Bowl hopes on line today for Ags against South Ala.
Rep from Arizona Bowl to be on hand for New Mexico State’s Senior Day finale
LAS CRUCES — No one has to tell coach Doug Martin or his New Mexico State Aggies what’s on the line today.
NMSU (5-6) hosts South Alabama (4-7) in today’s regular-season finale with an opportunity to become bowl eligible. The Aggies, if they are ultimately invited, could finally shed a bowl drought that extends to 1960 and is the nation’s longest.
Martin, the program’s fifth-year coach, doesn’t mind tackling the subject.
“It’s great to be in this position,” Martin said. “How many meaningless games have been played around here over the years? We’re excited to be playing in one that matters.”
Today’s contest is creating considerable buzz around Las Cruces, a community better known for supporting high school football than its too-often forlorn college program.
The Aggies hope renewed interest translates into attendance.
“All I’m seeing on social media is, ‘Come out and see history,’” senior quarterback Tyler Rogers said. “It would mean everything to us to see a packed stadium. I hope it happens.”
Perhaps fittingly, the highstakes contest falls on Senior Day. NMSU will honor 18 seniors, including mainstays Rogers, tailback Larry Rose III, linebacker Dalton Herrington and safety Jaden Wright. Many were members of Martin’s first recruiting class and signed on when the program was plagued with NCAA restrictions, subpar facilities and had little to suggest a quick turnaround.
“They bought on credit,” Martin said. “We didn’t have anything then. … It’ll be great if some people who don’t see us every day can come out and see how far we’ve come since these seniors got here.”
The audience could include at least one bowl representative. The Las Cruces Sun-News reported that Brent DeRaad, team selection chairman for the Arizona Bowl, will attend today’s game and that officials from the Tucson-based bowl want to invite NMSU if it becomes eligible. The Arizona Bowl, scheduled for Dec. 29, is affiliated with the Sun Belt and Mountain West conferences.
Still, it’s understandable if a program lugging around NMSU’s history prefers not to get ahead of itself. Martin has spoken regularly of the general lack of respect his Aggies receive and he wants them to carry that perceived slight onto the field today.
“We’ve been hearing since January about having a chip on our shoulder,” Herrington said. “We’re still working with that attitude.”
The Aggies will face a South Alabama team that’s had two weeks to stew about a 52-0 loss to then-winless Georgia Southern. Longtime Jaguars coach Joey Jones announced his resignation after the loss and will be coaching his final game today.
New Mexico State was listed as a9½-point favorite Friday afternoon, but Martin and his players expect to get USA’s best shot.
“We have to try not to get too overhyped for this game,” Rogers said. “We know the importance and we’ll have an edge to us, but we can’t get carried away. We’re up against a talented team that would love to beat us and end our season. We have to focus on that.”