STATESBORO, Ga. – In a high-scoring game which featured four lead changes, New Mexico State football team used a pair of critical scores in the fourth quarter to take down Georgia Southern, 35-27, Saturday night at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
After the key conference win for the Aggies, head coach Doug Martin said, "This was a huge game for our program. Having a few notable injuries coming in and being on our third straight road game was tough. These guys have tremendous heart and powered through with a really impressive victory tonight."
Each offense came out flying in the first quarter. NM State (3-4, 1-2 SBC) struck first on the opening drive when an eight-play series culminated in Tyler Rogers scrambling for a 5-yard score to put the Aggies up 7-0 just 2:23 into the game.
Georgia Southern (0-5, 0-2) responded on their first drive which lasted 7:19 before Eagles running back, LA Ramsby, rushed in from two yards out to tie the contest, 7-7.
NM State then answered quickly when Rogers connected downfield with Greg Hogan for a 59-yard touchdown reception to put the Aggies back up 14-7.
After a punt from each team on the ensuing drives, Georgia Southern got back on the board when Wesley Fields broke free for a 48-yard touchdown rush which knotted the game back up at 14 before the end of the first quarter.
The Aggies looked to answer just two drives later but an NM State pass was intercepted at the Aggie 34-yard line, which Eagles capitalized with a 32-yard field goal and put NM State behind for the first time in the contest, 17-14.
New Mexico State regained the lead on the next drive at the 4:49 mark when Rogers connected with Jaleel Scott for a five-yard touchdown, Scott's sixth of the season, and put the Aggies ahead 21-17.
The lead did not last long, however, as Georgia Southern took the ensuing kickoff return to the house for 70 yards – which sent the Aggies into the break trailing 24-17.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Georgia Southern added to its lead just 4:10 in with a 41-yard field goal – pushing the Aggie deficit to 27-21. This wound up being the last time the home team scored the remainder of the game.
The Aggies opened the fourth quarter with a drive that had them on the Georgia Southern 17-yard line. On the first play in the red zone, NM State went with a little trickery when Rogers connected with Conner Cramer on a parallel pass – who then connected with Bryce Roberts in the end zone to put the Aggies up 28-27.
NM State's defense proceeded to stifle the remaining drives for the Eagles, forcing them to punt on two straight series. The Aggies then solidified the victory with a five-yard touchdown pass to Scott to extend the lead to 35-27, before the NM State defense forced a turnover on downs and walked away with the victory.
NM State football now enjoys a much needed bye-week before hosting Arkansas State on Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. MT on homecoming night at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
NOTABLES
- For the second time this season the Aggies scored on their first drive of the game (UNM on 9/9)
-Â This was the first time this season NM State has begun a game with back-to-back scoring drives
-Â Greg Hogan recorded his first touchdown catch of the season.
- The two field goals allowed tied a season-high for the team.
-Â Conner Cramer recorded his first touchdown pass since doing so last season at South Alabama (12/3/16).
-Â Jason Huntley recorded his second-straight game with 100+ all-purpose yards.
-Â Anthony Muse recorded a career-high in receiving yards (106).
-Â Jason Huntley set a career-high in receptions (11).
- Over the last three games, the Aggies have only allowed 10 points in the third quarter.
