LAS CRUCES, N.M. – With the bye week in the rear view mirror, the NM State football now prepares to resume Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 12, on ESPN3 with a scheduled 1 p.m. (MT) kickoff. Jim Barbar will have the call on Saturday while NFL veteran Tyoka Jackson serves as the analyst.
 
Aggie fans can also listen to NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer Jack Nixon and former NM State football player, Preston Williams, on the Aggies' flagship station 99.5 FM KXPZ or listen to the game live with their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free.
 
ARKANSAS STATE LINKS: NM State Notes | Arkansas State Notes | Live Audio | WatchESPN | @NMStateFootball | @RedWolvesFBall
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Rodney Butler (113), the nation's leading tackler, and Dalton Herrington (70) combine for the third-most tackles by any two players in FBS football with 183. FIU's duo is just ahead of the two with 184 while Virginia's pair leads with 192 combined tackles on the year.
 
ENTERING THE DEN
Saturday's contest against Arkansas State will be the 11th meeting between the two. A-State rides a four-game winning-streak heading into the game, all of which have come in Sun Belt play.
 
The Aggies hold a 6-4 lead in the all-time series against the Red Wolves and looks to snap a three-game losing skid against Arkansas State when the two teams square off at Centennial Bank Stadium. The last win for NM State in Jonesboro, Ark., came in 2002 when the Aggies came away with a 26-21 victory.
 
Under center for A-State is Justice Hansen, who has thrown for 10 touchdowns with a 56.2-completion percentage. The redshirt sophomore has also ran one in for a touchdown. Despite the fact that nine different receives have scored a TD for the Red Wolves,  running back Warren Wand has been just as effective with his feet as he has with his hands, hauling in three receiving TDs and three rushing TDs as well. The 5-9 sophomore has rumbled across the field for 516 yards and 193 receiving yards. Teammate Johnston White's three scores on the ground shares the team-lead with Wand as well while Chad Voytik is second on the squad with two.
 
As a receiving core, A-State is averaging 237.2 yards and responsible for 11 of the 21 touchdowns this season. Blake Mack, a 6-3 tight end, leads the team in receiving yards and has been a favorite target for Hansen with 27 receptions. Eight of the 13 receivers for the Red Wolves have the ability of being a deep threat as well, with those eight receivers having recorded at least a long catch of 30-yards or more.
 
Opponents have been averaging 408.1 yards of total offense against A-State, which bodes well for NM State, who is averaging 419 yards of total offense. The Aggies have also aired the ball out for 281.2 yards per game while the Red Wolves have held foes to just 227.1 yards per game. A-State's 135.1 yards per game on the ground is well below the average of 244 yards per game NM State has allowed which will be key for the Aggies.
 
CAREER WATCH

• Tyler Rogers (38) needs to throw two more touchdowns to pass K.C. Enzminger (1998-01, 39) for fifth all-time in passing touchdowns.
• Rogers (44) can move into fifth-place in touchdowns responsible for at NM State if he throws a TD this Saturday to pass both Buck Pierce (2001-04, 44).
• Larry Rose III (3,664) needs 63 all-purpose yards on Saturday to pass Jim Bohl (1965-66, 3,726) for sixth on the all-time list.
• Sitting at 162 career-points scored, Rose III needs a touchdown on Saturday to crack the top-10 in scoring.
• Rogers (2,146) needs 146 yards in the air to crack the top-10 in passing yards in a single-season, Chad Salisbury (1996, 2,291). His 2,779 yards in 2014 has him sitting in sixth-place.
• Rogers (2,406) can also make the single-season top-10 for total offensive yards and bump current Aggies running backs coach, Matt Christian (2011, 2,453)

 
IN THE NATION
Through eight games in 2016, several players as well as the team rank in the top-25 nationally amongst Football Subdivision Teams. The two defensive touchdowns for NM State are also good for 24th in the country.
 
Senior linebacker Rodney Butler still leads the nation in total tackles with 113 (14.1/game). Fellow linebackers Dalton Herrington (70), Terrill Hanks (63) and Jacob Nwangwa (62) checks in at 46th 84th and 90th, respectively, in the country. The three Aggies also claim the top-10 spots in the Sun Belt Conference, checking in at Nos. 1, 3, 9 and 12. In the solo tackles department, Butler sits in 12th with 47 (5.9/game). Butler's three forced fumbles ranks him 12th in the nation and first in the SBC while Hanks' two FFs is good for 49th in the country and fifth in the league.
 
Offensively, Tyler Rogers is ranked No. 27 in the country with 68.3 passing yards per game while his total of 2,146 has him sitting at No. 38. His 21.75 completions per game is good for 21st in the country and third in the SBC.
 
Freshman Peyton Theisler sits at No. 41 in the country after averaging 42.2 yards per punt through eight games.
 
AROUND THE BELT
Entering this weekend, NM State is in second when it comes to total offense (3,352 yards) and passing offense (2,250 yards) behind league leader Troy.
 
Tyler Rogers continues to lead the Sun Belt in total offense with 300.8 yards per game while his 268.2 passing yards per game also leads the league.
 
On the defensive end, NM State has three represented in the league's top-10 tacklers list in Rodney Butler (No. 1), Dalton Herrington (No. 3) and Terrill Hanks (No. 9). Hanks is tied for seventh with nine tackles for loss while Butler's three forced fumbles has him on top amongst SBC players. Jaden Wright is tied for fourth with three interceptions on the year.
 
LAST TIME OUT
NM State played well two weeks ago, despite facing No. 9/10 Texas A&M on the road at Kyle Field. The Aggies trailed just 14-0 after the first quarter of action and scored their first points near the end of the first half on a 33-yard field goal by Parker Davidson. However, the game ended in favor of Texas A&M 52-10.
 
The long Aggie touchdown came at the 14:04 mark in the fourth quarter when Tyler Rogers connected with Jaleel Scott for a three-yard TD. Redshirt freshman Anthony Muse made his debut in the Crimson & White and made his first-career catch in the opening play of the game, a three-yard pass from Rogers. The young receiver finished with a team-best 41 yards on five catches.
 
MOVIN' ON UP

• With his 115 all-purpose yards on Saturday, Rose III moves into seventh all-time with 3,690 and passes Kim Locklin (1981-84, 3,594).
• With the four-yard pass to Johnathon Boone, Rogers (5,899) moves into third on the all-time passing yards list and passed Joe Pisarcik (1971-73, 5,770).

 
IN MEMOREUM
Former NM State football head coach Gil Krueger, who coached the Aggies to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 1978, passed recently passed away at the age of 87. Krueger coached the Aggies for five years with a 17-37-1 overall mark. He also led Northern Michigan to the 1975 NCAA Division II national championship.
 
FAMILY FOUR-PACK SPECIALS!
NM State is rolling out the Family Four-Pack special for the remaining two home games against Texas State (Nov. 19) and Appalachian State (Nov. 26). For just $40, Aggie fans get four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas to the game. To purchase tickets in advance, call the Pan American Center ticket office at 575-646-1420.
 
SALUTE TO SERVICE
NM State's game against Texas State on Saturday, Nov. 19, will salute our military and will feature a flyover by two World War II aircraft following the national anthem and special recognitions throughout the game including recognition of New Mexico State ROTC alum and White Sands Missile Range Commander, Brigadier General Eric Sanchez, Deputy Adjunct General Kenneth Nava of the New Mexico National Guard and Brigadier General and New Mexico Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jack Fox. The Aggies will also recognize the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year at White Sands Missile Range, Sergeant Brad Robinson. Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base and the 126th Military Police Unit from the New Mexico National Guard, who just returned from Iraq, will be joining us for the game.
 
New Mexico State Athletics have worked with the NMSU Air Force ROTC to coordinate the flyover with the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, N.M. The two aircraft that will be flying over Aggie Memorial Stadium are the Vultee BT-13 Valiant and the North American AT-6. The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was one of the premier trainer aircraft used in World War II.  The BT-13 was a stellar trainer aircraft used for basic flight training and for blind instrument training throughout WWII. The rear cockpit was equipped with a curtain that could be moved forward to cover the student pilot's vision, forcing him to fly the aircraft by the five basic instruments: altimeter, airspeed indicator, compass, bank and turn indicators, and an optional tachometer.  The first BT-13 was delivered to the military in 1942. The North American AT-6 Texan was known as the 'Pilot Maker' because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat.  The AT-6 Texan was an advanced trainer, preparing pilots to advance into fighter aircraft.  It was first built in 1935, and over 17,000 Texans were built before, during and after WWII.  It is more maneuverable than the BT-13, and has retractable landing gear.
 
UP NEXT
The Aggies return home for its final two home games of the year after taking on Arkansas State. NM State first hosts Texas State on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. (MT).  The game against Texas State is also designated as the Military Appreciation game.