LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Returning to action from the friendly confines of Aggie Memorial Stadium, NM State played host to first-year Conference USA member Missouri State on Wednesday night. Scoring ten unanswered points late in the fourth quarter, the Aggies forced an extra frame, taking part in their first overtime contest of the season. The Bears pulled ahead by seven before coming away with a game-sealing interception on the ensuing possession, handing the Aggies their first home loss of 2025 by a score of 24-17.
 
Missouri State struck first in the nationally-televised contest, as quarterback Jacob Clark found tight end Jerron Askren for a nine-yard score. The touchdown was the first the Aggie defense allowed on an opening drive all season. Just two plays after MSU's defense recorded a takeaway, NM State safety Nate Mitchell tallied his first pick of the first quarter and second of the season to put the Aggie offense back on the field. The ball-hawking Mitchell would flash his skills once again on the ensuing drive as he hauled in a pass tipped by Armahn Hale to notch his second interception of the quarter.
 
With this possession, the Aggies produced their first points of the game on the ground. Isaiah Rudison notched his first collegiate touchdown on a four-yard run up the gut, tying the contest at 7-7. Later, the Aggies would attempt a 48-yard field goal, but the front line of the Bears was able to get a hand on the kick to keep the home side at seven points. The teams would trade possessions, but did not add any points before the clock ran out in the second quarter, leaving the score knotted at 7-7.
 
Following an interception for the Bears on the Aggies' opening drive of the second quarter, Missouri State would add to its total with another passing touchdown to move in front 14-7 with 10:45 remaining on the clock in the third quarter. After a three-and-out for NM State on its next drive, the Bears would add a field goal to their total, to push the lead to 10 points with four and a half minutes left in the period. 
 
The Aggies regained composure in the fourth, knocking in a 25-yard field goal to make it a 17-10 ballgame. Later in the frame, Donovan Faupel hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass to tally his 10th catch of the night to tie the game at 17 with 1:49 remaining. On the game-tying possession, Fife connected with three different wideouts, with completions to TK King, Faupel and Gavin Harris. 
 
Missouri State submitted a last-gasp effort, pushing a 50-yard field goal wide right as time expired to send the game into an improbable overtime period after the Aggies trailed by two scores with less than six minutes remaining. 
 
In the extra frame, Missouri State took control of the ball first, scoring a touchdown to force the Aggies to look for seven points in order to extend the game. On the Aggies' ensuing possession, a game-sealing interception secured the win for the Bears, with a 24-17 final.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Wednesday marked the first time the Aggies played an overtime game since a double overtime win against LA Tech on Oct. 15, 2025.
• Naeten Mitchell recorded two interceptions on Wednesday night to become the first Aggie to tally multiple interceptions in a game since Josiah Cox picked off two passes against Sam Houston last season.
• Junior linebacker and first-year Aggie Tory Gethers recorded his second contest with 10 or more tackles, finishing with a team-best 13 stops.
• Jamall Thompson Jr. tallied eight tackles on the night, adding in a second quarter sack for his third of the season - one of four tallied by the Crimson & White on Wednesday. 
• Isaiah Rudison's four-yard touchdown run in the second quarter became the first touchdown of his collegiate career, and the fifth for NM State this season.
• With 10 catches, Donovan Faupel became the second Aggie receiver to record double-digit catches this season - matching the effort of PJ Johnson III against LA Tech on Sept. 13. Faupel's 10-catch effort set a new career high for the junior.
• Punter Max Dean logged four punts for 187 yards to average 46.8 yards per punt to mark a career-high. This included a 52-yard boot in the third quarter.
• Wide receiver Terrione Graves made his Aggie debut on Wednesday and caught one pass for 14 yards. 
• NM State safety Armahn Hale notched six total tackles in the contest, setting a career high.
• Fellow safety Nick Session also recorded a career-best nine tackles in defeat.
• Josiah Charles also concluded the game with career-high in tackles with six. 
• Explosive return man TK King turned in a 34-yard punt return to mark the longest punt return of his career.

 
UP NEXT
NM State will head to Bowling Green, Ky., as the Aggies return to Saturday action. Following a nine-day break, the Crimson & White will face off with Western Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. MT on Saturday, Nov. 1. The matchup from Houchens Industries L.T. Smith Stadium will be streamed live on ESPN+, with additional coverage available via 99.5 FM KXPZ along with live statistics provided by WKU Athletics.
 
For complete coverage of the NM State football program, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Football), Twitter (@NMStateFootball) and Instagram (@NMStateFB).