LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State football team hosts the Battle of I-10 rival UTEP Miners on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. MT. The clash of the rivals at Aggie Memorial Stadium is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

WHERE TO WATCH

For those who can't make it to the game can catch the home opener on ESPN3 with Greg Mescall on the play-by-play and Jay Taylor serving as the analyst.

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

El Paso - 1380 AM KHEY

Gallup - 1230 AM, 94.9 FM KYVA

Las Vegas - 107.1 FM KMDS

GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS

For Saturday's contest, the first 1000 fans receive as Sisbarro foam finger upon entering Aggie Memorial Stadium.

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.

GETTING THE SCOOP ON THE MINERS

UTEP enters Saturday's contest with a 0-3 record which most recently includes a 63-16 loss at home to Arizona. Over the Miners first three games, they have been outscored by opponents, 150-37.

The opponent has totaled just 116 yards on the ground (38.7 per game) and just a pair of touchdowns through the air. The offensive woes forced head coach Sean Kugler to make some changes on his staff as Brian Natkin has now been named the team's new offensive coordinator. Natkin previously coached the tight ends and served as the team's special teams coordinator for the Miners.

Natkin, an All-American tight end at UTEP in 2000, returned to his alma mater in December 2011 when he was named a full-time assistant. Natkin spent the 2012 season as the Miners' offensive line coach before moving to tight ends coach and special team's coordinator.

This season, UTEP is 4-for-4 in the red zone, which is tied for No. 1 nationally. The Miners have also only turned the ball over four times in 2017 which is tied for 49^th in in the FBS and second in Conference USA.

 

BATTLE OF I-10 HISTORY

Saturday's contest is the 95^th meeting between NM State and UTEP. The Aggies currently trail in the series 35-57-2. The most recent meeting on Sept. 3, 2016, saw the team fall to the Miners, 38-22, in the Sun Bowl.

NM State has fared better at home against the team from El Paso, however, as the series is knotted up, 19-19-1, in the Aggies backyard.

 

AN NM STATE WIN WOULD…

- Be the first time NM State has swept both rivals since 2002.

- Be the first time NM state has beaten UNM on the road and UTEP at home since 1976.

- Move NM State's all-time record at home vs UTEP to 19-19-1.

- Put NM State at 2-2 through 4 games for the first time since 2014.

- End an eight-game losing streak for the Aggies against the Miners.

IN THE NATION

After week two of action in college football, NM State football along with a handful of Aggies are ranked in the top-25 nationally.

As a team, NM State is ranked in the top-25 in six categories…

Rk          Category                                                           Value

19           3rd Down Conversion Pct. (Defense)    .490*

9             Passing Offense                                               376.7

T1          Red Zone Offense                                           1.000*

T21        Team Sacks                                        3.00

Individually, the Aggies also had 7 players ranked in the top-25 nationally as well.

#17 Tyler Rogers (QB)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

1             Completions per Game                                      35.33*

T5          Passing TDs                                                       10*

6             Passing Yards                                                    1,130*

5             Passing Yards per Game                                   376.7*

4             Points Responsible For                                      68*

6             Total Offense                                                     381*

#16 Jaleel Scott (WR)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T5          Receiving TDs                                                    4*

22           Receiving Yards                                                295*

23           Receiving Yards per Game                               98.3*

T16        Receptions per Game                                        7.3*

#10 Izaiah Lottie (WR)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T5          Receiving TDs                                                    4*

2             Yards per Reception                                         31.83*

#11 Malik Demby (LB)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T8          Fumbles Recovered                                           1*

T14        Tackles for Loss                                                  5.5

#31 Dalton Herrington (LB)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T7          Solo Tackles                                                       7.3*

T9          Total Tackles                                                      33.0*

T9          Tackles for Loss                                                 6.0*

#23 Ron LaForce (S)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T3          Total Interceptions                                              2*

#22 Shamad Lomax (DB)

Rk          Category                                                           Value

T8          Fumbles Recovered                                           1*

*Denotes Sun Belt Conference Leader

CREAM OF THE CROP

Heading into the third week of action, Larry Rose III is tied with Ray Lawry of Old Dominion with the most games with 200-plus yards rushing in a single game. Eight other rushers currently have two to their name.

Ray Lawry, Old Dominion

209 yards, 27 carries vs. Marshall (2016)

223 yards, 28 carries at Eastern Michigan (2015)

215 yards, 31 carries vs. Norfolk State (2015)

213 yards, 25 carries at Florida Atlantic (2014)

 

Larry Rose III, New Mexico State

260 yards, 21 carries at New Mexico (2015)

212 yards, 25 carries vs. Idaho (OT) (2015)

207, 31 carries at Texas State: (2015)

229 yards, 35 carries vs. ULM (2014)

 

D'Angelo Brewer, Tulsa 

262, 38 carries vs. Louisiana (2017)

252, 46 carries at Fresno State (2016)

 

Rashaad Penny, San Diego State

216, 18 carries at Arizona State (2017)

208, 10 carries at Nevada (2016)

 

Saquon Barkley, Penn State

202 yards, 31 carries vs. Maryland (2016)

207 yards, 18 carries at Purdue (2016)

Diocemy Saint Juste, Hawaii

202 yards, 25 carries vs Western Carolina (2017)

205 yards, 19 carries vs Nevada (2016)

 

Damarea Crockett, Missouri

225 yards, 24 carries at Tennessee (2016)

202 yards, 18 carries vs. Missouri State (2017)

 

Derris Guice, LSU

285 yards, 37 att. at Texas A&M (2016)

252 yards, 21 att. at Arkansas (2016)

 

Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M

203 yards, 22 carries at UCLA (2017)

217 yards, 28 carries vs. Tennessee (2016)
 

Justin Crawford, West Virginia

331 yards, 24 carries vs. Oklahoma (2016)

209 yards, 28 carries vs. Baylor (2016)

NOTABLES: LAST GAME
- With 331 yards through the air on Saturday, Aggie quarterback Tyler Rogers moves into second all-time in program history at 7,486.
- Conner Cramer set career-highs in receiving yards (42) and longest reception (22) and tied a career-high in receptions (4).
- The team rushed for 51 yards, their lowest total since putting up 40 yards against No. 20 San Diego State on Sept. 28, 2013.
- NM State committed zero turnovers in the game versus Troy for the first time since playing at Texas A&M on Oct. 29, 2016.
- Junior Christian Gibson had a pair of rushing attempts against Troy, his first as an Aggie since switching from defensive back.

UP NEXT

Following the Battle of I-10 rivalry game, NM State travels to Fayetteville, Ark. to square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 10:00 a.m. MT.