Kurt Johnson
Las Cruces Bulletin
Following back-to-back road games, the New Mexico State University football team returned home for the first time in 21 days Thursday night, Oct. 2, looking for a conference win over Sam Houston State. It is the first of three consecutive Aggie games played against league opponents during the middle of the week. Each of the Aggies’ midweek bouts will also air live on CBS Sports Network, including two at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
Despite a pair of road losses, a win on Thursday would give the Aggies a 3-2 record and would represent just the seventh time since 1975 that the Aggies hold a winning percentage of .600 or better through the first five games of the season.
In the most recent of those defeats, NMSU fell 38-20 last Saturday afternoon on the road in Albuquerque. In one of the most anticipated matchups against the University of New Mexico in recent memory, the Aggies used a score on a trick play and a defensive touchdown to carry a 17-14 lead into the locker room at halftime, but they couldn’t carry the momentum after the intermission.
The hometown Lobos outscored the Aggies 24-3 in the second half to earn the win.
NMSU’s first tally came by way of a reverse pass as receiver Donovan Faupel showed off his arm, connecting with TJ Pride for the touchdown. That play capped a three-play, 51-yard drive. UNM answered back with a long scoring drive, and after an Aggie field goal made it 10-7, the Aggies scored again.
This time it was a defensive touchdown. Tyler Martinez forced a Lobo fumble that was scooped up and returned 42 yards to the house by Bernock Iya to put NMSU up 17-7.
From that point on, it was all UNM. The Aggies looked to rebound on a short week as Sam Houston State is in town. Watch lascrucesbulletin.com for game results and more Aggie sports stories.
