The 2017 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Doug Martin, the Aggies compiled an overall record of 7–6 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fifth in the Sun Belt; this was the program's first winning season since 2002. New Mexico State played home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
New Mexico State was invited to the Arizona Bowl, where the Aggies defeated Utah State in 26–20 overtime. This was the first bowl game appearance for the program since 1960. This would be the last season the Aggies finished with a winning record or appear in a bowl game until 2022.
This was the final season the Aggies competed as members of the Sun Belt. In March 2016, the presidents of the conference's member institutions voted to drop football-only members New Mexico State and Idaho following the 2017 season. The vote came after the NCAA announced a rule change that allows conferences to host football championship games with only 10 members. Starting with the 2018 season, the Aggies would compete as FBS independents until joining Conference USA in 2023.
Schedule New Mexico State announced its 2017 football schedule on March 1, 2017. The 2017 schedule consisted of five home and seven away games in the regular season. The Aggies hosted Sun Belt foes Arkansas State, Idaho, South Alabama, and Troy, and traveled to Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana–Lafayette, and Texas State.
The Aggies hosted one of the four non-conference opponents, UTEP from Conference USA, and traveled to Arizona State from the Pac-12 Conference, Arkansas from the Southeastern Conference and New Mexico from the Mountain West Conference.
Personnel
Game summaries At Arizona State
Statistics NMSUASU First downs 27 19 Total yards 549 400 Rushing yards 151 79 Passing yards 398 321 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:20 29:40 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 40/57, 398 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jason Huntley 5 rushes, 84 yards, TD Receiving Jaleel Scott 8 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TDArizona State Passing Manny Wilkins 22/27, 300 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kalen Ballage 18 rushes, 79 yards, 2 TD Receiving John Humphrey 7 receptions, 123 yards, TD
At New Mexico
Statistics NMSUUNM First downs 23 21 Total yards 500 430 Rushing yards 99 176 Passing yards 401 254 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 30:22 29:38 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 34/57, 401 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Larry Rose III 21 rushes, 99 yards Receiving Izaiah Lottie 3 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TDNew Mexico Passing Tevaka Tuioti 10/19, 151 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jay Griffin IV 1 rush, 61 yards, TD Receiving Jay Griffin IV 5 receptions, 95 yards, TD
Troy
Statistics TROYNMSU First downs 26 18 Total yards 476 382 Rushing yards 190 51 Passing yards 286 331 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 34:09 25:51 Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Brandon Silvers 25/40, 286 yards, TD Rushing Jordan Chunn 20 rushes, 87 yards, TD Receiving Deondre Douglas 7 receptions, 101 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 32/45, 331 yards, 3 TD Rushing Larry Rose III 12 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Izaiah Lottie 4 receptions, 93 yards, 2 TD
UTEP
Statistics UTEPNMSU First downs 15 21 Total yards 227 462 Rushing yards 135 179 Passing yards 92 283 Turnovers 5 2 Time of possession 30:25 29:35 Team Category Player StatisticsUTEP Passing Ryan Metz 6/18, 54 yards, 3 INT Rushing Quardraiz Wadley 19 rushes, 77 yards Receiving David Lucero 2 receptions, 29 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 26/43, 283 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Larry Rose III 17 rushes, 144 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaleel Scott 4 receptions, 74 yards
At Arkansas
Statistics NMSUARK First downs 18 29 Total yards 355 494 Rushing yards 11 230 Passing yards 344 264 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 18:25 41:35 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 23/38, 344 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Larry Rose III 8 rushes, 25 yards Receiving Jaleel Scott 9 receptions, 174 yards, TDArkansas Passing Austin Allen 19/26, 264 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Devwah Walley 19 rushes, 119 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Jones 4 receptions, 84 yards
At Appalachian State
Statistics NMSUAPP First downs 28 17 Total yards 532 425 Rushing yards 176 350 Passing yards 356 75 Turnovers 6 3 Time of possession 33:10 26:50 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 27/50, 356 yards, 2 TD, 6 INT Rushing Larry Rose III 21 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving Jason Huntley 3 receptions, 111 yards, TDAppalachian State Passing Taylor Lamb 10/21, 48 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jalin Moore 19 rushes, 241 yards, 2 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 6 receptions, 66 yards, TD
At Georgia Southern
Statistics NMSUGASO First downs 25 13 Total yards 491 265 Rushing yards 92 192 Passing yards 399 73 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:24 31:36 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 31/51, 382 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jason Huntley 16 rushes, 85 yards Receiving Anthony Muse 5 receptions, 54 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 6/9, 73 yards Rushing Wesley Fields 13 rushes, 103 yards, TD Receiving Myles Campbell 3 receptions, 41 yards
Arkansas State
Statistics ARSTNMSU First downs 24 13 Total yards 417 256 Rushing yards 120 35 Passing yards 297 221 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 31:39 28:21 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Justice Hansen 25/40, 297 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Justice Hansen 17 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Omar Bayless 4 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TDNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 20/40, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Larry Rose III 18 rushes, 55 yards, TD Receiving O. J. Clark 7 receptions, 113 yards
At Texas State
Statistics NMSUTXST First downs 26 30 Total yards 622 563 Rushing yards 119 163 Passing yards 503 400 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 30:46 29:14 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 29/46, 474 yards, 3 TD Rushing Larry Rose III 19 rushes, 81 yards, TD Receiving Jaleel Scott 7 receptions, 130 yards, TDTexas State Passing Damian Williams 31/47, 321 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Tyler Watts 1 rush, 76 yards, TD Receiving Elijah King 11 receptions, 129 yards, TD
At Louisiana
Statistics NMSUULL First downs 26 29 Total yards 402 505 Rushing yards 89 279 Passing yards 313 226 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 22:58 37:02 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 17/24, 184 yards, TD Rushing Jason Huntley 6 rushes, 58 yards Receiving Larry Rose III 7 receptions, 101 yards, TDLouisiana Passing Jordan Davis 20/34, 219 yards, 2 TD Rushing Trey Ragas 23 rushes, 132 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ryheem Malone 7 receptions, 113 yards, TD
Idaho
Statistics IDHONMSU First downs 16 23 Total yards 215 403 Rushing yards 41 172 Passing yards 174 231 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 31:55 28:05 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Colton Richardson 18/33, 167 yards, TD, INT Rushing Aaron Duckworth 13 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Alfonso Onuwor 6 receptions, 63 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Nick Jeanty 31/49, 231 yards, INT Rushing Larry Rose III 22 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaleel Scott 8 receptions, 77 yards
South Alabama
Statistics USANMSU First downs 21 26 Total yards 353 491 Rushing yards 22 40 Passing yards 331 451 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 26:55 33:05 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Cole Garvin 22/37, 268 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dallas Davis 5 rushes, 15 yards, TD Receiving Jamarius Way 7 receptions, 88 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 40/61, 451 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Larry Rose III 12 rushes, 52 yards Receiving Jaleel Scott 9 receptions, 134 yards
With the win, the Aggies became bowl eligible for the first time since 2002.
Vs. Utah State (Arizona Bowl)
Statistics NMSUUSU First downs 16 22 Total yards 365 441 Rushing yards 174 187 Passing yards 191 254 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 28:58 31:02 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 29/54, 191 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Larry Rose III 16 rushes, 132 yards, TD Receiving Larry Rose III 6 receptions, 48 yardsUtah State Passing Jordan Love 25/44, 254 yards Rushing LaJuan Hunt 20 rushes, 133 yards, TD Receiving Ron'quavion Tarver 8 receptions, 97 yards
References