New Mexico State finds itself with a 2-8 record in the current season, yet holds two winnable games ahead. This presents an opportunity for the team to turn their fortunes around. The first of these games is a road date with Middle Tennessee, a team with a struggling rushing defense. Junior running back Seth McGowan believes this is a chance for the Aggies to "build their identity" against MTSU.

Aggies Seek Redemption on the Road

Game Against Middle Tennessee

The Aggies are set to face Middle Tennessee at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Middle Tennessee has the worst rushing defense in Conference USA, allowing 207.5 rushing yards per game. This bodes well for an NM State offense that averages 180.7 rushing yards per game with two of CUSA's top-10 rushers. Seth McGowan, who ranks fourth in CUSA with 701 rushing yards, emphasizes the importance of this game. "It'll be an emphasis," he said. "We want to open our bag up a little bit… Running the ball is always a huge emphasis, but I'm thinking in these last games, it'll be a little more dynamic."After a 38-3 road defeat to No. 15 Texas A&M last Saturday, the Aggies are looking to bounce back. They covered Bet MGM's 38.5-point spread but coach Tony Sanchez was not satisfied with the team's start. A&M jumped to a 17-0 first-quarter lead and scored on its first four drives to go up 24-0 in the second quarter. Sanchez believes the team settled down after that but wants them to be more "locked in" in Murfreesboro.

Running the Ball vs. Passing

Sanchez is a firm believer in running the football and expects the Aggies to do it effectively against the Blue Raiders. Junior quarterback Santino Marucci and senior quarterback Brandon Nunez will split plays for a third straight week, with Marucci getting the start. Against A&M, the two combined for 92 passing yards. Sanchez emphasizes the need to be diverse in play calling. "We have to be able to throw the ball," he said. "Making people defend the entire football field actually opens up some of the run game and puts these guys in space. Obviously, we are going to lean into the run game. But in these last couple of games… to get ourselves back on track and move into the future, we want to make sure we're diverse in our play calling."

Long Travel and Challenges

Entering Conference USA, a conference with most of its teams east of the Mississippi River, meant long trips for NM State. Saturday's game in Murfreesboro will be the third time they've traveled over 1,000 miles for a game this season. Coach Sanchez is happy the team is in a conference after years of independence but believes distant road games are part of the reason college sports is heading in the wrong direction. "You rip all these traditional conferences apart and it's just all about money," he said. "Nobody's thinking about student-athletes anymore. It's one of those deals where you try to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to TV rights. You could be UCLA and USC and going out to play conference games against Rutgers. It's kind of wild."In contrast, junior running back Seth McGowan embraces the challenge of long trips. "I like the challenge of traveling," he said. "I think it creates excitement and creates a healthy anxiety knowing that you know you can go into another territory, another culture, and establish your own culture. I love that more than anything."

Staying Positive in a Rough Season

It's been a rough season for the Aggies, especially after reaching two consecutive bowl games and finishing 10-5 last season. Despite this, the team is finding ways to stay positive. Both coach Sanchez and Seth McGowan believe the Aggies have shown "fight" and "harmony" every single game and hope it carries into a better season in 2025. Junior defensive end Buddha Peleti also believes the team progresses every week. "Even though we don't have the best record, everybody still gets better," he said. "They get better the next game, whether it's 1% better, 10% better, whatever it is, everybody's growing. At the end of the day, you have to know how to lose before you get to win. I think this could be huge for a lot of the guys, because it presents opportunity. Now, everybody's going to come back with a chip on their shoulder."