Wednesday marks second-ever meeting between Aggies and Gamecocks.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo by Emilio Garcia for NMSU: Courtesy
It has been a bit of a bumpy road for the NM State Aggies as of late, however, following a needed 10-day break the Aggies (1-4, 0-2 CUSA) will return to action on Wednesday night against Jax State (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) at AmFirst Stadium.
In its first-ever trip to Jacksonville, Ala., NM State will look to put an end to a four-game losing streak while seeking their second win in CUSA play. Meanwhile, after opening the year at 0-3, Jax State has made movement in the right direction – winning their most recent two games by a combined total of 76 points.
WEEK SIX
Who: NM State at Jax State
Where: Jacksonville, Ala. – AmFirst Stadium (22,500)
When: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 – 5:30 p.m. MT
HOW TO FOLLOW
Watch: ESPN2
Play-by-Play: Clay Matvick
Analyst: Steve Addazio
Listen: 99.5 FM KXPZ / TuneIn App / Sirius XM 970
Play-by-Play: Jack Nixon
Color Analyst: Cory Lucas
Live Stats: NMStateStats.com
PICK SIX
2 – Saturday marks just the second meeting ever between NM State and Jax State. Last year, NM State defeated the Gamecocks 20-17 at home in the first-ever clash.
189 – Last weekend, the Aggies racked up a season high 189 passing yards. Additionally, NM State has completed 27 passes across the last two weeks after total just 27 completions during the first three games.
8 – The Aggies are one of only eight teams in the country to come away with points on 100% of their trips to the red zone. Thus far, the Aggies are a perfect 12-12 with eight touchdowns and four field goals.
2 – The matchup between the Aggies and Gamecocks will feature two Hispanic head coaches in Tony Sanchez and Rich Rodriguez. This duo makes up 40% of the Hispanic head coaches at the FBS level.
18 – Aggie punter George Eberle ranks 18th in the nation in yards per punt – averaging 45.7 yards per boot. The Aggies are also tied for first among FBS teams in total punts this season with 35.
126 – In 2023, the Aggies finished the year ranked 14th at the FBS level in rushing yards per game. This season, the Aggies offensive line room brings a combined 126 total starts to the table and will be the Aggies most experienced position group by a wide margin.
SIMILAR SPOT
The Aggies carry a 1-4 record into the meeting with the Gamecocks. Despite recording two of the most successful seasons in program history during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, the Aggies are familiar with slow starts.
During a 2022 season which was capped off by a win in the Quick Lane bowl to finalize their record at 7-6, the Aggies entered the week seven with a 1-5 record. A 21-9 Aggie victory over New Mexico ended a streak of three consecutive losses to the Lobos and ignited a back half of the season in which the Aggies finished 6-1 to earn the program’s first bowl bid since the 2017 campaign.
One year later, the Aggies would travel to Albuquerque with a 1-2 record in hand. NM State would then improve to 2-2 with a 27-17 win at University Stadium. After dropping the following game on the road at Hawaii, the Aggies would fall to 2-3 prior to kicking things in gear to finish the regular season with a 10-3 record.
While Tony Sanchez and staff would not opt to be in a position with one win through five games, it is a space that the Aggies have proven they can bounce back from. In fact, in six of the Aggies’ last seven seasons that resulted in plus-.500 winning percentage, NM State held a losing record through at least five games.
Previous seven winning seasons
Year Start Finish
2023 2-3 10-5 (Isleta New Mexico Bowl)
2022 1-5 7-6 (Quick Lane Bowl)
2017 2-4 7-6 (Arizona Bowl)
2002 1-2 7-5
1999 3-4 6-5
1992 2-3 6-5
1978 2-3 6-5
FIRST-TIME STARTERS
Following the Aggies’ first 10-win season since 1960, NM State has begun year one under Head Coach Tony Sanchez with some new faces in key roles. This year, NM State welcomed 36 transfers during the offseason – a mark that ranks fifth-most at the FBS level and six behind Saturday’s opponent New Mexico. Aside from the Lobos, only Charlotte (44), Colorado (44), and Utah State (38) brought in more offseason transfers than the Aggies.
Additionally, the Aggies returned just eight of their 22 starters on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. And, in total, NM State brings back 28 of its 67 letterwinners from last season.
In total, 17 different Aggies have logged their first collegiate start this season, including 14 in the opener against SEMO. At 17, the Aggies are currently tied with UNM for fourth-most first-time starters this season .
This new outlook is also reflected in the amount of returning production entering the year. After having one of the highest rates of returning production entering the 2023 season (returned 83% of total gained yardage), only 23% (1,268/5,606) of its total all-purpose yardage from 2023 belongs to someone still wearing Crimson and White in 2024.
From a broken-down perspective, the Aggies brought back 0% (0/3,206) of their passing yards, 17.3% (471/2,715) of their receiving yards, 32.5% (755/2,325) of their rushing yards and 7.4% (42/566) of their return yards.
YEAR TWO
The Aggies are now amid their second year as members of Conference USA. NM State made quite the splash in its debut campaign – going 7-1 in league play on its way to an appearance in the CUSA Championship Game in addition to being one of only 27 FBS programs to reach the 10-win mark in 2023.
Despite the addition of league newcomer Kennesaw State, the Aggies’ list of conference opponents will mirror what it was in 2023. However, this season the Aggies will swap home and away designations with their eight CUSA counterparts. In 2024 they will host Liberty, LA Tech, Western Kentucky and UTEP – all teams they traveled to play last season. Meanwhile, the Aggies will visit Sam Houston, Jax State, FIU and Middle Tennessee after hosting these four programs in 2023.
HISPANIC HEAD COACHES
The Aggies’ leader, Tony Sanchez, is one of just five Hispanic head coaches at the FBS level. Sanchez, a second generation American of Puerto Rican and English descent, is also joined in this group by Baylor’s Dave Aranda, Miami’s Mario Cristobal, Duke’s Manny Diaz and Jax State’s Rich Rodriguez.
This weekend will also mark a matchup of two of these five head coaches and will represent the first time this season that two Hispanic head coaches are on opposite sidelines. This will also occur on Nov. 2 when Duke travels to Miami.
Additionally, Sanchez is the first NM State head coach of Hispanic descent. Sanchez leads the Aggie program which calls Las Cruces, a city with over 60% Hispanic population, home.
TRUE FRESHMEN
After featuring 34 true freshman in 2023, the Aggie roster includes just 10 true freshman this season. This includes wide receiver TJ Pride who led the Aggies in receptions (5) and yards (63) in Saturday’s loss to New Mexico and defensive tackle Malaki Ta’ase who has tallied nine total tackles to this point in the season.
WHERE TO WATCH THE AGGIES
After eight of the Aggies’ 15 games were featured on national networks in 2023, including three of the final four contests, the Aggies will once again have their opportunities in the spotlight in 2024. Entering the year, NM State is slated to play six of its 12 games on a national network, including Wednesday’s game which will air on ESPN2.
WHERE TO LISTEN TO THE AGGIES
Once again, all games this season will be aired live on 99.5 FM KXPZ for those in Las Cruces and the surrounding areas. Additionally, all home games will be available in Spanish on 96.7 FM La Equis. Radio broadcasts for all Aggie games will also be available to listen to nationwide via the TuneIn App. Radio play-by-play will be provided by Jack Nixon with analysis provided by former Aggie running back Cory Lucas.
This weekend, Aggie supporters also have the option to listen to the call on Sirius XM 970.
FAMILY BUSINESS
The Aggie team will have three student-athletes this season whose fathers also suited up for the Aggies during their respective playing days. NM State also rosters two student-athletes whose brothers formerly played for the Aggies.
Wide receiver Ethan Singleton is the son of former Aggie running back Anthony Singleton who played for the Aggies from 1986-89. Anthony Singleton ranks tenth in program history in both rush attempts (420) and rushing yards (1,858 yards).
Redshirt freshman David Barela is the son of David Barela who also played for the Aggies from 1990-93.
Las Cruces native Siddeeq Shabazz will be the fourth member of the Shabazz family to wear Crimson & White. His father, Siddeeq Shabazz, played for the Aggies from 1999-02 and is one of 28 former Aggies earn a spot in the NFL. Additionally, his family members Shukree and Sina also played for the Aggies.
Meanwhile, both Nikalas Theisler and Bryant Jackson each have brothers who previously wore the Crimson & White. Jackson first came to NM State along with his older brother Bryce in 2022. After transferring in from UNLV, Bryce served as a key cog on the Aggie defense en route to a victory in the Quick Lane Bowl. In his lone year with NM State, Jackson tallied 66 total tackles and two interceptions from his safety position.
Theisler’s brother, Payton, served as the Aggies starting punter from 2016-19 and finished his career as the program’s all-time leader in punts (287) and punting yards (11,914). Payton was also named to the 2020 Phil Steele All-Independent First Team after pinning 15 punts inside the 20-yard line.
ONE FINAL RIDE
NM State broadcaster Jack Nixon returns for his 45th and final year of broadcasting Aggie athletics for the NM State radio network. A legend on the Aggie airwaves, Nixon begins the 2024 football season with 500 games under his belt in addition to over 1,400 basketball games.
For much of the season, the “Voice of the Aggies” and NM State Hall of Fame selection, Nixon will handle the radio duties alongside former Aggie Cory Lucas, who joined the broadcaster ahead of the 2017 season.
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