New Mexico State rolls WKU in CUSA opener, 34-13
· Yahoo Sports
Weekday CUSA made a triumphant return Thursday night in Las Cruces, NM.
New Mexico State qualified for the Conference USA Championship Game in its first year in the league, but the Aggies have yet to finish better than 4-8 in the two years following. Thursday night presented a glimpse of hope.
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New Mexico State (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) handled a struggling Western Kentucky (1-4, 0-1 CUSA) in the CUSA opener, 34-13, to produce its first 1-0 start in conference play since 2014, when it was a member of the Sun Belt.
James Jones, who entered the contest leading all CUSA running backs in rushing, continued his tear through the 2026 campaign. Jones eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the third time this season, posting a season-high 155 in the Aggies’ most lopsided conference victory in 364 days. He was dominant from start to finish, registering 46 yards on his second handoff of the game and taking his final attempt for a touchdown — hurdling a WKU defender in the process.
New Mexico State also made a quarterback change for the conference opener. The Aggies sent out Adam Damante, who started two contests last November, in place of usual starter Trey Hedden. Damante finished 15-of-26 for 146 passing yards, delivering one touchdown through the air to TK King and another with his legs on a 4th-and-goal scramble.
Coming off its first win of 2026, WKU flew out of the gate with a productive offensive possession, securing a 3-0 lead on the road. However, the Hilltopper offense struggled mightily for the remainder of the game, notching its first and only touchdown in the third quarter. There were some bright spots as Rodney Tisdale Jr. collected 314 passing yards, and Jonathan Stafford Jr. hauled in 10 receptions for 108 yards, but WKU was repeatedly stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The Hilltoppers managed just 35 rushing yards on 31 attempts, with six sacks factoring into the equation. They punted six times and failed three fourth downs in the defeat, only reaching the red zone once all night.
New Mexico State’s defense stepped up with its strongest performance of the young season. Not only did the Aggie defense register six sacks, but the unit also matched WKU’s touchdown output. In the middle of the second quarter, cornerback De’Marcus Peters jumped a curl route and ran 45 yards untouched for a pick-six. New Mexico State nearly had a second defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter, as Gabe Peterson appeared to complete a scoop-and-score off a strip sack. However, it was ruled an incomplete pass after review. Peterson still finished with one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup, leading a disruptive night for the defensive line.
WKU entered Thursday night with the worst scoring differential against FBS opponents at minus-41 points per game. The Hilltoppers suffered their fourth 20+ point defeat of the season, when they only had four losses total in 2025. WKU looks to turn around a tumultuous start to the season, returning to Bowling Green to host Missouri State next Thursday. If there is a silver lining, WKU is undefeated at home this year.
It took four seasons, but New Mexico State is 1-0 in CUSA play for the first time. The Aggies also snapped its two-game skid to WKU, evening the all-time series at 2-2. New Mexico State won’t suit up again in Las Cruces until Oct. 28, but the Aggies hope to ride the momentum gained Thursday when traveling to FIU in six days for a Wednesday night showdown.