The 2023 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and competed as a first-year member of Conference USA. They were led by second-year head coach Jerry Kill.
The season was one of the most successful in decades for the Aggies, as a win over Western Kentucky on November 11 gave New Mexico State their first eight-win season since 1965 and a six-game winning streak, their longest since 1960. The victory also clinched a spot in the Conference USA Championship Game in the Aggies' first season in the conference. One week later, as 23.5-point underdogs, New Mexico State upset Auburn 31–10, the program's first-ever win over an SEC team.
The Aggies also clinched bowl eligibility in back-to-back seasons for the first time since playing in the Sun Bowl following the 1959 and 1960 seasons.
The New Mexico State Aggies football team drew an average home attendance of 14,847 in 2023.
Preseason Conference USA media poll Conference USA media poll 1 Western Kentucky (18) 2 Liberty (4) 3 Middle Tennessee 4 Louisiana Tech 5 New Mexico State 6 UTEP 7 Jacksonville State T8 FIU Sam Houston Source:
Schedule New Mexico State and Conference USA announced the 2023 football schedule on January 10, 2023.
Schedule source:
Personnel
Game summaries UMass
Statistics MASSNMSU First downs 16 22 Total yards 389 468 Rushing yards 197 220 Passing yards 192 248 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 28:20 31:43 Team Category Player StatisticsUMass Passing Taisun Phommachanh 10/17, 192 yards Rushing Taisun Phommachanh 16 rushes, 92 yards, TD Receiving Christian Wells 1 reception, 68 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 16/27, 248 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Monte Watkins 2 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving Jonathan Brady 2 receptions, 48 yards
Western Illinois
Statistics WIUNMSU First downs 17 26 Total yards 278 650 Rushing yards 36 270 Passing yards 242 380 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:05 32:55 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Illinois Passing Matt Morrissey 17/31, 242 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ludovick Choquette 11 rushes, 37 yards, TD Receiving Seth Glatz 3 receptions, 73 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 16/20, 317 yards, 2 TD Rushing Star Thomas 12 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jonathan Brady 4 receptions, 102 yards, TD
at Liberty
Statistics NMSULIB First downs 16 26 Total yards 339 526 Rushing yards 170 250 Passing yards 169 276 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 22:06 37:54 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 12/21, 150 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Diego Pavia 9 rushes, 63 yards Receiving Chris Bellamy 3 receptions, 74 yardsLiberty Passing Kaidon Salter 15/25, 276 yards, 2 TD Rushing Quinton Cooley 20 rushes, 106 yards Receiving C. J. Daniels 4 receptions, 129 yards, TD
At New Mexico
Statistics NMSUUNM First downs 15 26 Total yards 397 401 Rushing yards 177 154 Passing yards 220 247 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 27:53 32:07 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 9/14, 203 yards, 2 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 11 rushes, 96 yards Receiving Jonathan Brady 3 receptions, 109 yards, 2 TDNew Mexico Passing Dylan Hopkins 20/39, 247 yards, TD Rushing Jacory Croskey-Merritt 16 rushes, 83 yards, TD Receiving Jeremiah Hixon 5 receptions, 45 yards
At Hawaii
Statistics NMSUHAW First downs 16 21 Total yards 335 343 Rushing yards 180 98 Passing yards 155 245 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:47 33:13 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 9/15, 155 yards, 2 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 12 rushes, 97 yards Receiving Jordin Parker 1 reception, 42 yardsHawaii Passing Brayden Schager 26/37, 245 yards, TD Rushing Jordan Johnson 9 rushes, 44 yards Receiving Pofele Ashlock 7 receptions, 77 yards
FIU
Statistics FIUNMSU First downs 20 21 Total yards 405 439 Rushing yards 87 183 Passing yards 318 256 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 28:04 31:56 Team Category Player StatisticsFIU Passing Keyone Jenkins 25/32, 258 yards, 2 INT Rushing Kejon Owens 6 rushes, 51 yards Receiving Kris Mitchell 8 receptions, 91 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 20/31, 256 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Monte Watkins 5 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Jordin Parker 1 reception, 49 yards, TD
Sam Houston
Statistics SHSUNMSU First downs 19 20 Total yards 367 458 Rushing yards 82 172 Passing yards 285 286 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:50 32:10 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Keegan Shoemaker 32/48, 285 yards, 2 TD Rushing Keegan Shoemaker 7 rushes, 42 yards Receiving Malik Phillips 10 receptions, 118 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 20/36, 286 yards, 2 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 15 rushes, 115 yards, TD Receiving Trent Hudson 3 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
At UTEP
Statistics NMSUUTEP First downs 23 16 Total yards 439 304 Rushing yards 253 125 Passing yards 186 179 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 30:17 29:43 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 15/25, 186 yards, 2 TD Rushing Monte Watkins 10 rushes, 109 yards Receiving Eli Stowers 5 receptions, 80 yardsUTEP Passing Cade McConnell 15/32, 179 yards Rushing Deion Hankins 16 rushes, 120 yards Receiving Jeremiah Ballard 5 receptions, 75 yards
At Louisiana Tech
Statistics NMSULT First downs 16 23 Total yards 327 371 Rushing yards 232 133 Passing yards 95 238 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 29:50 30:10 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 10/19, 95 yards, TD Rushing Star Thomas 10 rushes, 88 yards Receiving Jonathan Brady 2 receptions, 33 yardsLouisiana Tech Passing Hank Bachmeier 20/27, 238 yards, TD Rushing Keldric Moody 9 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Kyle Maxwell 3 receptions, 68 yards
Middle Tennessee
Statistics MTSUNMSU First downs 17 21 Total yards 346 402 Rushing yards 168 182 Passing yards 178 220 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 24:13 35:47 Team Category Player StatisticsMiddle Tennessee Passing Nicholas Vattiato 20/36, 178 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nicholas Vattiato 18 rushes, 96 yards Receiving Elijah Metcalf 5 receptions, 69 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 16/31, 220 yards, INT Rushing Monte Watkins 5 rushes, 68 yards Receiving Eli Stowers 6 receptions, 83 yards
At Western Kentucky
Statistics NMSUWKU First downs 21 26 Total yards 377 437 Rushing yards 236 167 Passing yards 141 270 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:55 27:05 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 14/24, 141 yards, 2 TD Rushing Star Thomas 7 rushes, 85 yards Receiving Jonathan Brady 3 receptions, 31 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Austin Reed 20/36, 270 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Elijah Young 14 rushes, 80 yards Receiving Elijah Young 3 receptions, 84 yards, TD
At Auburn
Statistics NMSUAUB First downs 23 12 Total yards 414 213 Rushing yards 213 65 Passing yards 201 148 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 38:50 21:10 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 19/28, 201 yards, 3 TD Rushing Star Thomas 7 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Kordell David 4 receptions, 55 yards, TDAuburn Passing Payton Thorne 15/19, 148 yards, TD Rushing Payton Thorne 17 rushes, 38 yards Receiving Ja'Varrius Johnson 2 receptions, 46 yards
Jacksonville State
Statistics JVSUNMSU First downs 17 27 Total yards 333 455 Rushing yards 85 186 Passing yards 248 269 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 20:18 39:42 Team Category Player StatisticsJacksonville State Passing Zion Webb 17/30, 248 yards, 2 INT Rushing Malik Jackson 8 rushes, 43 yards, TD Receiving Perry Carter 7 receptions, 134 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 23/34, 269 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Diego Pavia 19 rushes, 68 yards Receiving Trent Hudson 5 receptions, 70 yards, TD
At No. 24 Liberty (C-USA Championship Game)
Statistics NMSULIB First downs 28 35 Total yards 499 712 Rushing yards 177 393 Passing yards 322 319 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:13 29:47 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 11/16, 188 yards, 3 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 5 rushes, 45 yards, TD Receiving Trent Hudson 7 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TDLiberty Passing Kaidon Salter 20/25, 319 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kaidon Salter 12 rushes, 165 yards, TD Receiving C. J. Daniels 7 receptions, 157 yards, TD
Starting quarterback Diego Pavia left the game in the third quarter with an apparent elbow injury and did not return. Freshman quarterback Blaze Berlowitz played the remainder of the game.
Vs. Fresno State (New Mexico Bowl)
Statistics NMSUFRES First downs 12 23 Total yards 200 500 Rushing yards 142 120 Passing yards 58 380 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 29:10 30:50 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Diego Pavia 11/25, 58 yards, INT Rushing Diego Pavia 18 rushes, 72 yards, TD Receiving Eli Stowers 3 receptions, 20 yardsFresno State Passing Mikey Keene 31/39, 380 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Malik Sherrod 20 rushes, 90 yards Receiving Malik Sherrod 8 receptions, 81 yards
References