LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Following a nine-day break and a stretch of three consecutive midweek contests, the Aggies will return to the gridiron on Saturday in Bowling Green, Ky., where they will meet up with Conference USA foe Western Kentucky. NM State will line up against the Hilltoppers as it searches for its first road victory of the season and looks to put an end to a two-game losing skid.
 
GAME EIGHT
Who: NM State (3-4, 1-3 CUSA) at Western Kentucky (6-2, 4-1 CUSA)
Where: Bowling Green, Ky. – Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113)
When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 – 1:30 p.m. MT
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Watch: ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Randy Lee
Analyst: Jared Holland
Sideline: Mike Cleff
 
Radio: 99.5 FM KXPZ / TuneIn App
Play-by-Play: Adam Young
Color Analyst: Bob Sherman
 
Live Stats: WKU Sidearm Stats
 
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE  
After finishing 129th in the nation in turnover margin in 2024, the Aggie defense has flipped the script and now has forced at least one turnover in every game this season. With the emphasis on taking the ball away, the Aggies currently rank second in the conference in turnover margin, forcing 16 turnovers while giving the ball away 13 times.
 
On Wednesday against Missouri State, the Aggies came away with three turnovers (2 INTs, 1 FR) to mark their third consecutive game with three forced turnovers. With this, NM State has now come away with seven fumble recoveries and nine interceptions, which rank sixth and 18th in the country, respectively. The Aggies also rank first among CUSA teams in fumbles recovered and second in interceptions.
 
Additionally, in two games this year, the Aggies have flipped these turnovers into immediate points. With a 71-yard interception return by Naeten Mitchell in the fourth quarter against Sam Houston, the Aggies rank tied for 12th in the nation in defensive touchdowns with two. With Mitchell's pick-six and a fumble recovered for a touchdown by Bernock Iya against New Mexico, the Aggies are one of just 32 teams in the country with multiple defensive scores this season.
 
This also marks the first time since 2018 that the Aggies have recorded multiple defensive touchdowns in a season. 2018 also represents the last time that the Aggie defense scored touchdowns in back-to-back games when they returned an interception against New Mexico on Sept. 15, 2018, before taking a fumble to the house against UTEP on the following Saturday.
 
SWARM AND COMPETE                               
Last week, the Aggies came up with another fumble recovery to bring their season total to seven. On Wednesday, redshirt junior Sone Aupiu recorded his second forced fumble of the year to move his average to 0.33 forced fumbles per game (2 in 6 games), which ranks 14th in the nation. Additionally, Tory Gethers is averaging 0.29 forced fumbles per game (2 in 7 games) to rank 18th in the nation. This makes the Aggies one of just four teams in the nation to have two players in the top 20 of this category, joined by Tennessee, App State and Navy.
 
NATE THE GREAT                                             
Redshirt sophomore Naeten Mitchell has served as a major catalyst to the defensive effort this season and with another standout performance that included two interceptions on Wednesday night against Missouri State, he now has three picks on the year to rank tied for 11th in the nation in this category.
 
Against the Bears, Mitchell also tallied six tackles to move his season total to a team-best 56 total tackles on the year, ranking fourth among CUSA defenders. This includes 37 solo tackles, a mark that ranks him 10th in the nation and first in the league in solo tackles per game (5.29).
 
FINDING FAUPEL                                              
With 10 catches for 84 yards against Missouri State, Faupel continues to pace the Aggies in both receptions and receiving yards through seven games, catching 36 passes for 447 yards. With this total, Faupel has already surpassed the Aggies' leading receiver from 2024 (TJ Pride - 374 yards) with five games remaining on the schedule.
 
Currently, Faupel is averaging 63.9 receiving yards per game to rank third among all CUSA receivers. At this rate, Faupel is on pace to finish with 766 receiving yards in the regular season, which would mark the most for an Aggie wideout since Jaleel Scott finished with 1,079 yards in 2017.
 
Faupel also flashed his arm against New Mexico on Sept. 27, as he became the first non-quarterback at NM State to throw a touchdown pass since 2021 when he connected with TJ Pride for a 34-yard touchdown pass on a trick play in the first quarter. The last non-quarterback to do so was Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda on Sept. 11, 2021, when he connected with Thomaz Whitford on the road against New Mexico.
 
SPLIT THE UPRIGHTS                                   
Last week, Ryan Hawk split the uprights with a kick from 25 yards out to notch his 12th made field goal of the year. Through seven games, Hawk is now averaging 1.71 field goals per game to rank first among all CUSA kickers and 19th in the nation.
 
STRONG START                                                  
Despite dropping their last two contests, the Aggies will enter Saturday's game with a 3-4 record and an opportunity to earn their fourth win of the year. A win would give the program at least four wins through eight games for just the fifth time since 1979. Most recently, the Aggies did so in 2023 when they went on to record the program's second double-digit win total in its 131-year history.
 
LIVING IN THE BACKFIELD                       
In his first season with the NM State program, defensive lineman Ezra Christensen has been a force on the defensive front. Through seven games, Christensen leads all CUSA defenders in sacks with six, a mark that ranks 14th nationally.
 
This season, Christensen ranks fifth among Aggies in tackles with 32 and paces the Aggies in sacks and tackles for loss (8), while also serving as one of seven Aggies with a forced fumble this season.
 
UP OVER THE CENTURY MARK             
For the first time this season, NM State eclipsed 100 rushing yards in a single game as Kadarius Calloway paced an Aggie backfield that finished with 146 rushing yards against Liberty two weeks ago. Calloway served as the lead back, tallying 84 rushing yards and one touchdown on 18 carries. Dijon Stanley also chipped in 19 yards in his first game back from injury, while Isaiah Rudison added 18, Logan Fife finished with 16 yards and TK King carried the ball three times for 10 yards.
 
STEPPING IN AND STEPPING UP          
As is the case for every team in the nation, injuries have been something that the Aggies have had to maneuver early on this season. With injuries that have forced both Aggie linebackers Sone Aupiu and Tyler Martinez to miss some time, junior Tory Gethers has provided a spark. Gethers, who has started the last four games, now ranks second among all Aggies in total tackles with 48. This is highlighted by 41 tackles across the last five games, including a 13-tackle performance against Missouri State to mark the most in a single game by any Aggie this year.
 
Gethers has been a star for the Aggie defense in conference play as well and has tallied 34 tackles through four league games to rank fifth in total tackles and seventh in tackles per game (8.5) among CUSA defenders.
 
BACK TO BOWLING GREEN                      
Saturday will mark NM State's second ever visit to Bowling Green, Ky. The Aggies first traveled to Western Kentucky on Nov. 11, 2023, when the Aggie rushing attack generated 236 yards on the ground on the way to a 38-29 victory. The win was highlighted by an 85-yard day from current Tennessee running back Star Thomas. In the win, the Aggie offense was also led by Diego Pavia who threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
 
THE ERA OF THE TRANSFER PORTAL               
Since Head Coach Tony Sanchez took over in December of 2024, the Aggies have seen 66 players enter the transfer portal and land at FBS and FCS schools. Of this group, 28 of these former Aggies found their way onto the roster of a Power Four program. This includes key contributors at No. 9 Vanderbilt (Diego Pavia, Eli Stowers, Makhilyn Young), No. 2 Indiana (Jonathan Brady), No. 14 Tennessee (Star Thomas), Arizona State (Myles Rowser, Keyshaun Elliott), Kentucky (Shiyazh Pete, Seth McGowan) and Arkansas (Mike Washington).
 
INSTANT IMPACT                                             
Not only did TK King make his first start for the Aggies since transferring in from Wyoming, but NM State's game against Sam Houston on Oct. 2 also marked King's Aggie debut. The speedster from Houston made an immediate impact to the Aggie offense. After tallying a 12-yard reception on the Aggies' first offensive play of the game, he later hauled in a 40-yard pass and a 54-yard pass to set the Aggies up in scoring position. His 54-yard reception marked the second-longest catch by an Aggie this season, trailing only a 55-yard catch by Donovan Faupel in the season opener.
 
Thus far, King has recorded 13 catches for 222 yards in just three games of action to mark the most total receiving yards by any CUSA receiver since making his debut.
 
GO, GAVIN, GO                                   
Following another four catches for 56 yards in the Aggies' last outing, tight end Gavin Harris continues his stellar first year with the program. Harris now ranks sixth in the nation in receiving yards per game among all FBS tight ends with 50.3 yards per game. This also ranks first among CUSA tight ends and 10th among all CUSA pass catchers.
 
Thus far, Harris has logged at least three catches in six of the Aggies' seven games after doing so just twice in his two-year collegiate career prior to joining the NM State program.
 
Additionally, Harris' lone touchdown catch of the season served as the game-winning score in the Aggies' 21-14 win over Tulsa on Sept. 6.
 
TREMENDOUS TRANSFERS                      
Several transfers have contributed to the Aggies' success on the defensive side of the ball. Through six games, three of the Aggies' top five tacklers joined the team in the offseason as Tory Gethers (48) and Jamall Thompson Jr. (43) rank second and third on the team, respectively, while Ezra Christensen ranks fifth with 32 tackles.
 
Additionally, Christensen, Gethers and Thompson Jr. account for 11 of the Aggies 14 sacks this season.
 
SCOOP AND SCORE                        
In the Aggies' rivalry matchup against New Mexico on Saturday, Sept. 27, safety Bernock Iya was able to log the Aggies' first scoop and score since October 27, 2018, when Shane Jackson returned a fumble for a touchdown against Texas State.
 
AIR AGGIE                                             
With 22 completions for 207 yards last week, Logan Fife now has 140 completions for 1,719 passing yards this season. With this total, Fife has surpassed the Aggies' total passing yards from 2024 by exactly one yard after a multi-quarterback approach produced 1,718 yards last year.
 
Fife has also thrown for nine touchdowns this season. This output combined with one touchdown pass on a trick play from Donovan Faupel gives the Aggies 10 touchdown passes entering Saturday. This is just two touchdown passes shy of NM State's total from last season (12).
 
FIRST CLASS PJ                                                   
In the Aggies' outing against LA Tech on Sept. 13, wide receiver PJ Johnson III became the first Aggie to record over 150 receiving yards in a single game since 2017. Johnson III tallied a game-high 157 yards and one touchdown on seven catches, including 87 yards after the catch.
 
The last Aggie to accomplish this feat was future fourth-round NFL Draft pick Jaleel Scott, who notched 174 receiving yards and one touchdown on nine catches in a road bout against SEC foe Arkansas on Sept. 30, 2017.
 
For Johnson III, this surpassed his previous career-high of 90 yards, which he recorded in the Aggies' final game of the season last year.
 
Currently, Johnson III sits at 219 receiving yards, which is just 127 yards shy of his 2024 total.
 
FANTASTIC FIFE                                                
In the Aggies' victory over Tulsa earlier this season, Logan Fife submitted one of the more impressive passing performances among Aggie quarterbacks in recent history. Against the Golden Hurricane, Fife finished with 28 completions for 252 yards on 45 attempts. His 28 completions marked the most completions for an Aggie quarterback in a single game since Nov. 6, 2021, when Jonah Johnson had 30 completions at home against Utah State.
 
FEAR THE FRONT LINE                                
Through six weeks, the Aggie defense has tallied 14 sacks, 41 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hurries.
 
With this, the Aggies have already equaled their sack total from 2024, have surpassed their number of quarterback pressures from last year (25) and sit just three tackles for loss away from matching their production from their first year under Defensive Coordinator Joe Morris.
 
SECOND YEAR UNDER SANCHEZ          
NM State is amid its second season under the leadership of Head Coach Tony Sanchez, who led the Aggies to three wins last season - defeating SEMO, LA Tech and Middle Tennessee. This marks Sanchez's seventh season as a head coach of an FBS program after previously spending five seasons coaching UNLV (2015-19).
 
In year one under Sanchez, the Aggies put forth one of the best rushing attacks in Conference USA as they finished the year average of 180.0 rushing yards per game to rank third in the conference and 40th in the nation.
 
During Sanchez's first season, the Aggies saw 11 individuals earn all-conference honors, including six Second Team All-CUSA selections.
 
This year, the Aggies will seek their third appearance in a bowl game in a four-year span - a feat that has never been done at NM State.
 
SOPHOMORE SURGE                    
This season, the Aggies brought back just four returning starters on the offensive side of the ball; however, this does include sophomore TJ Pride, the squad's leading pass catcher from a season ago. As a true freshman in 2024, Pride paced the Aggies in both receptions (34) and receiving yards (374), while also serving as the Aggies' primary punt returner.
 
AGGIE THROUGH AND THROUGH      
From student-athlete to head ball coach, Tony Sanchez has had crimson running through his veins since the day he transferred to NM State as a player. Now, Sanchez is one of just 12 coaches at the FBS level to be the head coach at his alma mater.
 
Following two seasons at Laney College in Oakland, Calif., Sanchez began his Aggie playing career in 1994. During his time, Sanchez made 54 catches for 741 yards and five touchdowns to help the Aggies win seven games. His career was highlighted by a senior season in which he tallied 42 catches for 576 yards and four touchdowns.
 
Sanchez's first win as a player came on Sept. 17, 1994, in El Paso, Texas, where the Aggies earned a 23-22 come-from-behind victory over UTEP after falling behind 19-0 to open the game. Sanchez collected his first win as the Aggies' head coach on Aug. 31, 2024, when NM State defeated SEMO 23-16.
 
COACHING STAFF CONTINUITY            
Despite some heavy turnover on the field, NM State entered the second season under Tony Sanchez with some continuity on its staff as nine full-time staffers returned for the 2025 season. Only David Yost (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) and John Cannova (Offensive Line) will be in their first season with the program.
 
INTRODUCING JOE FIELDS                        
On September 29, New Mexico State University announced the hiring of Joe Fields as the institution's 24th Director of Athletics. Fields most recently spent one year at Tulsa and his time in collegiate athletics also includes stops at his alma mater, Syracuse, as well as Texas A&M. Fields also competed as a student-athlete himself, playing safety at Syracuse (2004-07), where he earned All-Big East Conference honors. He also spent one year in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.
 
QB1                                                             
After finishing 127th among FBS teams in passing offense one season ago, Head Coach Tony Sanchez made it a point to bring in a proven passer in the offseason, and he did just that in the form of Montana transfer Logan Fife.
 
Fife joined the program after appearing in all 14 games and making eight starts while finishing as the Grizzlies' top passer with 167 completions for 1,890 yards and 14 touchdowns. He submitted a completion percentage of 63.5% in 2024 to help lead the Grizzlies to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
 
This marks Fife's second stint at the FBS level, as he spent a total of four seasons at Fresno State, where he began his collegiate career. With the Bulldogs, Fife appeared in 21 total games, including 12 in 2023 when he made two starts and threw for 642 yards and three touchdowns. He also played in 10 games in 2022, when he stepped in for an injured Jake Haener and made four starts. Entering the year, Fife had tallied 143 completions for 1,585 yards and six touchdowns at the FBS level.
 
This experience comes as a stark contrast to last year, when the Aggies entered the season with just one combined start at the FBS level among the seven individuals in the quarterback room.
 
Through the early portion of the season, Fife has recorded 227 or more passing yards in all but one game - a mark that Aggie quarterbacks reached just once during 2024.
 
YEAR ONE WITH YOST                                 
Along with a new quarterback, the Aggies began the year with a new playcaller on the headset as David Yost entered his first season at NM State after spending the last three years as the offensive coordinator for CUSA foe FIU.
 
He brings with him 35 years of experience, including stints in well-respected conferences such as the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Mid-American. He boasts a reputation of being one of the top quarterback developers in college football and has helped the growth of former passers, including Justin Herbert (Oregon), Jordan Love (Utah State), Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) and Chase Daniel (Missouri).
 
DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL                             
This season, the Aggies are led by Defensive Coordinator Joe Morris, who is in his second season with the program after coming over from CUSA foe Sam Houston ahead of the 2024 season. Highlighted by returning starters Tyler Martinez, Sone Aupiu and Dakerric Hobbs, the Aggie defense is also bolstered by returners Nick Session, Josiah Charles, Naeten Mitchell and Cole Schnettgoecke, who returns from injury after starting the first two games last year.
 
Meanwhile, the Aggies also brought back defensive end Gabe Peterson, who played 12 games for the Crimson and White during the 2023 season in which NM State finished with double-digit wins for just the second time in program history.
 
RETURNING PRODUCTION                       
Offensive Coordinator David Yost was also tasked with finding a way to replace the offensive production that was lost in the offseason. Most notably, the Aggies returned just 16.6% of their total rushing yardage from the 2024 campaign. Following the departure of its top three rushers from last season, NM State reloaded its backfield with the addition of Cal transfer Kadarius Calloway and Utah transfer Dijon Stanley.
 
From a passing game perspective, the Aggies returned 62.8% of their passing yards and 53.9% of their receiving yards as they brought back their top passer (Parker Awad) and top two wideouts (TJ Pride and PJ Johnson III).
 
Defensively, NM State returned three of its top six tacklers from last year as Tyler Martinez, Sone Aupiu and Dakerric Hobbs remain in Las Cruces and also serve as the lone three returning starters from last season's defense.
 
AGGIE ADDITIONS                                      
In the offseason, the Aggies brought in a total of 54 newcomers, including 42 transfers - 15 coming from the FBS level. In addition to Logan Fife, Kadarius Calloway, Dijon Stanley, Gabe Peterson, some of the notable newcomers include wide receiver AJ Williams III, tight end Gavin Harris, offensive linemen Ma'Kyi Lee and Malik Williams, safeties Bernock Iya and Armahn Hale and defensive end Brad Vislisel.
 
ENJOY THE JOURNEY                                 
For NM State running back Kadarius Calloway, his path as a collegiate football player has been quite the journey. Born and raised in the small town of Philadelphia, Miss. (6,938 population), Calloway enrolled at Alabama in the summer of 2021 after finishing his high school career rated a four-star recruit and the No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Mississippi.
 
Following a summer with the Crimson Tide, Calloway elected to withdraw from Alabama, stating he felt he had much more to learn about football before being ready to play big-time college football.
 
From Alabama, Calloway transferred to East Mississippi Community College, where he spent one season. His journey then led him to Old Dominion, where he had a breakout season in 2023, recording 88 carries for 623 yards and five touchdowns. This included a game against Marshall on Sept. 30, 2021, when he rushed for 236 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Ahead of his move to NM State, the running back played the 2024 season at Cal and appeared in 11 games, while tallying 124 rushing yards and one touchdown.
 
During the preseason, Calloway was rated the No. 1 running back in Conference USA by Rat Rundown and will serve as one half of the Aggies' two-headed monster in the backfield alongside Utah transfer Dijon Stanley.
   
WHERE ARE THEY FROM                           
This year's Aggie roster is made up of 107 players from 26 states and four countries. The largest percentage of the roster hails from California, with 23 Aggies coming from the Golden State. Additionally, 21 players are from Texas, 15 are from the Aggies' home state of New Mexico and 11 are from Arizona.
 
In addition to the United States, the NM State roster also features players from American Samoa, Australia and Germany.
SPECIALISTS RETURNING                         
Last season, one of the bright spots on the Aggie team was the special teams unit as both kicker Abraham Montaño and punter George Eberle landed themselves in the Aggie record book, while long snapper Charlie Eberle served as the long snapper for all punts, field goals and extra points and had zero snapping errors.
 
This season, the Aggies will be looking to replace all three of these key contributors and will serve as one of just 11 teams at the FBS level with one or fewer specialists returning among their field goal kicker, punter, kickoff kicker, holder, snapper, kick returner and punt returner.
 
TEAM CAPTAINS                                               
Ahead of the season, NM State held a team vote to select its team captains for the 2025 campaign. This year, the Aggie captains are made up of three offensive players and three defensive players.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, the Aggies are led by quarterback Logan Fife, offensive lineman Malik Williams and wide receiver PJ Johnson. Defensively, linebacker Tyler Martinez, cornerback Dakerric Hobbs and defensive lineman Cole Schnettgoecke will also serve as team captains.
 
DAD STRENGTH                                                   
NM State quarterback Logan Fife became a father during fall camp as his daughter was born on August 12, 2025.
 
TRUE FRESHMEN COME IN ALL SHAPES AND AGES
The youngest player and oldest player on this year's team are both true freshmen as offensive lineman Gavin Jones, born July 21, 2007, and kicker David Barker, born Sept. 10, 1999, were born a full 2,871 (seven years, 10 months and 11 days) days apart and are both beginning their first season of collegiate football.
 
YEAR THREE                                                 
The Aggies are now in their third year as members of Conference USA. NM State made quite the splash in its debut campaign - going 7-1 in league play on its way to an appearance in the CUSA Championship Game in addition to being one of only 27 FBS programs to reach the 10-win mark in 2023.
 
Including this season, NM State has now won 10 games across its first three seasons in the new league.
 
For the second straight season, the league makeup has changed as Delaware and Missouri State make the move to bring the league total to 12 for the 2025 season. With an eight-game conference schedule, the Aggies will not see newcomer Delaware, Jax State or FIU this season, but will meet up with both Kennesaw State and Missouri State for the first time in program history.
 
HISPANIC HEAD COACHES                        
The Aggies' leader, Tony Sanchez, is one of just five Hispanic head coaches at the FBS level. Sanchez, a second-generation American of Puerto Rican and English descent, is also joined in this group by Baylor's Dave Aranda, Miami's Mario Cristobal, Duke's Manny Diaz and West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez.
 
Additionally, Sanchez is the first NM State head coach of Hispanic descent. Sanchez leads the Aggie program, which calls Las Cruces, a city with over 60% Hispanic population, home.
 
WHERE TO WATCH THE AGGIES         
After five of the Aggies' 12 games were featured on national networks in 2024, the Aggies were in the spotlight in 2025 once again. This year, NM State played its three midweek contests on CBS Sports Network.
 
The Aggies' week 10 matchup against the Hilltoppers will stream live on ESPN+.
 
WHERE TO LISTEN TO THE AGGIES  
Once again, all games this season will air live on 99.5 FM KXPZ for those in Las Cruces and the surrounding areas. Additionally, all home games will be available in Spanish on 96.7 FM La Equis with the call provided by Abel Rodriguez (play-by-play) and Eddie Rubio (analyst). Radio broadcasts for all Aggie games will also be available to listen to nationwide via the TuneIn App. Radio play-by-play for Saturday's game will be provided by Adam Young, with analysis provided by Bob Sherman.
 
This will also mark the first season in over four decades that the Aggies will have a new play-by-play caller on the radio after Jack Nixon retired last season after 45 years of service.
 
FAMILY BUSINESS                                            
The Aggie team will have two student-athletes this season whose fathers also suited up for the Aggies during their respective playing days. NM State also rosters one student-athlete whose brother formerly played for the Aggies.
 
Redshirt sophomore David Barela is the son of David Barela, who also played for the Aggies from 1990-93.
 
Las Cruces native Siddeeq Shabazz will be the fourth member of the Shabazz family to wear Crimson & White. His father, Siddeeq Shabazz, played for the Aggies from 1999-02 and is one of 28 former Aggies to earn a spot in the NFL. Additionally, his family members, Shukree and Sina also played for the Aggies.
 
Meanwhile, Bryant Jackson is also the brother who previously wore the Crimson & White. Jackson first came to NM State along with his older brother, Bryce, in 2022. After transferring in from UNLV, Bryce served as a key cog on the Aggie defense en route to a victory in the Quick Lane Bowl. In his lone year with NM State, Jackson tallied 66 total tackles and two interceptions from his safety position.
 
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).