Tag: New Mexico State

NMSU head coach Jerry Kill exits the field before the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at the University Stadium in Albuquerque.

New Mexico State replaces coach Jerry Kill with Tony Sanchez

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After reviving the New Mexico State football program over the past two seasons, head coach Jerry Kill resigned and was replaced by Tony Sanchez on Saturday.

Sanchez, 49, was wide receivers coach the past two seasons at New Mexico State, where he played wide receiver from 1994-95. He posted a 20-40 record as UNLV’s head coach from 2015-19.

Kill, 62, led the Aggies to a 17-11 record and back-to-back bowl appearances in his two seasons as head coach. With a 10-5 record this season, the Aggies enjoyed their first double-digit-win season in 63 years.

A head coach for much of the time since 1994, Kill has a 175-115 record that includes stops at Minnesota, Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois. He has been an assistant coach at TCU, Rutgers and Virginia Tech and served as interim head coach at TCU in 2021.

Kill resigned at Minnesota seven games into the 2015 season due to his battle with epilepsy, a neurological disorder. He had four reported seizures during games for the Golden Gophers between 2011-15, including a scary incident during a contest in 2011 in which he collapsed on the sideline and went into spasms on the turf with his legs violently kicking.

Kill also had a major seizure during a 2005 game while he was Southern Illinois’ coach.

Since losing to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 16, the Aggies have lost defensive backs coach Cliff Odom and offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who departed for Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, respectively.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Mikey Keene (1) throws a pass against the San Diego State Aztecs during the first half at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Fresno State, minus head coach, stumbles into New Mexico Bowl

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Fresno State finished the regular season with a three-game losing streak that ended its hopes for a potential 10-win season and a more prestigious bowl bid.

Now the Bulldogs go into the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday in Albuquerque without their coach for their matchup with New Mexico State.

Jeff Tedford announced on Dec. 1 that he was stepping away from the program to address personal health concerns. Assistant head coach and linebackers coach Tim Skipper will run the team for the bowl game.

In the second year of a five-year contract, Tedford led Fresno State (8-4) to an 8-1 start that included a win at Purdue in the season opener and a Top 25 ranking early in the season. Dating back to a nine-game winning streak that ended 2022, the Bulldogs were 17-1 before their late skid.

With Tedford away, Skipper has the responsibility of extracting a winning effort out of a team that ended the regular season by being blown out 33-18 at San Diego State on Nov. 25.

“The transition (to life without Tedford has) been as good as it can be because of the support staff and these players,” Skipper said. “Everybody is bought in. We all know we got a higher sense of urgency. We gotta have attention to detail and the people that surround me are awesome. It’s made everything a lot easier than it could be.”

Fresno State will need a big game from quarterback Mikey Keene, who threw for 2,596 yards and 21 touchdowns in the regular season despite missing time with a concussion. He was intercepted nine times.

Erik Brooks caught 55 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns, leading four Bulldogs with at least 44 receptions. Malik Sherrod carried the load in the rushing game with 876 yards and nine scores on 152 carries.

Meanwhile, the Aggies (10-4) will try to cap off one of the best seasons in school history with their second win of 2023 in Albuquerque. On Sept. 16, they made the trip north from Las Cruces and stopped New Mexico 27-17.

After losing the following week at Hawaii, New Mexico State embarked on an eight-game winning streak that included the school’s first-ever win over an SEC team, a 31-10 thumping at Auburn on Nov. 18. The Aggies reached the Conference USA title game but lost 49-35 at Liberty.

Still, New Mexico State added to the resume of veteran coach Jerry Kill as one of the ultimate program-builders. He oversaw just the second 10-win season in program history and is in line for a contract extension that would include a raise from his current $600,000 deal.

A more immediate concern to Kill might be the status of starting quarterback Diego Pavia, who threw for 2,915 yards, rushed for 851 yards and had a hand in 32 touchdowns this year. However, Pavia left the game at Liberty with an upper-body injury.

“He is the toughest kid I’ve ever been around — and I have coached for 40 years,” said Kill, who was confident Pavia would be ready to face the Bulldogs.

Fresno State leads the all-time series 18-1, with the Aggies’ only win coming in 2011.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) rolls out to pass during the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Before Iron Bowl, Auburn not overlooking New Mexico State

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Two bowl-eligible teams riding win streaks will meet when New Mexico State visits Auburn on Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies (8-3, 6-1 Conference USA) have won six straight and seven of eight behind dynamic dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia and a scrappy defense.

Pavia has passed for 2,257 yards and 19 touchdowns with just six interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 703 yards and five scores through 11 games.

In last week’s 38-29 win over Western Kentucky, Pavia passed for two touchdowns and ran for 44 yards to pace a New Mexico State offense that rushed for 236 yards.

Safety Mehki Miller became the first Aggie to score a defensive touchdown this season when he picked off Austin Reed and raced 57 yards to pay dirt. The play sealed all hopes of a Hilltoppers comeback and helped New Mexico State clinch a berth in the C-USA title game in Jerry Kill’s second season as head coach.

“I’m just kind of in shock really, but it means the world to do it with these kids and in Las Cruces,” Kill said. “Having it happen so quickly, we’re still not where we need to be and here but we are playing for the conference championship.”

Auburn (6-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) became bowl-eligible after it turned in its most complete performance of the season in a 48-10 road win over Arkansas.

Payton Thorne threw three touchdown passes and ran for 88 yards and a score. Jarquez Hunter surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark for the third straight game (109), while Rivaldo Fairweather added two scoring receptions. Auburn’s defense recorded five sacks and forced two fumbles and Keionte Scott returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown.

Although it was the Tigers’ third straight win, Hugh Freeze doesn’t want his team overlooking New Mexico State before its meeting with rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 25.

“We’ll talk about it today in our team meeting, and that’ll be my message,” Freeze said earlier this week. “We won’t talk about the other team that you mentioned (Alabama); we’ll talk about the one we have right in front of us that could sting us. And I’ve experienced that before.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 26, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia (10) scrambles for a first down against Bowling Green in the second quarter in the 2022 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

New Mexico St. fends off Bowling Green, 24-19

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Diego Pavia passed for two touchdowns and Ahmonte Watkins scored on a long run as New Mexico State knocked off Bowling Green 24-19 on Monday afternoon at the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

Pavia completed 17 of 29 passes for 167 yards and one interception, and also rushed for 65 yards to lead the Aggies (7-6). Star Thomas and Eric Marsh caught touchdown passes for New Mexico State.

Backup quarterback Camden Orth completed 14 of 22 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown for Bowling Green (6-7). Ta’ron Keith returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Tyrone Broden caught a scoring pass.

Orth entered after starting quarterback Matt McDonald was injured midway through the first quarter and didn’t return. McDonald was 2-of-4 passing for 30 yards and an interception before exiting.

New Mexico State was 11 of 17 on third-down conversions and controlled the ball for 38:23 while outgaining the Falcons 407 to 294.

The Aggies held a 17-0 lead after Ethan Albertson’s 35-yard field goal with 11:15 left in the third quarter before Bowling Green made a bid to get back in the game.

New Mexico State decided to do a short kickoff. Keith fielded George Eberle’s kick at his own 25 and began navigating his way through traffic and eventually was free down the right sideline and finished off a 75-yard kickoff return.

The Aggies regained momentum when Watkins broke loose on a 45-yard run to make it 24-7 with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

But Bowling Green’s Mason Lawler kicked a 49-yard field goal on the first play off the final stanza and the Falcons tacked on a safety with 7:10 to play. Davion Daniels broke in free to block Eberle’s punt and the ball went out of the end zone for a safety.

After the free kick, it took Bowling Green just two plays to move within five as Orth tossed a 19-yard scoring pass to Broden with 6:27 remaining.

The Falcons never saw the ball again as the Aggies used 13 plays — including four third-down conversions — to run out the clock.

New Mexico State struck first when Pavia tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Thomas with 9:39 left in the first quarter.

McDonald was hurt on Bowling Green’s next drive as he scrambled for nine yards and received a vicious late hit along the sideline from the Aggies’ Dylan Early at the Falcons’ 49-yard line.

New Mexico State increased the lead to 14-0 when Pavia threw a 2-yard scoring pass to Marsh with 7:36 remaining in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Bowling Green Falcons quarterback Matt McDonald (3) throws against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Bowling Green, New Mexico State embrace position at Quick Lane Bowl

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Matt McDonald could appeal for another season, but the Bowling Green quarterback could be stepping on the field for the final time when the Falcons play New Mexico State in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26.

That doesn’t mean just his last time for Bowling Green, but his last competitive game at any level.

“I know that’s a possibility and I’m OK with that. I have no regrets,” McDonald said. “We’ve overcome a lot over the last couple years and we’ve gotten to this point, bowl game, haven’t done that in the last seven years.

“I thought that was pretty special and I just want to end it with a win and bring a bowl game victory back to Bowling Green.”

The Falcons (6-6) are in their first bowl game since losing 58-27 to Georgia Southern in the 2015 GoDaddy.com Bowl when they face New Mexico State (6-6), which won five of its last six games.

McDonald has thrown for 2,639 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, his second as Bowling Green’s full-time starter. The last contest wasn’t good as McDonald was intercepted three times during a 38-14 road loss against Ohio.

McDonald spent two seasons at Boston College and transferred to Bowling Green after the 2018 season. He sat out 2019 to meet transfer regulations and started five games in 2020 and the bowl game start will be his 29th for the Falcons.

“He got his brains beat in here for two years and was able to overcome and get out of the bad habits that that creates whenever you’re not around a good team,” Falcons coach Scot Loeffler said. “Matt’s very important. I don’t want to see him go, but it’s time.”

New Mexico State has a hot quarterback in Diego Pavia, who passed for seven touchdowns and rushed for four over the past two games — routs of 49-14 over Liberty and 65-3 over FCS Valparaiso.

Pavia sustained a hamstring injury against Valpo.

“He’s about 90 percent — he will be ready to play unless he has a setback,” Aggies coach Jerry Kill said. “We are going to be really careful with him and everything.”

Gavin Frakes is receiving extra practice repetitions, though Pavia said he expects to play in the program’s first bowl game since beating Utah State 26-20 in the 2017 Arizona Bowl.

“It’s really just working on the neck up and all of the mental stuff that we are getting prepared for,” Pavia told reporters. “… We are going to develop a great game plan.”

New Mexico State’s defense is led by linebacker Chris Ojoh (101 tackles), while Bowling Green features defensive end Karl Brooks, who is tied for seventh in the nation with 10 total sacks.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; New Mexico State Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia (10) runs the ball against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

New Mexico St. granted waiver to play in bowl at 5-6

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New Mexico State was approved to play in a bowl game despite playing only 10 games against FBS opponents and winning five of them.

The Aggies (5-6) had sought a waiver from the NCAA Division I football oversight committee for their extenuating circumstances. The school had an Oct. 22 game against San Jose State postponed and eventually canceled after San Jose State running back Camdan McWright was killed in a scooter accident that week.

New Mexico State, an FBS independent, was unable to schedule a replacement game against an 11th FBS opponent. Eleven is the normal scheduling requirement, with six wins being the usual mark for bowl eligibility.

The appeal was approved on Tuesday, which helps fill a spot among 82 overall bowl berths. According to the Action Network, 79 teams are bowl eligible after the inclusion of New Mexico State.

The 5-6 Aggies will be considered before any 5-7 teams. Auburn, which finished the year 5-7, is out of the running for a spot with the Aggies’ inclusion.

New Mexico State earned just its second bowl berth in 61 years.

Bowl game matchups will be finalized Sunday afternoon.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee linebacker Solon Page III (38) and defensive lineman/linebacker Tyler Baron (9) pressure Missouri quarterback Brady Cook (12) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, November 12, 2022 in Knoxville, Tenn. Ut Vs Missouri

Missouri meets New Mexico State, looks to rebound from lopsided loss

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Missouri will continue its quest for bowl eligibility when it hosts New Mexico State on Saturday night in a non-conference game in Columbia, Mo.

The Tigers (4-6) will try to rebound from last week’s 66-24 loss at No. 5 Tennessee when they play the Aggies (4-5).

A victory would allow Missouri to bid for a 6-6 finish when its faces Arkansas in its regular-season finale next week.

Missouri’s previously strong defense gave up 724 total yards to the Volunteers.

“Obviously, Tennessee is really good and [quarterback] Hendon Hooker and those guys play really well,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “But we weren’t ourselves. We missed some tackles. Didn’t cover the way we normally cover.”

Tigers quarterback Brady Cook passed for 217 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 106 yards against the Volunteers. But the offense bogged down in the second half, and the game go out of hand.

Now Missouri is looking to bounce back on Senior Day.

“The best thing we can do right now is look ahead and come back home to Faurot Field and celebrate the seniors who fought through a lot to be here and find a way to stop the momentum from this game and try to carry it on to the next game,” Drinkwitz said. “We can do that.”

The Aggies are riding their first three-game winning streak since 2017. They have consecutive victories over New Mexico (21-9 score), UMass (23-13) and FCS opponent Lamar (51-14) under first-year coach Jerry Kill.

“I feel like it says that we are learning how to win,” Aggies defensive lineman Izaiah Reed told the Las Cruces Sun News. “It’s really easy to play down to the competition, but we have been focusing on it, and coach Kill has been expressing to us that any team on any given Saturday can beat anybody.”

Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia had a solid game against Lamar, completing 13 of 18 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 81 yards on eight carries.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Chimere Dike (13) reacts after catching a pass during the third quarter against the New Mexico State Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin bounces back from disappointing loss, blows out New Mexico State

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Braelon Allen ran for three touchdowns and Graham Mertz passed for three more as Wisconsin bounced back from an upset loss with a 66-7 rout of New Mexico State in a nonconference game on Saturday in Madison, Wis.

Allen scored on first-half runs of 39, 1 and 2 yards as Wisconsin rolled to a 35-0 halftime lead. Allen finished with 86 yards on 15 carries.

Isaac Guerendo added 74 yards on 12 carries, including second-half touchdown runs of 3 and 30 yards as the Badgers (2-1) pushed the lead to 63-0.

Graham Mertz completed 12 of 15 passes for 251 yards, including touchdowns of 18, 49 and 18 yards, with one interception.

New Mexico State (0-4) got its only touchdown on a 1-yard run by Ahmonte Watkins with 8:10 remaining.

Wisconsin, which dropped out of the Top 25 this week after losing 17-14 at home to Washington State, opens Big Ten play next Saturday at No. 3 Ohio State.

Guerendo returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to set up Wisconsin’s first score. Allen carried three consecutive times, culminating with a 39-yard touchdown run.

After punting on their next two possessions, the Badgers put together a seven-play, 63-yard scoring drive. Chez Mellusi scored from 2 yards out on the first play of the second quarter to put Wisconsin up 14-0.

The Badgers made it 21-0 on their next series when Mertz hit Keontez Lewis with an 18-yard touchdown pass.

On the Aggies’ next possession, Maema Njongmeta picked off Gavin Frakes and returned it 6 yards to the New Mexico State 2. Allen’s 1-yard touchdown plunge extended the lead to 28-0.

New Mexico State moved from its own 6 to the Wisconsin 12, but Ethan Albertson’s 29-yard field goal attempt was wide right with four seconds left in the half.

Mertz had touchdown passes of 49 yards and 18 yards on Wisconsin’s first two series of the second half to push the lead to 49-0.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) during the game against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin aims to correct mistakes vs. New Mexico State

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After an upset loss at home that dropped Wisconsin out of the rankings, the Badgers will look to regroup when they host New Mexico State on Saturday at Camp Randall in Madison, Wis., in their final nonconference game before heading into the Big Ten season.

Wisconsin (1-1), ranked No. 19 last week, failed to score in the second half and dropped a 17-14 decision to Washington State this past weekend. New Mexico State (0-3) is coming off a 20-13 loss at rival UTEP.

The Badgers outgained Washington State by almost 150 yards and had a 16-minute advantage in time of possession, but had three turnovers, two missed field goals and 11 penalties for 106 yards.

“I do believe they’re correctable,” Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst said. “The last drive, we jump offsides, that’s something you’ve got to correct. I’m not saying it won’t ever happen again, but that’s correctable. I think you’ve then got to continue to look at what’s causing those things.”

Braelon Allen, who rushed for 148 yards in an opening 38-0 win over Illinois State, ran for 98 yards on 21 carries, but was kept out of the end zone. He’s rushed for 246 yards this season, which is fourth in the Big Ten.

Graham Mertz completed 18 of 31 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against Washington State. Both scoring passes went to tight end Clay Cundiff in the second quarter to erase a 7-0 deficit.

New Mexico State has already faced one Big Ten opponent this season, losing to Minnesota 38-0 in its second game.

After trailing 17-0 at the half against UTEP, the Aggies were driving for the tying touchdown when quarterback Diego Pavia lost a fumble at the UTEP 14-yard line with three seconds remaining.

“There were spurts in the game that we had opportunities,” first-year New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill said. “There was probably left about 14 to 17 points out there. But what we want to be and who we want to be really showed up more in the second half.”

Pavia, who came on in the second quarter against UTEP, is the team’s leading rusher with 119 yards on 23 carries. Pavia has completed 18 of 45 passes for 185 yards with three interceptions. Gavin Frakes is 12-for-25 for 197 yards with three picks and the lone passing touchdown.

Kill is familiar with Wisconsin from his five seasons as head coach at Minnesota from 2011-15 but went 0-4 against the Badgers during his time in the Big Ten.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers players celebrate a touchdown New Mexico State Aggies during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota shut out New Mexico State

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Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns as the Minnesota Golden Gophers opened their season by flattening New Mexico State 38-0 in Minneapolis on Thursday night.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan threw for 174 yards on 13 of 19 passing and added two touchdowns on 1-yard runs. The Golden Gophers scored on their first six possessions and dominated throughout, outgaining the Aggies 485 yards to 91 and dominating time of possession, 44:30 to 15:30.

Ibrahim, who did not play in the second half, topped 100 yards rushing for his 10th straight game, dating back to the end of the 2019 season. He missed all but one game last season due to a left leg injury.

Michael Brown-Stephens and Chris Autman-Bell each had three catches, totaling 52 and 38 yards respectively.

The Aggies went three-and-out on four of their eight possessions, and they had six first downs to 31 for Minnesota. They didn’t make it into Gophers territory until early in the fourth quarter.

Trey Potts, who added 89 yards rushing on 17 carries, scored from a yard out near the end of the third quarter to complete the scoring.

The Aggies’ leading rushers were starting quarterback Diego Pavia (14 yards) and running back Ahmonte Watkins (13). Pavia went 2-for-5 passing for 10 yards.

Freshman Gavin Frakes came on to go 2-for-7 for 43 yards, 34 yards on a completion to Justice Powers. It set up the Aggies on Minnesota’s 22-yard line, but Frakes’ pass was picked off by Terell Smith in the end zone with about 10 minutes left.

The Gophers’ first two touchdowns were on runs by Ibrahim. His 4-yard rush with 9:50 left in the first quarter capped a quick drive of 74 yards on seven plays that took only about three minutes. He then scored from 1 yard out to culminate a 13-play drive of nearly 13 minutes on the first play of the second quarter.

After Matthew Trickett’s 26-yard field goal midway through the second period extended the lead to 17-0, Morgan’s scores came in the closing seconds of the first half and with 6:31 left in the third quarter.

New Mexico State (0-2), which lost to Nevada 23-13 on Aug. 27 to open its season, lost its 19th straight road game. Its last road win was in September 2018 at UTEP.

–Field Level Media