LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State will wrap up its 2025 campaign on Saturday afternoon as it welcomes Conference USA foe Middle Tennessee on Senior Day at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Aggies will look to remain perfect at home against the Blue Raiders as they enter the contest with a 3-0 all-time home record against MTSU. The bout set to kick off at 1 p.m. MT will feature 25 seniors being recognized during a ceremony ahead of the game.
 
GAME TWELVE
Who: NM State (4-7, 2-5 CUSA) vs. Middle Tennessee (2-9, 1-6 CUSA)
Where: Las Cruces, N.M. – Aggie Memorial Stadium (28,853)
When: Saturday, November 29, 2025 – 1 p.m. MT

HOW TO FOLLOW
Watch: ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Adam Young
Analyst: Danny Knee
Sideline: Kelly Horyczun

Radio: 99.5 FM KXPZ / TuneIn App
Play-by-Play: Jeff Matthews
Color Analyst: Cory Lucas
 
Spanish Radio: 96.7 FM La Equis
Play-by-Play: Abel Rodriguez
Color Analyst: Eddie Rubio

Live Stats: NMStateSports.com/Stats
 
PROTECTING HOME TURF                        
With a win on Saturday, NM State will secure its third winning record at home in the last four seasons. This would also serve as just its 10th campaign with a home record of above .500 in the last 40 seasons.
 
DRIVE FOR FIVE                                                 
Head Coach Tony Sanchez is looking to lead the Aggies to their fifth win of the season this Saturday, a number that would eclipse last season's total by two wins. This would also represent the program's 25th season with five or more wins over the last 67 years and fifth over the last 21 years. Additionally, since 1993, the Aggies have closed out the season with two wins just three times (2022, 2017 and 2006) and will have that opportunity against the Blue Raiders.
 
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE  
After finishing 129th in the nation in turnover margin in 2024, the Aggie defense has flipped the script and has now forced at least one turnover in every game this season. With an emphasis on taking the ball away, the Aggies currently rank fourth in the conference (52nd nationally) in turnover margin, forcing 23 turnovers while giving the ball away 21 times.
 
On Saturday against UTEP, the Aggies came away with another interception as Stilton McKelvey made a spectacular toe-tapping interception to record the first interception of his career. With this, NM State has now come away with 15 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries, which rank seventh and 15th in the country, respectively. The Aggies also rank second among CUSA teams in both fumbles recovered and interceptions.
 
Four weeks ago, the Aggie defense also found the end zone for the third time this season as McKelvey recovered a fumble and returned it 71 yards for the scoop and score against Western Kentucky. With this touchdown, the Aggies rank tied for 10th in the nation in defensive touchdowns and are one of just 27 teams in the country with three or more defensive touchdowns this year.
 
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                               
The Aggies' ability to force turnovers during the 2025 season has come at a historic rate as they look to complete a season with at least one turnover in every game for the first time since 2011. NM State's 15 interceptions this season also mark the most picks in a single season since 2017, when the Aggie defense tallied 17, led by four from Shamad Lomax.
 
BATTLING THE BLUE RAIDERS                              
Amid its third season as members of Conference USA, NM State is a perfect 2-0 against Middle Tennessee. In fact, the Blue Raiders are the lone CUSA team that the Aggies have played more than once since joining the league and have a perfect record against.
 
In 2023, NM State hosted MTSU and after the Aggie defense pitched a shutout in the second half, the Crimson and White secured their eligibility to a bowl game for the second straight year.
 
Last year, the Aggies marched into Murfreesboro in year one under Tony Sanchez and came away with a 36-21 victory after an early pick-six from current NM State Graduate assistant Dylan Early set the stage for the Aggies' lone road victory of the season.
 
In all, the Aggies and Blue Raiders have collided six times, with the first meeting coming in 2001, when the two programs resided in the Sun Belt. NM State and MTSU spent four seasons as conference foes before the Aggies made the move to the Western Athletic Conference in 2005.
 
Saturday will mark the fourth time that the Aggies host the Blue Raiders and will look to remain undefeated against MTSU inside Aggie Memorial Stadium.
 
SAME MATCHUP, DIFFERENT FACES
While NM State has played Middle Tennessee each of the last two seasons, only seven Aggies on this year's roster have played in both games and only Sone Aupiu started both games. Similarly, only Parker Hughes and Nicholas Vattiato served as starters for the Blue Raiders in the last two meetings with the Aggies.
 
WINNING ON THE ROAD                             
While the Aggies earned their first road win of the year on Saturday, NM did serve as the only Conference USA team to win away from home during week 12.
 
MOVING THE STICKS                                     
Entering the Battle of I-10, UTEP ranked second in the nation in third-down defense, allowing its opponents to convert just 25.4% of the time. On Saturday, the Aggie offense finished the game 8-for-16 on third downs to mark the best conversion percentage of any  Miner opponent this season.
 
QUICK STRIKE                                                     
On Saturday, Aggie running back Dijon Stanley scampered 57 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the Aggies' sixth drive of the game. This marked the team's sixth scoring drive of four or fewer plays this season. The eight-second drive was also the fastest of any point-producing possession for the Aggies this year.
 
DAMANTE'S DEBUT                                        
In the first FBS start of his career, quarterback Adam Damante finished the game 29-41 with three touchdowns, including finding TK King along the back of the end zone for the game-winning score with 21 seconds remaining on the clock.
 
In his first start since his days as a freshman at Northern Arizona, Damante turned in the Aggies' second-highest completion percentage of the 2025 season at 70.7%, coming in only behind Logan Fife's performance against Sam Houston when he went 19-26 (73.1%).
 
Damante's three passing touchdowns also marked a season high for the Aggies this year and marked the first three-touchdown game since Parker Awad hooked up with his wideouts for three touchdowns against UTEP in the season finale in 2024.
 
BATTLE BACK                                                     
Saturday's win over the Miners marked the Aggies' largest come-from-behind victory since NM State erased a 23-point third-quarter deficit against Idaho on Halloween night in 2015. In the overtime win, the Aggies fought back behind a monumental effort from Larry Rose III, who finished with 212 rushing yards on 25 carries to help the Crimson and White put an end to a 17-game losing streak.
 
The win over UTEP also marked the first time this year that NM State was able to earn a win in a game in which its opponent scored first. Previously, the Aggies were 0-5 in such contests.
 
WEST TEXAS SHOOTOUT                          
NM State earned a narrow win in the Battle of I-10 to tally its first victory over an opponent that scored 31 or more points since it defeated South Carolina State 43-35 on Sept. 18, 2021.
 
BERNOCK KNOCK, WHO'S THERE       
Against Tennessee, safety Bernock Iya recorded another interception to move his season total to four. With this, Iya now ranks tied for second in Conference USA and 10th in the nation in total interceptions.
 
His four picks are also the most by an Aggie in a single season since 2017, when Shamad Lomax also had four interceptions.
 
BEND, DON'T BREAK                                     
This year, the Aggies have forced four red zone turnovers after Bernock Iya intercepted a pass in the end zone against Kennesaw State on Nov. 8. This also marked Iya's second interception in the end zone this season after he picked off a pass that Tyler Martinez batted into the air against Tulsa on Sept. 6.
 
SANCHEZ VS. MASON                   
Saturday will mark the third time that head coaches Tony Sanchez and Derek Mason will go head-to-head. Entering the weekend, Sanchez holds a 2-0 record against Coach Mason. The two first matched up in 2019 when Sanchez was the leader of the UNLV program and led the Runnin' Rebels to a commanding 34-10 victory over Mason's Vanderbilt Commodores.
 
Last season, Sanchez earned his second victory over Mason as the Aggies knocked off the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro, winning 36-21.
 
The two coaches do have a tie that dates back even further than 2019, as both Sanchez and Mason once served as Aggie assistants during the early portion of their careers. Sanchez served as an undergraduate assistant in 1996, while Mason spent one season in Las Cruces as the wide receivers coach during the 2004 campaign.
 
FAITH IN THE FRESHMAN                         
This season, Aggie quarterbacks have shown trust in true freshman wide receiver Brodie Malone-Bradford in crucial moments. Of Malone-Bradford's 19 receptions this season, nine of them have come in the fourth quarter. Additionally, four of the young wideout's fourth-quarter catches have come on third or fourth down, including a touchdown reception on the road at Liberty on Oct. 14.
 
NATE THE GREAT                                             
With a performance that included two interceptions against Missouri State on Oct. 22, safety Naeten Mitchell now has three picks on the year to rank tied for fifth in the conference in interceptions.
 
Against the Miners on Saturday, Mitchell tallied five tackles to move his season total to a team-best 85 total tackles on the year, ranking seventh among CUSA defenders. This includes 54 solo tackles, a mark that ties him for third in the league in solo tackles. While Mitchell is still 15 tackles away, he could become the first member of the Aggie secondary to record 100-plus tackles in a single season since Ron LaForce finished the 2018 campaign with 122 tackles despite playing just 10 games.
 
FINDING FAUPEL                                              
With nine catches for 78 yards against UTEP, Faupel serves as the Aggies' leader in receptions (61), receiving yards (661) and receiving touchdowns (7).
 
His two-touchdown performance against the Miners also marked the second game this season that he has recorded multiple touchdowns in a single game, also doing so against Kennesaw State on Nov. 8. This makes him the first Aggie to have multiple touchdown catches in multiple games since Trent Hudson had two touchdowns in three different games in 2023. Including Saturday, Faupel now has six touchdown catches in the last six contests.
 
Currently, Faupel is averaging 60.1 receiving yards per game to rank fifth among all CUSA receivers and is tied for first in the league in receiving touchdowns. Faupel also ranks tied for first in the conference in receptions per game (5.5), matching the efforts of UTEP's Kenny Odom.
 
At this rate, Faupel is on pace to finish with 721 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.
 
Last week, the Aggies used Faupel's versatility once again as he completed a pass to Brodie Malone-Bradford as part of a momentum-changing fake punt during the Aggies' first scoring drive of the game.
 
COUNT 'EM UP                                                     
On Nov. 15 against No. 21 Tennessee, the Aggie passing offense did something it hadn't done in over four years. With a combined 35 completions from Logan Fife and Adam Damante, this marked the most in a game since Jonah Johnson completed 38 passes against Nevada on Oct. 9, 2021.
 
SPREAD THE LOVE                                          
After playing 62 consecutive games in which fewer than 10 different receivers caught a pass, double-digit Aggie receivers tallied at least one catch in back-to-back weeks. Following a game against Kennesaw State that saw 11 different Aggies catch a pass from Logan Fife, 12 receivers managed a reception against Tennessee.
 
AWESOME AUSSIE                                           
David Barker was named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday morning following a performance on Saturday in which he made two field goals and was a perfect 4-4 on extra point attempts.
 
The 27-year-old true freshman made his collegiate debut against Kennesaw State on Nov. 8, recording six punts for 267 yards for a 44.5 average. The Australian also pinned the Owls inside their own 20-yard line twice and logged two kicks of 50-plus yards. Over the last two weeks, Barker also served as the Aggies' primary place kicker and is now 3-3 on field goals, including a career-long 46-yarder in the win over UTEP.
 
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. Despite missing the Western Kentucky game due to injury, Christensen still ranks second among all CUSA defenders in sacks with six in 10 games. Entering Saturday, Christensen ranks first in the conference and 34th nationally in sacks per game (0.60). Christensen also ranks tied for fourth in the conference in sacks in league games, with four in six games.
 
STEPPING IN AND STEPPING UP          
As is the case for every team, injuries have been something that the Aggies have had to maneuver 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 eight games, now ranks second among all Aggies in total tackles with 82. This is highlighted by 47 tackles across the last five games, including back-to-back 13-tackle performances against Missouri State and Western Kentucky. These 13-tackle efforts mark the most tackles in a single game by any Aggie defender in 2025. His 8.6 tackles per game in league play is also ranked tied for fifth in the conference.
 
KING HIM                                                                
On Saturday, wide receiver TK King hauled in the first touchdown reception of his collegiate career as he snagged the game-winning touchdown with just 21 seconds remaining.
 
Including hauling in six catches for 132 yards in his season debut, wideout TK King has continued to serve as one of the Aggies' top offensive weapons. Currently, King ranks third among Aggie wideouts in both catches (31) and receiving yards (410) despite missing the first four games.
 
GO, GAVIN, GO                                   
Following another catch in the Aggies' last contest, tight end Gavin Harris continues his stellar first year with the program. Harris now ranks ninth in the nation in receiving yards per game among all FBS tight ends at 44.2 yards per game. This also ranks first among CUSA tight ends and 15th among all CUSA pass catchers.
 
Thus far, Harris has logged at least three catches in nine of the Aggies' 11 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.
 
CONSISTENCY IS KEY                  
This season, a total of seven Aggies have started all 10 games. On the offensive side of the ball, this includes Donovan Faupel (WR), BJ Tolo (OL), Mateo Rodriguez (OL) and Malik Williams (OL). Defensively, Josiah Charles (CB), Naeten Mitchell (S) and Cole Schnettgoecke (DL) have each appeared in the starting lineup in every game this season. In 2024, six Aggies started all 12 games, including linebackers Sone Aupiu and Tyler Martinez.
 
ON THIS DATE IN AGGIE HISTORY     
Saturday will mark just the fourth time that the Aggies take the field on Nov. 29. NM State will be looking for its first win on this date, as it currently holds an 0-3 all-time record on the 29th day of November. The Aggies' last played on this date in 2014 on a day which still stands as the last time an Aggie receiver caught three or more touchdown passes with Gregory Hogan hauling in three scores on the road against Arkansas State.
 
AIR AGGIE                                                               
With 28 completions for 241 yards two weeks ago, Logan Fife now has 204 completions for 2,238 passing yards this season. With this total, Fife has surpassed the Aggies' total passing yards from 2024 by 520 yards after a multi-quarterback approach produced 1,718 yards last year.
 
Fife has also thrown 11 touchdowns this season. This output, combined with one touchdown pass on a trick play from Donovan Faupel and three from Adam Damante against UTEP, gives the Aggies 15 touchdown passes entering Saturday, surpassing the Aggies' total from 2024 (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 314 receiving yards, which is just 66 yards shy of his 2024 total, when he finished second on the team in receiving yards.
 
ROSTER ROLL CALL                      
The Aggies have just one student-athlete from the state of Tennessee on this year's roster as defensive lineman Josiah Jackson hails from Smyrna, Tenn. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee's roster also features one player from the Land of Enchantment as kicker Zach Benedict hails from Rio Rancho, N.M.
 
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 are seeking their third appearance in a bowl game in a four-year span - a feat that has never been done at NM State.
 
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. 14 Vanderbilt (Diego Pavia, Eli Stowers, Makhilyn Young), No. 2 Indiana (Jonathan Brady), No. 20 Tennessee (Star Thomas), No. 25 Arizona State (Myles Rowser, Keyshaun Elliott), Kentucky (Shiyazh Pete, Seth McGowan) and Arkansas (Mike Washington).
 
This includes three of the top-10 rushers in the SEC, as Mike Washington (Arkansas) ranks third, Seth McGowan (Kentucky) ranks eighth and Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) ranks 10th in rushing yards in college football's top league.
 
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) are in their first season with the program.
 
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 currently serving as 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 collected his first win as the Aggies' head coach on Aug. 31, 2024, when NM State defeated SEMO 23-16.
 
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 10 games, Fife has recorded 227 or more passing yards seven times after the team did so 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                             
The Aggie defense is 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.
 
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' tandem in the backfield alongside Utah transfer Dijon Stanley.
 
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.
 
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 11 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 did meet up with Missouri State and will see Kennesaw State this weekend 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 is based in Las Cruces, a city with over 60% Hispanic population.
 
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 13 matchup against the Blue Raiders will air live on ESPN+ with Adam Young (PxP) and Danny Knee (Analyst) on the call.
 
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 Jeff Matthews, with analysis provided by Cory Lucas.
 
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 to conclude his 45 years of service.
 
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).