NM State absorbs beating

Lousiana rolls up schoolrecord 759 yards in lopsided victory

La. Lafayette piles up 759 yards of offense in a 66-38 pounding of the Aggies

LAFAYETTE, La. — Andre Nunez threw for 315 yards and five touchdowns, Elijah Mitchell scored three touchdowns and Louisiana beat New Mexico State 66-38 on Saturday.

Nunez threw three touchdowns on the Ragin’ Cajuns’ first three drives en route to a 28-14 lead at the end of the first quarter. He threw scores of 50, 30 and 11 yards to Ja’Marcus Bradley, Jarrod Jackson and Trey Ragas, respectively. The 28 first-quarter points equaled the most by the Cajuns since a 70-7 win against Nicholls State on Sept. 14, 2013.

Louisiana scored on all seven of its first-half drives (six TDs and a field goal) and gained 534 yards of total offense by halftime.

Mitchell had 12 carries for

107 yards and Earnest Patterson had three receptions for 114 yards and a score. Louisiana’s 759 yards of total offense was a school record, breaking the previous mark of 728 in 2008. The Ragin’ Cajuns (3-3) also set a school record with 37 first downs.

Josh Adkins threw for 284 yards and a touchdown, Christian Gibson rushed for three touchdowns and Jason Huntley finished with five receptions for 112 yards and a score on an 87-yard kickoff return TD for the Aggies (2-5).

New Mexico State trailed 45-21 at halftime, but pulled within 45-31 by scoring the first 10 points of the second half.

NOTES: Huntley’s kickoff return touchdown was the third of his career and first since his 100-yard return score in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl against Utah State last Dec. 29.

The kickoff return score was Huntley’s second against Louisiana. The first of his career also was against the Ragin’ Cajuns with a 97-yard return touchdown on Nov. 18, 2017.

Gibson became the first Aggie with three rushing TDs in a game since Larry Rose III did it vs. New Mexico on Oct. 3, 2015.

Huntley’s 112 receiving yards were a new career-high for the Aggies and the first time a New Mexico State running back has had over 100 yards receiving since Huntley put up 111 against Appalachian State on Oct. 7, 2017.

Saturday was the second time this season the Aggies have yielded at least 60 points. They lost 60-13 at Utah State on Sept. 8.