LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State football team travels to Tempe, Ariz. to open the 2017 season against Arizona State on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 8:30 p.m. MT. This is the Aggies first game back in Sun Devil Stadium since they upset the 20^th ranked Sun Devils, 35-7, back on Sept. 18, 1999.

WHERE TO WATCH
Aggies fans who can't make it to the game can watch the contest on the Pac-12 Network. Subscribers can view the Pac-12 live stream on their desktop or with the Pac-12 Now app on their mobile device.

Roxy Bernstein serves as the play-by-play commentator for the season-opener while Anthony Hernon serves as the analyst and Lewis Johnson is down on the field as the sideline reporter. 

Pac-12 Network Channel Finder:
DISH: 406, 409, or 5438/DISH (Hopper): 406
Xfinity/Comcast: 284

LISTEN UP!
Fans can also listen in to the game on the Aggie Sports Network with NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer Jack Nixon on the call and former NM State football player Cory Lucas as the analyst. The broadcast can be heard on the flagship station, 99.5 FM KXPZ or with the TuneIn app.

Affiliates:           
Alamagordo - 103.7 FM KNMZ
Albuquerque - 1150 AM KNMM
Carlsbad - 1240 AM KAMQ
Gallup - 1230 AM, 94.9 FM KYVA
Las Vegas - 107.1 FM KMDS

STAY CONNECTED
Get up to the minute information and news about the NM State football team all season on Twitter by following @NMStateFootball, on Instagram by following @NMStateFB and through Facebook.com/NMSUAthletics.

GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS NOW!
If you are not yet a football season ticket-holder, you can purchase them at the Pan American Center ticket office from 8 a.m. (MT) to 6 p.m. or by calling 575-646-1420. Season tickets start at $50.

SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
Thursday's season-opener is the 30^th contest all-time between the Aggies and Sun Devils. However, the two squads have not squared off since 1999 when NM State upset then ranked No. 20 Arizona State, 35-7.

The Sun Devils finished the 2016 season with a record of 5-7 which put the team out of bowl contention for the first time since 2010. After beginning the season 4-0, Arizona State then went 1-7 in their remaining eight conference games to finish the season.

ASU was outscored 39.83 to 33.33 after 12 games and allowed 6,246 yards of total offense. Despite a losing season, the opponent still had six players earn All-Pac-12 honors and seven in total were recognized with postseason accolades.

The most decorated Sun Devil and one of the biggest losses from the 2016 squad was placekicker Zane Gonzalez who finished his senior season as a consensus All-American and also was named the recipient of the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. Gonzalez finished his career as the all-time Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) leader in field goals made (96) and points by a kicker (494). His role has now been filled by freshman Brandon Ruiz.

Arizona State has the same face under center entering 2017 as redshirt junior Manny Wilkins returns as the team's starting quarterback. Wilkins wrapped up last season with a 133.19 QB rating after going 197-311 for 2,329 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Sun Devil backfield also welcomes back a pair of senior running backs in Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard. The duo combined for 1,129 yards and 17 touchdowns on 281 carries.

On the defensive side of the ball, ASU has eight upperclassmen starting in the season-opener. This group is led by starting linebacker DJ Calhoun. Calhoun wrapped up his junior season in 2016 with a team-leading 77 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss with 4.5 sacks.

HOMECOMING
When the team travels to Tempe, Ariz. for the game on Aug. 31, six NM State players return to their home state.

Name                                   Hometown

Josh Aganon                       Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dylan Brown                       Chandler, Ariz.

Roy Lopez                          Tempe, Ariz.

Austin Perkins                    Tucson, Ariz.

Tyler Rogers                       Peoria, Ariz.

Payton Theisler                  Phoenix, Ariz.

PARTY LIKE ITS 1999
Aggie fans this year are excited to open the 2017 season in Tempe against Arizona State. Why? Because the last time these two teams squared off on the gridiron, New Mexico State walked away with a 35-7 upset of the then No. 20 ranked Sun Devils on Sept. 18, 1999.

Here's a look at what went on around the country the last time NM State defeated ASU…

·         Jan 1 - The Euro currency was introduced.

·         Jan 4 - Former WWF superstar Jesse Ventura is sworn in as the Governor of Minnesota.

·         Jan 4 - #1 Tennessee defeated #2 Florida State 23-16 in the 28^th Fiesta Bowl.

·         Jan 10 – HBO's award-winning series "The Sopranos" made its debut.

·         Jan 13 – Michael Jordan retires from basketball for the second time, only to return in 2001.

·         Jan 31 – Fox's hit animated series "Family Guy" airs for the first time.

·         Jan 31 – The Denver Broncos defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII behind Super Bowl MVP John Elway.

·         Feb 23 – Eminem released his first major record album "The Slim Shady LP."

·         Mar 28 – Purdue defeats Duke 62-45 in the 18^th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.

·         Mar 29 – Connecticut defeats Duke 77-74 in the 61^st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

·         Apr 18 – Wayne Gretzky "The Great One" plays his final NHL game as a New York Ranger, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1.

·         May 1 – Charismatic wins the 125^th running of the Kentucky Derby with a time of 2:03.29.

·         May 1 – Hit animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants" airs for the first time on Nickelodeon.

·         May 15 – Charismatic wins the 124^th running of the Preakness with a time of 1:55.20.

·         May 19 – Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is released by director George Lucas.

·         Jun 19 – The Dallas Stars defeat the Buffalo Sabres to claim the Stanley Cup.

·         Jun 20 – Payne Stewart captures the US Open with a 279 at Pinehurst Country Club.

·         Jun 25 – The San Antonio Spurs defeat the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 to capture the 53^rd NBA Championships

·         Jul 16 – John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette are killed in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.

·         Sep 22 – NBC's hit drama "The West Wing" starring Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe and Richard Schiff debuts.

·         Sep 26 – The US wins the 33^rd Ryder Cup 14.5-13.5 at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

·         Oct 9 – The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird made its final flight.

·         Oct 27 – The New York Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves to capture the World Series.

·         Dec 13 – Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne was named the 65^th Heisman Trophy Award winner.

·         Dec. 31 – Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as acting President.

A STORIED HISTORY
Dating all the way back to the inaugural season for NM State football in 1894, the team has always come to play on opening night. Over the course of three centuries, NM State has racked up an impressive 68-53-3 (.569) record in their season openers. This last happened for head coach Doug Martin and the Aggies when they took down Cal Poly, 28-10, back on Aug. 26, 2014.

RUN LR3
New Mexico State running back Larry Rose III has been well-known in the Las Cruces area for some time, but the senior has also garnered national attention recently as he enters the 2017 season in the top-5 for active leading rushers in the FBS.

During his time with the Aggies, Rose III has put up 3,618 yards and 27 touchdowns on 585 carries. The Franklin, Texas native is also only one of three running backs in the top-10 to average more than six yards per carry as he comes in at 6.2, just behind Old Dominion's Ray Lawry (6.3) and Georgia's Nick Chubb (6.4).

Active Leading Rushers

Rank     Player                                                Div.        Cl.           Pos.        Gms.      Rush      TD          Yds.

1             Royce Freeman, Oregon                FBS        Sr.          RB          39           703        44           4,146

2             Justin Jackson, Northwestern         FBS        Sr.          RB          38           855        30           4,129

3             Jarvion Franklin, Western Mich.      FBS        Sr.          RB          40           707        41           3,639

4             Larry Rose III, NM State                  FBS        Sr.          RB          31           585        27           3,618

5             Nick Chubb, Georgia                       FBS        Sr.          RB          32           535        29           3,424

6             Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt                   FBS        Sr.          RB          37           739        22           3,342

7             Ray Lawry, Old Dominion                FBS        Sr.          RB          35           528        38           3,338

8             James Butler, Iowa                          FBS        Sr.          RB          38           607        27           3,313

9             Ito Smith, Southern Miss.                 FBS        Sr.          RB          39           572        29           3,123

10           Myles Gaskin, Washington              FBS        Jr.           RB          27           464        24           2,675

WATCH OUT!
A pair of Aggies, Larry Rose III and Jaden Wright, were named to national preseason watch lists heading into 2017.

Rose III was put on the Maxwell Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch lists. The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. It is also a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the nation's college offensive player of the year who was either born in Texas, graduated from a Texas high school and/or played at a Texas-based junior college. The player must also exhibit characteristics that define Earl Campbell, including integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, community and tenacity.

Defensive back Jaden Wright was named to the Bronko Nagurski Watch List. The award is given out annually to the nation's best defensive player of the year by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club since 1993 and was named in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota in 1995. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is also a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA).

CHANGE THE RECORD
Entering the season, NM State senior running back Larry Rose III and redshirt senior quarterback Tyler Rogers look to etch their names further into the program's record book. The two players sit in the top-5 for a combined 10 career offensive records for the Aggies.

Rose III already has his name third all-time for rushing yards (3,618) and carries (585). The running back also sits in fourth for rushing touchdowns (27) and all-purpose yards (4,253).

Rogers also looks to rewrite the record books as he is second all-time in completions (564), third in passing yards (6,356), attempts (975), passing touchdowns (42), and total yards (6,978) and fourth in total touchdowns (50).

NEW FACES
The NM State football staff added a few new faces on the sidelines and in the booth for the 2017 season. The team welcomed on John Mumford as the defensive line coach, former Aggie quarterback Chase Holbrook to work with the tight ends, three new graduate assistants and promoted Kai Brown to work with the defensive ends.

John Mumford (Defensive Line)
Mumford comes to New Mexico State with 35 years of experience, including 29 at the Division I level. The coaching veteran last served as the interim head coach at ULM for a short stint in 2015 and was the defensive lines coach for the 2014 campaign under head coach Todd Berry. Prior to his time at ULM, Mumford spent 14 seasons at Army. Mumford earned his first head coaching position at Southeast Missouri State a year after joining the Redhawks program in 1989 where he was at the helm for nine years (1990-99). Just four years into his first head coaching job, Mumford was named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year (1994).

Chase Holbrook (Tight Ends)
Chase Holbrook, who played for NM State from 2005-08, returns to his alma mater after spending the 2016 season working under Mike Leach at Washington State as a quality controls coach. Prior to his time in Pullman, Holbrook served as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tarleton State.  To begin his coaching career, Holbrook joined McMurry football for five seasons beginning in 2009.

Kai Brown (Defensive Ends)
Brown begins his first year as the defensive ends coach in 2017 after serving as a graduate assistant for New Mexico State the past three seasons. A native of Seattle, Wash., Brown played his collegiate career at Brown (2004-08) where he was a two-time All-Ivy Leaguer at defensive end.

Chili Davis (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
Chili Davis begins his first season with the New Mexico State football program as an offensive graduate assistant. Davis graduated from Campbell University with a degree in business administration in 2012 after playing defensive back with the Camels from 2008-11.

Josh Bermann (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
Josh Bermann begins his first season as an offensive graduate assistant with the New Mexico State football program. Bermann played college football at Grove City College from 2009-12 on the offensive line and was named a team captain in 2012.

Matt Passwaters (Defensive Graduate Assistant)
Matthew Passwaters returns to his alma mater and begins his first year as a defensive graduate assistant for the Aggies in 2017. Passwaters was an offensive lineman for the Aggies during the 2008-09 seasons after transferring in from San Diego Mesa College.

UP NEXT
Following its season-opener on the road, NM State turns its focus towards Battle of I-25 rival New Mexico. The Aggies and Lobos are set to square off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Dreamstyle Stadium. NM State looks to get the better of its in-state rival for the second-straight year for the first time since winning three-straight from 2009-11.