Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. – Rodney Butler had his first interception of the season with 1:19 left in the game to secure the victory for the NM State football team as they won their third game in a row, this time a 37-34 victory of UL-Lafayette, on Saturday night at Cajun Field.
 
The Aggies held a 37-34 advantage with 1:29 remaining as the Ragin' Cajuns (4-6, 3-3) began their final drive of the game. After an incomplete pass by UL-Lafayette quarterback Brooks Haack, Butler leaped in the air and grabbed the interception.  
 
The Aggies are now 3-7 on the season and 3-3 in the Sun Belt. This is the first time NM State has won three games since 2011 and the first time they have won three in a row since 2004 when they won three SBC games during a 5-6 record that season.
 
Larry Rose III had 191 rushing yards on 27 carries. With these yards, the sophomore now holds the all-time single season rushing record for NM State with 1,481 on the season.
 
Andrew Allen completed 13-of-31 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns. In his first game in three weeks, the sophomore threw zero interceptions as he led the Aggies to victory.
 
Terrill Hanks had a career-high 10 tackles, with 2.0 tackles for loss, to lead the defensive efforts. Parker Davidson kicked three field goals on the night.
 
Brooks completed 24-of-37 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. He had one interception on the night. Elijah McGuire ran for 159 yards.
 
After the Aggies went three-and-out on their first drive, the defensive unit forced UL-Lafayette to attempt a field goal, but the game remained scoreless as the kick went wide right. The two teams traded possessions until Davidson put the Aggies on the board with a 44-yard field goal with 5:11 left in the first quarter.
 
The home team took a 7-3 lead with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 remaining in the quarter, but the Aggies offense struck early in the second quarter. Following a first down off a pass interference call, Allen completed a 58-yard pass to Tyrian Taylor for a 10-7 advantage.
 
Allen then found Greg Hogan for a 40-yard pass to give NM State the ball on UL-Lafayette's 7-yard line. With 10:08 left in the half, Davidson kicked a 33-yard field to extend the NM State lead to 13-7.
 
The home team regained the lead once again with a 57 second possession. McGuire capped a three-play, 75-yard drive with a touchdown for a 14-13 score with 9:04 left in the half, but the Aggies responded quickly. Eight plays and 81-yards later, Allen found Hogan in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown to give NM State a 20-14 advantage.
 
UL-L marched down the field, but the NM State defense forced the home team to kick a 23-yard field goal to leave the Aggies with a 20-17 lead with 1:27 before the break. The Cajuns then added another field goal in the third quarter to knot the score at 20-20.
 
NM State used 10 plays and 75 yards to regain the lead with 1:25 left in the third quarter. Allen connected with Morgan in the end zone on a 23-yard pass to give the Aggies a 27-20 lead.
 
The Cajuns pulled ahead in the fourth quarter. First, Elijah McGuire used a 27-yard rush into the end zone to knot the score at 27-27. UL-Lafayette then took a 34-27 lead on a 31-yard pass from Haak to Jamal Robinson with 6:27 left in the game.
 
The Aggies responded on their next drive with a 31-yard pass from Allen to Hogan to complete an eight-play, 53-yard drive to tie the game. The NM State defense forced another Cajun punt. After a five yard punt, the Aggies started the drive in UL-Lafayette territory. Davidson hit his third field goal of the day as NM State won their third game in a row.
 
First Quarter
5:11: NM State – 44-yard field goal by Parker Davidson, 9-28-1:55, NM State 3-0
3:50: UL-Lafayette – 20-yard pass from Brooks Haack to Al Riles (Artigue, S. XP), 4-65-1:21, UL-Lafayette 7-3
 
Second Quarter
14:08: NM State – 58-yard pass from Andrew Allen to Tyrian Taylor (Davidson, P. XP), 5-80-1:18, NM State 10-7
10:08: NM State – 33-yard field goal by Parker Davidson, 5-31-1:03, nm State 13-7
9:04: UL-Lafayette – 64-yard run by Elijah McGuire (Bird, A. XP), 3-75-00:57
6:42: NM State – 21-yard pass from Andrew Allen to Greg Hogan (Davidson, P. XP), 8-81-2:23, NM State 20-14
1:27: UL-Lafayette – 23-yard field goal by Aaron Bird, 13-69-5:14, NM State 20-17
 
Third Quarter
5:27: UL-Lafayette – 31-yard field goal by Aaron Bird, 8-70-2:46, Tied 20-20
1:25: NM State – 23-yard pass from Andrew Allen to Teldrick Morgan (Davidson, P. XP), 10-75-4:02, NM State 27-20
 
Fourth Quarter
10:37: UL-Lafayette – 27-yard run by Elijah McGuire (Bird, A. XP), 7-68-3:25, Tied 27-27
6:27: UL-Lafayette – 31-yard pass from Brooks Haak to Jamal Robinson (Bird, A. XP), 8-68-2:41, UL-Lafayette 34-27
3:59: NM State – 23-yard pass from Andrew Allen to Greg Hogan (Davidson, P. XP), 8-53-2:28, Tied 34-34
1:29: NM State – 21-yard field goal by Parker Davidson, 7-32, 1:31, NM State 37-34