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LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The NM State football team returns home on Saturday after a three-game road stint to host Troy in a combination homecoming and Tough Enough to Wear Pink game. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. MT. The game, which is sponsored by El Paso Electric, will be aired on AggieVision and will be broadcast on AM 570.
 
"New Mexico and Georgia Southern are the same with the option defense," said head coach Doug Martin. "Now we are going to go into spread offenses, teams who really spread you out and throw the ball well. We have our issues with the passing game too. We have to get an identity on defense. We have to line up and keep people from getting the big plays."
 
The Aggies (0-6, 0-2) are coming off a tough 56-26 defeat at the hands of last year's Sun Belt Conference champions, the Georgia Southern Eagles. After falling behind 28-0, quarterback Andrew Allen found wide receiver Jordan Bergstrom for a three-yard touchdown pass to put NM State on the board before the half.
 
The visiting team added another touchdown, this time a three-yard pass from Allen to wide receiver Joshua Bowen, to trail 35-14 in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Allen and Bowen connected again, this time on an eight-yard pass in the end zone. Robert Wagner then had his first career forced fumble, which was picked up and returned for a 74-yard touchdown by Will Clement.
 
The two touchdowns by Bowen were a career-high for the senior. He also racked up 15 yards on four receptions against the Eagles.
 
This was Allen's second career start and just his first this season. The sophomore was 20-of-37 for 253 yards and three touchdowns and had only one interception. After stepping in for quarterback Nick Jeanty against then-No. 13 Ole Miss, Allen is now 30-of-51 for 308 yards this season.
 
"The positive I took was the way Andrew Allen played," said Martin. "Three touchdowns and only one interception. I thought he played exceptionally well. He made really good decisions. He had that one busted read on that interception, but he made plays for us and proved he can get us in the end zone. We have excitement coming with him."
 
Larry Rose III led NM State in both rushing and receiving. The sophomore ran 13 times for 83 yards and had five receptions for 31 yards to amass 113 all-purpose yards. Rose III now has 687 rushing yards on 93 carries through six games to rank first on the team and fourth in the conference. He is also third on the team in receptions with 15 for 113 yards. Rose III has six rushing touchdowns.
 
Royce Caldwell led the Aggies in all-purpose yards with 130. The freshman has played in just four games after recovering from an injury prior to the season. He racked up 67 yards on only two catches, which included a 61-yard catch. Caldwell has 87 receiving yards this season. Additionally, Caldwell chipped in 63 kickoff return yards on four returns against the Eagles.
 
Derek Ibekwe continues to lead NM State in tackles after he tied a career-high 14 against Georgia Southern. He chipped in 1.0 tackles for loss and now has 4.5 tackles for loss this season. Overall, the sophomore has 57 tackles.
 
Next week's opponent, Troy, enters the contest with a 1-5 record and a 0-2 conference record after falling 19-16 to Idaho last Saturday night. The Trojans outgained Idaho 381-330 in total offensive yards, but they were only able to convert 4-of-17 third downs and were just 1-of-3 from the red zone. Troy was led by quarterback Dallas Tidwell who was 12-of-24 for 168 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Aggies have only faced the Trojans twice before, with a series record that is knotted at 1-1. The teams last faced each other on Oct. 11, 2014 as Troy came away with a 41-24 victory in Troy, Alabama.
 
In addition to AM 570, the game will be broadcast on the following affiliate stations:
Alamagordo - 103.7 KNMZ-FM
Albuquerque – 1240 KDSK-AM/93.7 K229CL-FM
Carlsbad – 1240 KAMQ-AM
Gallup – 1230 KYVA-AM
 
Notes

• Andrew Allen made his second career start at quarterback.
• Allen had a career-high 253 passing yards.

• Will Clement had his first career fumble recovery and touchdown on a 74-yard return.
• Derek Ibekwe tied a career-high 14 tackles.