LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State can be again at Aggie Memorial Stadium on Thursday evening because it hosts Western Kentucky to open a stretch of 4 consecutive midweek Convention USA contests. This can even function the second of 5 straight nationally televised video games for the Aggies.
GAME FIVE
Who: NM State (1-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. Western Kentucky (1-2, 0-0 CUSA)
The place: Las Cruces, N.M. – Aggie Memorial Stadium (28,853)
When: Thursday, October 1, 2026 – 6 p.m. MT
HOW TO FOLLOW
Watch: CBS Sports activities Community
Play-by-Play: Justin Kutcher
Analyst: Ben DiNucci
Radio: 99.5 FM KXPZ / TuneIn App
Play-by-Play: MJ Newsom
Shade Analyst: Cory Lucas
Spanish Radio: 96.7 FM La Equis
Play-by-Play: Darien Salayandia
Shade Analyst: Jose Aragon
Dwell Stats: NMStateSports.com/Stats
LAST TIME OUT: NM STATE 18, NEW MEXICO 42
NM State concluded its non-conference schedule on Saturday with a 42-18 loss to New Mexico in entrance of 25,024 followers at Aggie Memorial Stadium within the 116th Rio Grande Rivalry. The Lobos constructed a 14-0 first-quarter lead earlier than Ilya Uvaydov put the Aggies on the board with a 23-yard subject objective, sending NM State into halftime trailing 14-3.
A pair of expensive turnovers allowed New Mexico to drag away within the third quarter, scoring on three straight possessions to open a 35-3 benefit. Adam Damante supplied a spark late, connecting with Myles Libman for a pair of landing passes because the Aggies accounted for 15 fourth-quarter factors.
James Jones rushed for 112 yards to file his second 100-yard sport of the season, whereas Libman completed with two landing receptions and Josiah Thomas posted a career-high 90 receiving yards.
JAMES JONES LEADS THE WAY
By way of his first 4 video games with NM State, operating again James Jones paces the Aggies with 355 speeding yards on 57 carries. With 88.8 speeding yards per sport, Jones at the moment paces all Convention USA rushers and ranks forty first within the nation.
His 6.2 yards per carry additionally rank second amongst CUSA rushers and stands at twenty sixth amongst all FBS gamers.
In his final three video games, Jones has totaled 327 speeding yards on 46 carries. Together with his second 100-yard speeding sport of the season, Jones turns into the primary Aggie again to file two 100-yard video games in a three-game stretch since Jason Huntley who did so in 2019 as he surpassed the century mark 4 instances in his remaining six video games as an Aggie.
Jones is accustomed to huge days within the backfield as he went over the 100-yard mark six instances final season as a member of Delaware State. Courting again to his time with the Hornets, Jones has now rushed for 100-plus yards in 5 of his final eight video games. Throughout his collegiate profession, Jones has now rushed for 100-plus yards a complete of 12 instances, together with 4 instances at Backyard Metropolis CC, six instances at Delaware State and twice with the Aggies.
As a senior at Delaware State final season, Jones compiled 958 speeding yards on simply 98 carries to put up a median of 9.8 yards per carry and 87.1 yards per sport.
KICKING OFF WEEKDAY CUSA
Thursday’s contest will mark the primary of 18 nationally televised midweek Convention USA video games. This season, the Aggies will play in 4 midweek video games, together with two at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
By way of the primary three seasons, the Aggies maintain a file of 6-4 in midweek CUSA video games. This can mark the primary time that the Aggies collide with WKU throughout the midweek slate.
LIBMAN LIVING IN THE END ZONE
On Saturday, vast receiver Myles Libman discovered the top zone twice within the second half, recording his first touchdowns with this system. With the efficiency, he grew to become the primary Aggie since 2023 to have two receiving touchdowns in a single sport. The final participant to take action was Trent Hudson who hauled in two touchdowns within the 2023 Convention USA Championship sport.
MOVE THE STICKS
By way of three video games, the Aggie offense has been among the finest within the nation at changing on third down. At present, NM State is changing on third down at a 50.0% clip to rank first within the convention and twentieth within the nation. With this, the Aggies are certainly one of simply 30 groups within the nation changing 50% of the time or extra.
THOMAS’ COMING OUT PARTY
Sophomore tight finish Josiah Thomas had himself a day on Saturday in opposition to the Lobos as he tallied 5 catches for 90 yards. With this efficiency, he joins Gavin Harris as the one Aggie tight ends since at the very least 2015 to file 90 or extra receiving yards in a single sport. Apparently, Harris additionally did so in opposition to New Mexico as he tallied 97 yards on six catches in 2025.
MORE COWBELL
On Saturday in opposition to NM State, a complete of 25,024 followers have been in attendance. This marked the very best recorded attendance for a sport at Aggie Memorial Stadium since 2019, when a complete of 25,804 have been readily available to observe the Aggies tackle Incarnate Phrase on Nov. 16, 2010.
SPREAD THE LOVE
Getting into the fifth sport of the yr, a complete of six totally different Aggies have caught passes for touchdowns this season as TK King (2), Myles Libman (2), AJ Williams III (1), Brodie Malone-Bradford (1), James Jones (1) and Terrione Graves (1) have all notched receiving touchdowns.
Equally, a complete of 14 totally different Aggies have caught at the very least one move this season, together with three totally different gamers with 10 or extra receptions as King, Williams III and Josiah Thomas every caught double-digit catches so far.
GOING THE OTHER WAY
Peters’ scoop and rating on the street at Hawaii marked the Aggies’ second defensive landing of the younger season after Nick Session recorded a pick-six in opposition to Mercyhurst earlier within the yr. With this, NM State is certainly one of simply 17 FBS groups within the nation with two or extra defensive touchdowns this yr.
THE AGGIES IN CUSA
The Aggies at the moment are of their fourth yr as members of Convention USA. NM State made fairly the splash in its debut marketing campaign – going 7-1 in league play on its strategy to an look within the CUSA Championship Recreation along with being certainly one of solely 27 FBS packages to succeed in the 10-win mark in 2023.
NM State has now received 11 video games throughout its first three seasons within the new league and can formally start convention play this Saturday in opposition to WKU.
SLINGING THE ROCK
Regardless of carrying a 1-3 file by way of 4 video games, the Aggies’ offense has been among the many greatest in Convention USA in a number of classes. At present, the Aggies rank second in whole offense (414.5), third in passing offense (278.5) and first in third down conversion share (50.0%).
KING OF THE GRIDIRON
After recording 41 catches for 588 yards to introduce himself to Aggie followers in 2025, TK King is off to a powerful begin to his remaining collegiate season.
By way of 4 video games in 2026, King paces all Aggie wideouts in receptions (18), receiving yards (265) and is tied for the group lead in receiving touchdowns (2). His 66.3 receiving yards per sport ranks sixth amongst all CUSA wideouts.
Throughout two seasons with the Aggies, King has eclipsed 50 yards receiving eight instances 12 contests, together with going over 100 yards twice.
Offensive Coordinator David Yost will proceed to look to make the most of King to take the highest off of the protection because the Houston native brings elite pace with him from the observe to the soccer subject. As a junior in highschool, TK King ran a ten.21 within the 100-meter sprint and positioned third within the 200-meter sprint on the 2021 Texas 6A state meet with a time of 20.74 seconds.
WHERE TO WATCH THE AGGIES
After simply three of the Aggies’ 12 video games have been featured on nationwide networks in 2025, the Aggies will discover themselves within the nationwide highlight six instances this season. This yr, NM State is slated to play three video games on ESPN2, two video games on CBS Sports activities Community and one sport on The CW.
Week 5 marks the third time this season that the Aggies will play on nationwide tv as Justin Kutcher (PxP) and Ben DiNucci (Analyst) can be on the decision for CBS Sports activities Community.
WHERE TO LISTEN TO THE AGGIES
As soon as once more, all video games this season will air stay on 99.5 FM KXPZ for these in Las Cruces and the encompassing areas. Radio broadcasts for all Aggie video games can even be out there to take heed to nationwide through the TuneIn App. Radio play-by-play for Thursday’s sport can be supplied by MJ Newsom, with evaluation supplied by Cory Lucas.
Moreover, all residence video games can be out there in Spanish on 96.7 FM La Equis with the decision supplied by Darien Salayandia (play-by-play) and Jose Aragon (analyst).
For full protection of the NM State soccer program, go to NMStateSports.com – the official residence of Aggie athletics – and comply with the Aggies on Fb (NM State Soccer), X (@NMStateFootball) and Instagram (@NMStateFB).
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