ALBUQUERQUE— Tim Flanders scored his fifth touchdown of the game in overtime Saturday to help San Houston State defeat New Mexico 48-45.

New Mexico wide receiver Deon Long, who returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, caught three touchdown passes, including the game-tying score with 27 seconds remaining in regulation to cap an 80-yard drive.

But the Bearkats (3-0) held UNM (0-4) to a field goal in overtime.

And Flanders, who finished with a career-best 194 yards on 30 carries, took it over from four yards out for his school-record fifth touchdown.

"It felt pretty good," he said of the performance. "Especially since two of them were long runs. One of them, I fell on it in the end zone. But it's a school record, so it's a pretty big deal."

As far as the overtime, Sanders said the team was confident it would pull off the victory.

"We told the defense, just get a stop for us and we'll get it," he said.

Bearkats head coach Willie Fritz heaped praise upon his sophomore back.

"He's one of the best running backs in the country at any level," he said. "And at our level, I believe he is the best."

Long had nine receptions for 209 yards and his 378 all-purpose yards set a school and Mountain West record.

"The fans got a glimpse of what they're going to see for four years," he said.

The teams combined for 1,075 yards of offense.

"It was a real track meet out there in the second half," Fritz said.

"And we each did it in different ways."