New Mexico State enters Wednesday night’s nationally televised matchup at Aggie Memorial Stadium looking to secure a win against unbeaten Jacksonville State and climb to the top tier of the Conference USA standings.
The game kicks off at 6 p.m. Mountain time on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, and will be broadcast on ESPN2, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. For the Aggies, it marks their fourth and final midweek conference game of the season, alongside their sixth national television appearance of 2026.
Chasing the Top Spot in Conference USA
The stakes are high for NM State (3-4 overall, 2-1 CUSA) as they host a Jacksonville State squad boasting a spotless 5-2 overall record and a 3-0 mark in conference play, as reported by the Organ Mountain News. The Aggies are looking to build on momentum from a 30-24 victory at Sam Houston on Oct. 21.
A victory on Wednesday would solidify NM State’s position near the top of the conference, matching their best start since joining CUSA in 2023. Standing in their way is a Gamecocks team that has gone through conference play without a single blemish.
Ground Game Revival Led by James Jones
A dramatic offensive turnaround has fueled the Aggies’ mid-season surge. After finishing dead last nationally in rushing offense in 2025, NM State has completely reinvented its identity on the ground.
The team now averages 151.4 rushing yards per game, good for the second-highest total in Conference USA. At the center of that success is running back James Jones.
Jones leads the conference with 777 rushing yards through seven games, ranking 10th nationally with an average of 111 yards per contest. His 6.5 yards per carry rank second among CUSA rushers, and he has surpassed the 100-yard mark four times this season—becoming the first Aggie to achieve that feat since Jason Huntley in 2019.
Against Sam Houston, Jones posted a career-high 178 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, adding a clutch fourth-down conversion late in the game to preserve the six-point win.
Defensive Wall Against the Run
While the offense leans heavily on the ground game, the NM State defense has established itself as a unit at stopping opposing ball-carriers.
The Aggies lead Conference USA by allowing just 109.1 rushing yards per game overall, putting them 30th nationally. In conference play alone, opponents have found virtually no room to run.
Western Kentucky, Florida International, and Sam Houston combined to average a meager 51.3 rushing yards per game against NM State. According to NMSU Athletics, that marks the lowest average allowed by any FBS defense against conference opponents this season. Last week, the Aggies suffocated Sam Houston’s ground game, limiting them to just 11 rushing yards.
Wednesday’s matchup will test that defensive standard against a Jacksonville State team that arrives in Las Cruces ready to defend its unblemished conference record.
