ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- On a day when trick plays were the lifeline of New Mexico's offense, it was old reliable -- senior safety Brian Urlacher -- who saved the Lobos' season-ending victory.

New Mexico beat Air Force 33-28 Saturday by taking -- and winning -- one gamble after another and with one of the last of Urlacher's defensive plays in his career of excellence at UNM.

With the Lobos holding a 33-21 lead and just under six minutes left in the game, Air Force had shaken off its second half offensive problems and was at the New Mexico 6-yard line. On second down, Falcons halfback Matt Rillos was hit by Urlacher. The ball popped loose and Lobo defensive back Desmar Black recovered.

The fumble proved crucial since the Falcons came back to score with 2:00 left in the game. If not for Urlacher's hit on Rillos, the Falcons might have scored and their last touchdown would have put the Falcons in front.

"It was appropriate that he made the play that probably saved the game," said New Mexico coach Rocky Long. "He has made so many big plays for us."

New Mexico quarterback Sean Stein completed 21 of 29 passes for a season-high 300 yards and the Lobos converted on four fourth-down situations in the win, only their second over the Air Force in the last 15 years.

New Mexico (4-7 3-4 Mountain West) emptied its game book in rallying from a 21-7 first-half deficit and likely killing the Falcons' (6-5, 2-5 MWC) slim hopes for a bowl bid.

Stein scored on a 1-yard run with 1:27 left in the first half to start the comeback and the Lobos then snuffed out an Air Force scoring drive in the final seconds of the first half. With the Falcons at the New Mexico 11, defensive back Stephen Persley intercepted Mike Thiessen's pass in the end zone.

New Mexico, which had scored just 17 total points in the third quarter this season, took over the game by scoring three straight touchdowns in the quarter.

Thiessen scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 18 and 2 yards, threw a 34-yard TD pass to Matt Farmer and finished with 142 yards on 20 carries. Thiessen's 2-yard TD run came with 2:00 left and the Air Force nearly recovered an onside kick. New Mexico got the possession and ran out the clock.

The Lobos' best third quarter of the year started with a 26-yard pass from wide receiver Germany Thompson to halfback Ted Iacenda, who was 20 yards behind the nearest defender. That tied it at 21 and the Lobos took the lead for good 2½ minutes later on a 55-yard TD pass from Stein to Rob Carson.

"We had six (trick plays) and I think we ran five of them and they all worked," said Long. "The last three weeks we decided we weren't going to kick anymore field goals because our kicking game has been so inconsistent. In that case, you had better come up with something different."

Stein also found Iacenda with a 6-yard TD pass with 22 seconds left in the quarter. The Lobos twice converted on fourth down in the 16-play, 63-yard drive that consumed 6:42. Included was a fullback option pass from Holmon Wiggins back to Stein on a fourth-and-three to the Air Force 35.

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said New Mexico, as Colorado State did last week, beat the Falcons at their own game -- controlling the ball and the clock.

"We had the ball three possessions and out and we let them keep the ball the whole (third) quarter," DeBerry said. "We just didn't make any plays and they did.".

The Stein-to-Iacenda touchdown was set up by Urlacher's 19-yard punt return to the New Mexico 43. Urlacher, a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award that goes to the nation's best defensive back, had 14 tackles, 12 of them unassisted. He also returned three kickoffs for 79 yards. During the season, he also caught 7 passes, 6 of them for touchdowns.

For Urlacher, as modest off the field as he is intimidating on it, the sun-filled day was perfect.

"We went out the right way," he said. "It was a tough season, but today we played well and we played hard for four quarters. You couldn't ask for anything more."