Damon Bankston, New Mexico bulldoze UCLA for 298 yards rushing in 35-10 win

By Canadian Press on September 12, 2025.

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Damon Bankston ran for 154 yards and a touchdown and caught a 43-yard touchdown pass to help New Mexico get its first win over a Big Ten opponent 35-10 against UCLA on Friday night.

Jack Layne threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns, D.J. McKinney and Scottre Humphrey each ran for a score, and the Lobos (2-1) knocked off a power conference foe for the first time since defeating then-Pac-10 member Arizona on September 13, 2008.

New Mexico came into the game as 15 1/2 point underdogs, according to BetMGM. However, first-year coach Jason Eck’s offense bullied the home team for 298 yards rushing on 46 carries.

Nico Iamaleava was 22 of 34 passing for 217 yards and a touchdown, and the Bruins (0-3) didn’t have a chance with a sloppy effort on both sides of the ball exacerbated by 13 penalties for 116 yards.

After attempting trick play passes on the first two snaps, the Lobos turned to the ground game and immediately found success, leading to Humphrey’s 1-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

Layne lobbed a fourth-down toss to tight end Simon Mapa in the corner of the end zone for an 8-yard score to make it 14-0 before the Bruins finally got on track with Iamaleava’s 12-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Titus Mokiao-Atimalala.

After UCLA pulled within 14-10 on Mateen Bhaghani’s 51-yard field goal in the third quarter after recovering a muffed punt, New Mexico took charge for good with a punishing 13-play, 75-yard drive capped by Bankston’s 2-yard touchdown run.

The takeaway

New Mexico: This wasn’t a fluke and could have been out of reach much earlier if the Lobos had cashed in two quality chances inside the 10 to add to their lead on either side of halftime. New Mexico held the ball for 36:38 and didn’t allow a tackle for loss.

UCLA: First-quarter sluggishness continues to be a problem for the Bruins, having been outscored 30-0 in its three non-conference games. It could have been worse, though, with video replay reversing a fumble by running back Anthony Woods that would have set the Lobos up deep in opposing territory.

Up next

New Mexico: The Lobos wrap up their non-conference slate hosting New Mexico State in the Rio Grande Rivalry on Sept. 27.

UCLA: The Bruins open conference play at Northwestern on Sept. 27.

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Dan Greenspan, The Associated Press