CSUN SPUTTERS; MATADORS GIVEN DOSE OF REALITY BY NMSU : N. MEXICO ST. 28, CSUN 18.

Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer

The Matadors now know this much, at least, about Denvis Manns: They liked him a whole lot better when he was on the bench and not in the New Mexico State backfield.

Cal State Northridge enjoyed a surprising rout of the Division I-A Aggies in 1996, but Manns, an explosive running back with two 1,000-yard seasons, was held out with an injury.

But Mr. Manns was not so charitable to the Matadors on Saturday. First, he showed up, then he showed CSUN his stuff - all 221 yards of it, leading the Aggies to a 28-18 win before 13,913 at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

Now the Matadors know what they missed during that 33-0 rout last year. Afterward coach Jim Fenwick said Manns, who also scored two touchdowns, was just one element in an offense too tough to stop.

``I don't think I want to give one individual credit. I think he's a good back, as good a back as we saw at Boise State and as good a back as we saw at Hawaii,'' Fenwick said. ``They (the Aggies) are just efficient at what they do. They're bigger and stronger, and we're banged up, and it showed. We couldn't hold them in the second half.

``We just were not able to hang tonight with this power-smash football.''

The win was the first for New Mexico State (1-2), which won only one game in 1996. The loss dropped CSUN to 1-2, all against Division I-A teams. The Matadors can even their record with a win over NAIA-affiliate Azusa Pacific in next Saturday's home opener.

``We've got all the talent in the world, we just don't (bleeping) play together as a team. These are some of the best guys I've played with, but we just don't click as a team,'' said linebacker Marc Goodson, who was notably frustrated.

CSUN had shocked Boise State 63-23 in Week 1 and played a close game against Hawaii last week, and Saturday night's loss seemed to deflate whatever ego the Matadors had developed.

``This puts us in the hole, man,'' Goodson said. ``We've gotta really go home and look ourselves in the mirror.''

Manns wasn't their only problem. The offense, despite gaining 512 yards, sputtered often. Quarterback Aaron Flowers had 404 yards passing but threw two costly interceptions - his first of the season - in the first half. His lone touchdown pass, a 55-yard strike to Aaron Arnold, came late in the fourth quarter, with the game out of reach.

The Matadors also coughed up two fumbles in the half. ``Things weren't going really well. It was the turnovers that hurt us,'' said running back Jahi Arnold.

The game turned in the third quarter, with New Mexico State scoring two touchdowns, both on time-consuming 80-yard drives that wore down the Matadors defense.

``That's what we wanted from our offense,'' said Aggies coach Tony Samuel, referring to the methodic drives. ``We looked at the Boise State film, and we figured the best way to play that (CSUN) offense was to keep them on the sideline. You keep them on the sideline for too long a period, then you can get them off their timing.''

Manns rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown in the first half, staking the Aggies to a 7-3 halftime lead.

CSUN scored with 3:15 left in the half, on a 28-yard field goal by Manny Marquez.

But the Matadors blew several other chances, wasting Flowers' 269-yard first half.

Down 7-0, CSUN was at the 50-yard line when Flowers' high pass glanced off the fingertips of Brian Comer and into the hands of Demetric Norwood for an interception. That began a chain reaction of sloppy play by both teams.

Three plays later, CSUN got the ball back when quarterback Ty Houghtaling fumbled and Goodson recovered at the Matadors' 28-yard line.

The Matadors then drove 58 yards, to the Aggies' 15 to set up for a field goal try on fourth-and-8. After some confusion by the Matadors, and a timeout, CSUN lined up again for the field goal, then faked it, snapping to Comer in the backfield; his run was three `yards short, and CSUN gave up possession at the Aggies' 10.

CSUN's next drive ended with receiver Mike Ogas fumbling at the Aggies' 12.

The Aggies ended their next drive by fumbling it back - Jeremy Golden knocked the ball loose from Houghtaling, and Donnell Day recovered.

CSUN completed the cycle by fumbling on its first play, with little-used running back Geoff Snowden coughing it up at the 50-yard line after a 25-yard gain.