Mexico football beat itself the past two weeks, and it felt like it was playing itself on Friday.

The Bulldogs lost their Homecoming and Senior Night game 49-27 to the Class 5 Rolla Bulldogs (4-3), who have won four straight games. Mexico (3-4) has lost three straight games, but D’Naz Smith ran for 165 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries.

Mexico rushed for over 200 yards after failing to reach that number for two straight weeks thanks to six combined lost fumbles. The team finished with 293 yards on the ground, but Rolla ran for 294 yards and Blaine Sbabo threw for 126 yards. While Mexico has some size on the line, head coach Steve Haag said the team was beaten on the defense.

Mexico vs Rolla Senior Night Photo Gallery

“Playing defensive line is a little bit harder than offensive line because you don’t know where the ball is going,” Haag said. “By imposing our will, you’ve got to stick your chest out and say, ‘I’m going to play a little bit harder. I’m going to hit a little harder, I’m going to block a little harder and I’m going to tackle a little harder.’ It’s going to wear you out, and you’re not used to playing at that pace. We’ve got to get to the point where we’re playing at that pace.”

The pace was in Rolla’s favor early, Haag said, when the opposing Bulldogs scored on a 57-yard passing play on the second play from scrimmage. Rolla took a 21-0 lead before Mexico responded with two straight touchdowns from Smith and then Marshall Ball, who finished with 73 yards on seven carries, including a 46-yard touchdown.

Haag said the slow start didn’t help Mexico, and Rolla also hurt them with its option offense. It’s a similar offense that Mexico has run for years for Haag, but Rolla’s quarterback Sbabo did a good job with 217 yards on offense.

“It’s the same thing when you play against us,” Haag said. “There’s three people that can have the ball. If you’re out of position and they make the right read, they make you look dumb. The quarterback’s shifty and he can throw a football. He was good at scrambling, and those backs, if they got a little bit of room, they were quick and fast.”

Haag said he wasn’t “totally disappointed” with how Mexico faced this option team, but he also said Mexico emphasized that someone needed to cover the quarterback. He said the assignments weren’t there for Mexico on defense enough to keep up with Rolla.

Mexico scored a touchdown on its drive to begin the third quarter to cut its deficit to 28-21. Smith broke free for a 43-yard touchdown, and the distances kept getting bigger. He ran for a 75-yard touchdown, and the sophomore had three runs of 20 or more yards and two runs of 40 or more yards.

“He’s a good running back,” Haag said. “If he stays out of his own head and does what we coach him, he does a good job. What he did tonight is what we’ve coached him. If he can get some daylight, he’s got some speed and he can run with physicality. Early on, he was fumbling the ball and he put that out of his head and went to the next play.”

Mexico has tough tests against on the line in its final two games in its regular season finale at state-ranked district foe Moberly and at 7 p.m. Friday at Bowling Green (5-2). The Bobcats had a rare losing season last year, but they have racked up points this year like in the past, averaging 49 points.

Haag said Bowling Green can throw the ball and snaps the ball quickly. He said there will be a greater emphasis on playing in space, but Mexico also needs to do what it does best.

“We had big long runs and sustained drives,” Haag said. “That’s our whole thing: three or four yards. If we can do that, we can put pressure on people. That’s what I want to see. If we can do that against Bowling Green and Moberly, it gives us a fighting chance.”