The Lobos protected their home field and moved to 6-1, while North Dakota State dropped to 6-2.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of New Mexico 21, North Dakota State 16. Interstat’s ELO system had projected North Dakota State with a 70.7 percent probability to win. New Mexico had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -4.5. The total score of 37 went over the over/under line of 39.5.