LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) – New Mexico State (9-3, 6-1 CUSA) will host Jax State (8-3, 6-1 CUSA) in its 2023 regular season finale at Aggie Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
PLAYING FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS
The New Mexico State and Jax State matchup on Saturday will be an interesting one with everything that surrounds both programs. In its first year as members of Conference USA, New Mexico State will play in the CUSA championship game on Dec. 1 against Liberty. The Aggies locked in its spot in the title game on Nov. 11 when it beat Western Kentucky, 38-29.
Jax State has also proved themselves to be a team worthy to play in the CUSA title game. The only problem is that they can’t. Jax State, who is also a CUSA newcomer in 2023, is in its final year of its transition from FCS to FBS. The NCAA has a two-year transition period for FCS to FBS transitions and during that time, teams are banned from postseason play. The ban includes conference championship games, NCAA tournaments, and for the most part bowl games as well.
On Nov. 15, Jax State submitted a waiver to the NCAA to become bowl eligible and also be eligible to play in the CUSA title game, if they earned a spot. At that time, NMSU and Liberty was already the matchup CUSA was selling for its conference title game.
Jax State’s NCAA postseason waiver request was denied, which eliminated its chances of clinching a spot in the CUSA title game. Jax State can still play in a bowl if there are not 82 bowl-eligible teams by the time the regular season ends.
With that being said, Both New Mexico State and Jax State head into Saturday’s matchup tied with a 6-1 conference record. That has led this game to being portrayed as a so-called tie breaker for a spot in the CUSA title game.
With that notion placed in the back of their heads, New Mexico State wants to make sure there is no doubt about why they deserve to be in the CUSA championship game after Saturday.
“Jax State is going to come in here and they’re going to, rightfully so, they’re going to preach, ‘hey, we can very easily been in conference playoffs if we did not have the two-year period and all that kind, so we’ll get we’ll get everything Jacksonville has got.” NM State football head coach Jerry Kill said.
“We can get into the winds and all of that, they’re supposed to be here, and we’re supposed to be there and stuff like that, but they’re just the next team on the schedule and we just got to go out and do our job.” NM State redshirt senior tight end Ron Tiavaasue said.
“I feel like as an athlete and being competitive, we’re going to always not want to have asterisk by our name whenever it comes out to a championship,” NM State senior defensive tackle Izaiah Reed said. “We know Jacksonville State is going to come in with the mindset that this is like Super Bowl for them because they might not have another game after this. So, I know they’re prepared and we’re going to be prepared.”
SLOWING DOWN JAX STATE
One point New Mexico State has made for Saturday’s game is they want to stop Jax State’s fast offense. Jax State has the fastest offense in the nation. Jax State is getting each offensive snap off in 20.6 seconds, tied for first in NCAA FBS DI football with USF entering this week.
The Gamecocks’ run game is also something to watch out for, for New Mexico State. Jax State averages 245.6 rushing yards per game, enough to be considered a top-five rushing team in the country. Quarterback Zion Webb and running backs Malik Jackson and Anwar Lewis are the driving forces in the run game on offense for Jax State.
“They’ve got great athletic ability. We haven’t seen speed like this. They go fast and that’s what we are simulating in the practice. As soon as that official gets off that ball, they’re snapping it,” Kill said. “So, we’re going to have to learn to think and really play smart and we’re going to have to match their speed. From an offensive standpoint, we’re almost the opposite of them. We got to slow the game down and do what we did, you know, at Auburn.”
AVOIDING A LETDOWN AFTER BEATING AUBURN
Last Saturday, New Mexico State captured the college football world’s attention after pulled off a massive 31-10 upset win over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That win over Auburn marked the first time in NMSU football history that the Aggies defeated a SEC program. Prior to that win on Saturday, NMSU was 0-27 versus SEC teams.
New Mexico State gained a lot of momentum from that win over Auburn and are hoping to carry it into Saturday against Jax State. New Mexico State will put its seven-game winning streak, it’s longest winning streak since 1960, on the line. This year’s NMSU team will also aim to win its tenth game of the season and become the second team ever in program history to record double-digit wins in a season. Last time that was done was 1960 by an Aggies’ team that went undefeated 11-0.
“I brought up the ten wins thing [to the team]. I didn’t know anything about all that other stuff because it seems like everything has happened from 1920 to 1960, so that’s all motivation to help our kids to be ready.” Kill said.
“Just accomplish this, this would mean a lot for the team and for the community,” NM State sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Brady said. “They’ve been coming on to a lot of games, so we just want to give them something to be happy about too.”
New Mexico State and Jax State will go head-to-head on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. MT at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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Publish date : 2023-11-24 03:00:00
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