Aggies can make some noise as Sun Belt power Arkansas St. visits
LAS CRUCES — Doug Martin posed a perplexing question during his Tuesday press conference.
“How many important games have we played at the end of October?”
There haven’t been many in recent seasons, but Saturday’s homecoming game against Sun Belt Conference power Arkansas State certainly qualifies.
“I think what is more important is that our players feel like they can play with anyone, which hasn’t been the case in the past,” said Martin, whose team is 3-4 on the season and 1-2 in the conference coming off an open week. “It’s nice to have a big important game here.”
The Aggies were 4-5 under Hal Mumme in 2007 before losing their final five games to finish 4-9. Coming off a 50-13 road loss at No. 14 Hawaii, the Aggies hosted Nevada on Nov. 2 but fell 40-38.
In 2011, the Aggies were an identical 3-4 under head coach DeWayne Walker with Martin as the offensive coordinator and again hosted Nevada on Oct. 29, 2011. Nevada won 48-34 and the Aggies finished 4-9.
Unlike the Aggies, Arkansas State is accustomed to playing for league titles. Arkansas State is 18-1 in Sun Belt Conference play the past two years. The Red Wolves are 3-0 this season in conference play.
“They have a lot of success in this conference,” Aggies senior linebacker Dalton Herrington said. “They have a great system. They get ahead on you and they have a solid defense. It’s big for us to play well early and not fall behind on them and fight for four quarters and see if we can’t make something happen late in the game and find a way to win.”
Arkansas State has outscored NMSU 161-85 in three Sun Belt meetings since 2014, with the closest margin a 41-22 Arkansas State win in Jonesboro last year.
“We haven’t been close to beating them in the past couple years, so it will be a great challenge for our team and be a great team victory,” Martin said.
The Aggies do have the knowledge that they have taken first place Appalachian State and third place Troy to the wire this season.
“I think they are a great program and they have proven themselves ever year in the Sun Belt,” Aggies senior quarterback Tyler Rogers said. “To beat them would be big for us and that is what we hope to do. I think we have a confidence that wasn’t here before that we expect to go out every week and play good football and get a win. I think it’s important for the team, just to have that belief.”
Saturday is NMSU’s first home game in over a month and the Aggies’ only home game in the month of October.
The Aggies were a 5.5 point underdog at home as of Tuesday afternoon, but the Aggies have more than a 60 percent win probability to win their final four games of the season, giving NMSU fans and players something to play for throughout the final month of the season.
“I hope that people remember that we have a team because it seems like forever since we have had a home game,” Martin said. “People tell me there is a buzz and a lot of excitement about the team and I hope that is true.”
AGGIES GET SIXTH COMMITMENT
New Mexico State increased its 2018 recruiting class verbal commitment count to six over the weekend.
After making his official visit over the weekend, Kai Golden, a defensive tackle out of Mountain View High School in Tucson, Ariz., committed to sign with the Aggies. Golden had offers from Air Force Academy, Montana and Virginia.
AGGIES HEAL UP
Martin said senior running back Larry Rose III (knee) returned to practice on Sunday after sitting out the Georgia Southern game. Starting left tackle Sage Doxtater and right guard Dezmand Candelarie and wide receiver Johnathan Boone will also return to the field on Saturday.
Martin said the only questionable player is senior defensive end Stody Bradley, who did not play against Georgia Southern with a neck stinger.