LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State football team returns to the City of Crosses for a home game against former Sun Belt foe Georgia Southern on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m. MT at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
WHERE TO WATCH
Aggies fans who cannot make it to the game can still watch live with the game to be streamed on
AggieVision. This weekend's contest features Adam Young handling the play-by-play with Danny Knee serving as the analyst.
LISTEN UP!
Fans can also listen in to every Aggie game this season on the Aggie Sports Network with NM State Athletics/US Bank Hall of Famer
Jack Nixon on the call and 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
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/NMSUFootball.
LOOKING AT THE EAGLES
Georgia Southern enters Aggie Memorial on Saturday holding a 5-1 overall record, having won the last three-straight, with the only loss coming on the road in a 38-7 loss to No. 2 Clemson. The Eagles most recent game saw the team take down NM State's future opponent Texas State, 15-13.
Looking at the GS offense, sophomore slot receiver Wesley Kennedy III has proven to be a dynamic threat in several areas of the game. The Savannah, Ga. native has 167 yards rushing and a score, 152 yards receiving, 74 yards on punt returns and 253 yards on kickoff returns for a total of 646 all-purpose yards. Kennedy III is averaging 107.7 all-purpose yards per game.
Georgia Southern boasts one of the top cornerback duos in the country in Monquavion Brinson and Kindle Vildor. Both juniors, they have combined for 10 career interceptions. This season, Brinson leads the team with 41 tackles with an interception and six pass break-ups while Vildor has 24 tackles, including three for loss, and an interception to go along with six pass break-ups.
As the Eagles travel to Las Cruces, N.M., the team enters with a winless record in road non-conference games. Georgia Southern has lost its last 12 road non-conference games since shocking Florida 26-20 in The Swamp to end the 2013 season. The Eagles have yet to win a road game against a non-conference opponent as a member of the FBS, since joining in 2014.
IF YOU AIN'T FIRST, YOU'RE LAST
In New Mexico State's road game against Louisiana on Saturday, Oct. 13, junior
Jason Huntley had a breakout game on the ground, through the air and on special teams. The Arlington, Texas native racked up 85 yards rushing, 112 yards receiving and 176 kick return yards.
These 373 all-purpose yards for the Aggie have been recognized nationally as they are good for first in the NCAA during the 2018 season. Huntley also etched his name into the NM State record book recording the second-highest total of all-purpose yards, just behind Taveon Rogers who put up 412 (166 receiving/246 kick return) versus Fresno State at Aggie Memorial Stadium on 11/12/11.
IN THE NATION
More than halfway through the 2018 college football season, NM State 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 five categories…
Rank Category Value
10 Blocked Punts 1
12 Blocked Kicks 2
15 Defensive Touchdowns 2
10 Fumbles Recovered 7
21 Team Sacks Per Game 3.00
Individually, the Aggies have four players ranked in the top-25 nationally as well…
#1 Jason Huntley (RB)
Rank Category Value
3 Kickoff Return Touchdowns 1
16 Combined Kick Return Yds. 366
21 All-Purpose Yds. Per Game 131.0
#10 Izaiah Lottie (WR)
Rank Category Value
3 Punt Return Touchdowns 1
#51 Roy Lopez (DL)
Rank Category Value
8 Fumbles Recovered 2
#23 Ron LaForce (DB)
Rank Category Value
13 Tackles Per Game 11.3
LAST TIME OUT
The New Mexico State football team traveled to Lafayette, La. to take on Louisiana at Cajun Field on Saturday. The clash with the former Sun Belt opponent saw an offensive outburst for both teams end with the Aggies not able to close the gap as they fell to the Ragin' Cajuns, 66-38.
Jason Huntley then looked to shift the momentum in the first quarter on the kick return when the speedster saw a hole in the defense and turned that into an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown. This score brought the Aggies within one score, 21-14.
Looking to close in on the Louisiana lead, NM State used its first drive of the second half to put more points up on the scoreboard. After driving all the way down to the Louisiana eight-yard line, three straight incomplete passes brought up 4th & Goal.
Dylan Brown then came out and split the uprights on a 25-yard field goal to put the score at 45-24.
The Aggie defense then came up strong on the Ragin' Cajuns first drive of the third quarter, forcing the opposition to punt for the first time in the game. NM State then capitalized on the next series. The team got the ball on the Louisiana side of the field after Huntley broke off a 31-yard rush all the way to the 36-yard line. Then on 3rd & 8 from the 11, Gibson moved the chains on a nine-yard rush and the Aggies sat two yards away from the end zone. On 1st & Goal, Gibson got the carry again and saw a two-yard rushing touchdown put the Aggies deficit at 45-31.
Looking at a 14-point hole was the closest the Aggies would get to mounting a comeback as the Ragin' Cajuns closed out the game on a Saturday night that featured NM State falling on the road, 66-38.
NOTABLES: LAST GAME
- Jason Huntley's kickoff return touchdown was the third of his career and first since his 100-yard return score in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl against Utah State on 12/29/17.
- The kickoff return score was Huntley's second against Louisiana as he recorded the first of his career against the Ragin' Cajuns with a 97-yard return touchdown on 11/18/17.
- Christian Gibson became the first Aggie with three rushing touchdowns in a game since Larry Rose III did so against New Mexico on 10/3/15.
- Jason Huntley's 112 receiving yards were a new career-high for the Aggies and first time an NM State running back has had over 100 yards receiving since Huntley put up 111 against Appalachian State on 10/7/17.
- Huntley's 373 all-purpose yards were good for first in the NCAA in 2018 and second all-time in NM State program history.
- The 176 kick return yards for Huntley were the most by an Aggie since Akeelie Mustafa totaled 180 at Ohio on 9/8/12.
- Jonathan Boone amassed a new personal career-high in single-game receiving yards with 90.
- Javahn Fergurson recorded the first fumble recovery of his Aggie career.
- With his five receptions, O.J. Clark moved into 10th all-time in school history with 121 catches in his career.
UP NEXT
Following the clash with Georgia Southern, the New Mexico State football team hits the road to take on another Sun Belt challenger in Texas State on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 5 p.m. MT in Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.
