Aggies and Lakers meet for first time ever.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Based on reporting by: Michael Navarrette
Photo By Laith Rukab for NMSU: Courtesy
The scoreboard in Tallahassee ultimately recorded a loss, but what NM State brings home from Florida State may prove considerably more interesting.
The Aggies return to Aggie Memorial Stadium Saturday night for their 2026 home opener against Mercyhurst, giving Las Cruces its first opportunity to see a team that showed some promising signs against an ACC opponent in its season debut.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5.
NM State emerged from its opener with four Conference USA weekly honors, including Offensive Player of the Week for quarterback Trey Hedden and Defensive Player of the Week for defensive end Gabe Peterson.
Hedden, a transfer from Furman and the Aggies’ third different opening-day starting quarterback in as many seasons, completed 26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns against Florida State. It was the most passing yardage by an NM State quarterback in a season opener since Tyler Rogers threw for 398 yards at Arizona State in 2017.
He also appears to have some targets. Sophomore Brodie Malone-Bradford set career highs with six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, while TK King caught seven passes for 78 yards and a score. Together, the pair accounted for 174 receiving yards.
There were encouraging signs on the other side of the ball as well. Safety Nick Session intercepted a Florida State pass, extending an NM State streak that now stretches across 17 consecutive games with at least one forced turnover. The Aggies have recorded an interception in 13 of those games.
All of that now comes home.
Saturday will be the first meeting between NM State and Mercyhurst, an FCS program from Erie, Pennsylvania. The Lakers are also 0-1 after opening their season with a 43-10 loss at Youngstown State.
For the Aggies, however, the home opener offers something beyond an opportunity to even their record.
NM State has won its first home game in each of the past two seasons, defeating Southeast Missouri in 2024 and Bryant in 2025. A victory Saturday would give the Aggies three consecutive home-opening wins for the first time since 2002-04.
It will also be Las Cruces’ first look at a roster that changed substantially during the offseason but may have more continuity than the number of new faces suggests.
Twenty-seven players made their NM State debut at Florida State, including nine starters. Yet 92 of the 105 players currently on the roster were already with the program during the spring — a notable change from 2025, when 18 players departed through the spring transfer portal.
Head Coach Tony Sanchez is now in his third season leading his alma mater. After three wins in 2024 and four last season, NM State enters 2026 seeking something the program has never accomplished: a third bowl appearance within five seasons.
One game in Tallahassee cannot tell us whether the Aggies are headed there. Saturday night should tell Las Cruces a little more.
Game Information
NM State (0-1) vs. Mercyhurst (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.
Aggie Memorial Stadium
The game will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on 99.5 FM KXPZ. NM State home games are also available in Spanish on 96.7 FM La Equis.
You must be logged in to post a comment.