Thrilling semifinals in Mexican College Football: Borregos Monterrey, Tigres UANL advance to title game for 2nd straight year

The Liga Mayor ONEFA championship game will feature a rematch of the 2022 title contest as Borregos Monterrey and Tigres UANL both easily won their semifinal matchups but in totally different ways.

Borregos Monterrey secured their spot in the championship game with a lopsided 59-7 victory over Leones Anáhuac 59-7 in the semifinals.

The home team took control of the game from the first half at the Banorte Stadium, the Borregos’ stronghold, amassing a lead of over 30 points. The opening touchdown for Borregos Monterrey came in the first quarter with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Fernando Sarabia to Daniel Santos, and Leonardo Guajardo’s extra point put them ahead 7-0.

With 40 seconds left in the first quarter, Guajardo added three more points with a successful 44-yard field goal. The defensive play came into play when Fabrizzio Mejía intercepted the ball in Leones’ next offensive drive, setting up a seven-yard touchdown run by Mauro Cavallari, extending the lead to 17-0 in the second quarter.

Just before halftime, Borregos Monterrey scored twice more. The first was a one-yard touchdown run by Alejandro Cruz. After a Leones punt, Borregos Monterrey launched another offensive with less than a minute on the clock. Cavallari ran 27 yards with 14 seconds remaining in the half, bringing the score to 31-0 and firmly controlling the game.

In the second half, Borregos Monterrey remained focused despite the lead. In their first offensive series, they scored again with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Sarabia to Eduardo Ortega.

“We are very happy, but the job is not done, and I believe the two best teams are in the final.” – Carlos Altamirano

Leones Anáhuac managed to get on the scoreboard with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Jonatan Ayala to Emiliano Rodríguez. Borregos Monterrey responded immediately with a kickoff return of over 90 yards by Cruz Parra, making the score 45-7 with Guajardo’s extra point.

In the fourth quarter, the home team expanded their lead with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Víctor Palacios to Rolando Cueva, followed by a touchdown run by Alí Flores, sealing the game at 59-7.

Last year, these two teams also met in the Gaspar Mass Stadium for the final, with Borregos Monterrey securing a 32-30 overtime victory.

In the other semifinal, Tigres proved their dominance with a 44-16 win over Pumas CU, becoming the first finalist.

The kickoff for the semifinals of the Big-14 conference took place at 7:00 PM at the Gaspar Mass Stadium in Monterrey. The Tigres led the first offensive series of the game, with Patricio Quiroga QB at the controls and Axel Montini RB in the backfield.

Pumas managed to stop them three times, but a penalty on a punt attempt allowed the home team to continue the attack. Taking advantage of the situation, Patricio Quiroga, during a broken play, threw the ball in the air and completed a pass that left them on the 1-yard line. A center run put the first points on the board. UANL 7 – UNAM 0.

It was Pumas’ turn to attack; however, the defense held firm, forcing them to punt three times. The fielder misjudged the ball, and it bounced off his chest, causing a fumble recovered by Pumas and putting them in a dangerous position.

From Tigres’ mistake, Pumas only managed to get a field goal to narrow the gap in the score. UANL 7 – UNAM 3.

To end the first quarter, quarterback Félix Rivera had a 20-yard run to enter the end zone and turn the score around, although the extra point was missed. UANL 7 – UNAM 9.

Starting the second quarter, Rodrigo Pérez, a Pumas runner, returned a punt all the way to the end zone to widen the lead. UANL 7 – UNAM 16.

In the next offensive series, Auténticos Tigres responded with a 40-yard pass from “Pato” Quiroga to Marco García, reaching the end zone and bringing them closer in score, leaving a two-point difference. UANL 14 – UNAM 16.

The Quiroga-García formula was repeated again for another touchdown in favor of the home team, giving them a comfortable 21-point lead. UANL 37 – UNAM 16.

In the final stretch of the third quarter, the Quiroga-García duo reappeared to make the burden heavier for the visitors. UANL 44 – UNAM 16.

And so, the final chapter of this semifinal was written, placing the Tigres once again in a final against their classic and staunch rival from the same city, Borregos Campus Monterrey. The grand finale will take place at the Tigres Stadium on Friday, November 22 at 7:00 PM.

Borregos Querétaro advances to National Conference Final with undefeated record

In a thrilling matchup, Borregos Querétaro, the sole undefeated team in the National Conference with an 8-0 record, secures a spot in the grand final by defeating another strong contender, Buhos IPN Medicina, on their home turf.

Borregos Querétaro became the first finalist in the National Conference, clinching the victory with a score of 28-14 and eliminating the Búhos from the competition.

Borregos struck first on their home turf, with the initial touchdown courtesy of Santiago Cortés. In a deceptive play, the Borregos’ quarterback covered at least 70 yards on the field, outsmarting the IPN defense. He crossed the end zone, extending the lead for the home team.

Despite trailing by fourteen points, the Búhos mounted a strong offensive series, reaching the red zone. However, they couldn’t convert it into six points, settling for a field goal.

Fernando Valencia of Borregos ensured that his team maintained control, adding to the lead with a powerful run before heading into halftime without any concerns.

Entering the third quarter, the Búhos displayed a different energy. Following a lengthy offensive drive into the red zone, their number 9 running back carried the ball for a couple of yards, securing the team’s first touchdown. With a successful two-point conversion, the Búhos narrowed the gap.

In the closing minutes, Tec’s Borregos asserted their dominance. On a crucial fourth down with one yard to go, Fernando Valencia reappeared on the field. A run along the left sideline saw him eluding the Polytechnic defense, marking his second touchdown of the day. While the Búhos attempted to close the gap, the conference’s top defense prevented the visitors from reaching their goal. This secured the score, positioning Borregos Querétaro as the first finalists in the National Conference.

Águilas UACH triumph in heart-stopping semifinal, securing spot in championship game

In a nail-biting contest on the field, Águilas UACH emerged victorious over the Leones of Universidad Anáhuac Cancún with a final score of 38-28, earning themselves a spot in the promotion championship in the National Conference of the ONEFA Major League in the semifinal stage.

Faced with the conference’s top offense, Aguilas demonstrated their mettle from the opening offensive series. The Leones took an early lead of 7-0 through an aerial attack, with the quarterback well-protected by his perimeter, giving them the initial advantage.

After two nullified touchdowns for Aguilas UACH managed to break through with a 30-yard pass from Erick López to José Fernando Sánchez, bringing the score to 7-6. Later in the first quarter, Eduardo Cortez delivered a spectacular 60-yard run, making it 12-7. However, struggles with extra points and conversion attempts persisted.

A spectacular comeback by Leones Universidad Anáhuac unfolded as the special teams executed their duties, covering the entire field to regain the lead for the home team at 14-12. Chihuahua responded in the second quarter, with Erick López making a personal run for 30 yards, putting them ahead at 18-14.

Once again in the red zone, the Leones inflicted damage, with their quarterback throwing a 10-yard pass for another change in the score, now 21-18 in the third quarter. However, it was a back-and-forth battle, and Francisco Villaseñor responded with a 20-yard run to reclaim the lead for his team.

The Leones surged ahead once more with a long 45-yard pass ending in the end zone. The Águilas countered with a short run, making the score 31-28 halfway through the final period.

With three minutes left and nearing the end zone, the Leones attempted to close the gap. However, a bad snap on the next play led to UACH recovering the ball. The game concluded with a touchdown for the visiting team, as Alejandro Limón sprinted from midfield for the final score of 38-28 in favor of Cancún.

With this victory, Águilas UACH advances to their second consecutive final. This time, they will face the undefeated Borregos Tec de Monterrey Campus Querétaro in the championship. The upcoming weekend will determine their fate for entry into the 14 Grandes.