LAS CRUCES, N.M. – For the first time since 2017, NM State football has won three straight games. The Aggies put on an offensive masterclass in front of the NM State faithful on Saturday, thrashing Lamar 51-14.
From the beginning, head coach
Jerry Kill has told members of the program, "Those who stay will be champions". Dividends seem to be paying off for those invested, as the already four-win season is just the third for NM State since 2011.
The winning streak is something NM State has fallen unaccustomed to lately. Saturday's win marks only the third time in the 21st century that NM State has won three-straight on the gridiron. 51 points in Saturday's contest marked NM State's highest scoring effort since September 21, 2019, when the Aggies hung 52 on in-state rival New Mexico.
On the second aerial attempt of the day for Lamar,
Andre Seldon jumped in front of the pass for the interception and returned it 19-yards to the endzone to open the scoring. The pick six was the first defensive touchdown of the season for the Aggies and just the fifth NM State interception of the season.
From there,
Jamoni Jones used a one-yard run to find the end zone and bust the game wide-open. With 2:13 remaining in the quarter,
Ethan Albertson split the uprights from 37-yards out to push the Aggie lead to 17.
All gas, no brakes. That seemed to be the mantra for the Aggies in the second quarter as they outscored the Cardinals 20-0. The Aggies saw touchdowns from Jones,
Thomaz Whitford, and
Star Thomas as the team took a 37-0 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the NM State scoring efforts were more of the same. With the offense cooking, the Aggies crafted a 50-burger for the first time in over three years. Freshman running back
Makhilyn Young's first collegiate touchdown put the Aggies up by 44 before
Tim Gans made it 51 on a one-yard score.
Running the ball has been a key to the NM State offense being successful this season. In each game that the Aggies have won, the offense has eclipsed 100 yards of rushing. That was exactly the case on Saturday as NM State ran for 187 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback
Diego Pavia led the ground game for the Aggies as he picked up 81 yards with his legs.
Getting another start under center, Pavia found his mojo as the Aggies' quarterback. Pavia completed 13 of 18 pass attempts for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Nonetheless,
Gavin Frakes also threw for 98 yards, highlighted by a 62-yard strike to
Ta'ir Brooks. The long ball marked the first reception of the year for the wide receiver from Oakland.
Lamar found its way into the scoring column with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter. With the game put away by the Aggie offense, the Cardinals managed to add a second touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter. That was all she wrote, though, for the Cardinal offense as the Aggie defense stood tall, holding the 51-14 advantage for the remainder of the ballgame.
After the dominant performance against Lamar, the Aggies will have a chance to impress on a national stage next week. NM State will travel to SEC country to take on Missouri with the game airing nationally on ESPNU. Kickoff from Columbia, Missouri, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT.
News and Notes
- NM State scored on all five possessions in the first half (Four touchdowns, one field goal)
- The Aggies scored on seven of their first eight possessions (Six touchdowns, one field goal)
- Jonathan Brady and Justice Powers both hauled in four passes while Ta'ir Brooks led all receivers with 70 yards
- Diego Pavia led the Aggies in both passing yards (146) and rushing yards (81)
- Chris Ojoh led the Aggies with five tackles, including a sack.
- Ojoh, D.J. McCullough, and Gabe Peterson all recorded sacks in the contest
- In his fifth season of Division I football, Bryce Jackson recorded his first interception just before halftime.
- Jackson had an additional interception earlier in the contest that was negated by penalties
- Sterling Webb forced his first career fumble, allowing Lama Lavea to scoop it up for his first recovery of the season.
