LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State (3-6, 1-5 CUSA) returned home to host Kennesaw State (7-2, 5-0 CUSA) in a homecoming matchup on Saturday at Aggie Memorial Stadium. With a crowd of 11,473 on hand, the Aggies battled back from a 24-0 deficit to nearly send the game into overtime; however, the Owls would stave off the furious comeback to claim a 24-21 victory.
 
NM State's offense took the field for the first time staring at a seven-point deficit after Kennesaw found the end zone on its opening drive. The touchdown reception was initially ruled out of bounds; however, after a brief review, it was ruled that Gabriel Benyard got his foot in bounds to cap off the quick scoring drive that spanned just two minutes and 24 seconds.
 
After the Aggies were forced to punt, the Owls pieced together an even faster scoring drive as they used just two minutes and 17 seconds before Amari Odom found Benyard for his second touchdown catch of the opening period, putting the Aggies down 14-0.
 
The ensuing NM State drive then lasted just one play before Kennesaw State forced and recovered a fumble to set the Owls up at the Aggie 17-yard line. NM State's defense did stiffen to hold the Owls to a field goal, leaving the score at 17-0 with 7:33 remaining in the period. Later, the visitors would add to their total with another touchdown to increase their lead to 24.
 
Starting at their own 38-yard line, the Aggies put together their best offensive performance of the first half, hitting their playmakers for the duration of the six-play, 62-yard drive - capped off by Dijon Stanley's 28-yard scamper into the end zone. This became his first touchdown as a member of the Crimson & White, as well as his longest rush of the season and put NM State on the scoreboard to bring the score to with 5:34 left in the opening half.
 
Kennesaw State would later threaten to expand the margin, but safety Bernock Iya would come away with an interception in the end zone to mark the first of his two interceptions of the night and keep the Owls at bay.
 
Throughout the second half, the Aggie defense would continue to keep NM State in the ball game, allowing no points throughout the third and fourth quarters. In total, Kennesaw State mustered just 131 yards of offense in the second half, including just 17 offensive yards in the final period. Additionally, aside from the opening quarter, the Aggies outscored the Owls 21-7 and outgained their opponent 303-264.
 
With the defense holding strong, the Aggie offense managed its best drive of the game - using 10 plays to drive 85 yards and into the endzone for the second time of the afternoon. After Logan Fife opened the drive with a 23-yard completion to true freshman Brodie Malone-Bradford, the remainder of the drive would be majorly supported by penalties assessed to the Kennesaw State defense. On the scoring drive, the Aggies received 43 yards by way of penalties before Fife ultimately capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Faupel.
 
Kennesaw State's next drive would last just four plays as Lorenzo Smith recorded a big pass breakup to force a punt. The Aggies then made the most of their next opportunity as Fife found Faupel once again to finish off a 10-play, 68-yard drive that included a fourth-down conversion and trimmed the deficit to just three points with 5:28 left on the clock.
 
In need of a stop, Bernock Iya delivered once again as he picked off a second pass on the first play of the following Kennesaw State drive, giving the Aggies the ball at their own 25 with 5:20. Five plays later, the Owls responded with an interception of their own. However, the Aggies once again dug their heels in the ground to give NM State one last chance.
 
The Aggies would eventually advance the ball to the Kennesaw State 32-yard line to set up a potential game-tying field goal; however, the kick would sail wide right, giving the Owls the 24-21 victory.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Dijon Stanley's 28-yard touchdown run in the second quarter became his first touchdown as a member of NM State, while also ranking as his longest rush of the season. On the day, the junior tailback finished with 66 yards on 10 carries. 
• Punter David Barker made his debut for the Aggies, logging six punts for 267 yards to average 44.5 yards per punt.
• Kadarius Calloway finished the night with a career high five receptions while also posting a career best 44 reception yards
• Donovan Faupel logged two receiving touchdowns to mark the most in a single game and the most by an Aggie in a single game since Trent Hudson hauled in two touchdowns in the 2023 Conference USA Championship Game.
• Logan Fife recorded career highs in both attempts (46) and matched his career best in completions (28).
• Bernock Iya managed a career high eight tackles and became the second Aggie this season with two interceptions in a single game, joining Naeten Mitchell, who did so against Missouri State the last time the Aggies were at home.
• Brodie Malone-Bradford posted a career-high three receptions.
• Dijon Stanley's 10 carries are the most in his collegiate career.
• TK King turned in a 38-yard kickoff return to mark the longest by any Aggie this season.
• With the loss, the Aggies fall to 0-1 all-time against the Owls. NM State also drops to 3-2 at home during the 2025 campaign.

UP NEXT
NM State will look ahead to the first of two consecutive road contests, starting with the No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tennessee next Saturday, Nov. 15. Kick-off from Neyland Stadium is slated for 2 p.m. MT and will stream live on SEC Network Plus, with additional coverage available via 99.5 FM KXPZ, along with live statistics that can be found at NMStateSports.com/stats.
 
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).