New Mexico State has played two home games but will have to retire its away jerseys soon. They will face the UTEP Miners in the Sun Bowl on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. Both teams enter the competition strengthened by victories from their previous games.
Last Wednesday, New Mexico State didn’t have too much trouble against Sam Houston at home as they won 27-13. New Mexico State’s offense failed after the first half, but still managed to score enough points to win the game.
Diego Pavia continued his habit of putting up crazy stat lines by rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries while also throwing for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Trent Hudson also deserves praise for his two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, UTEP finally caught a break after four straight losses. On Wednesday they beat FIU 27:14.
UTEP’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kelly Akharaiyi led the attack with 223 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Aharaiyi’s longest reception was an incredible 80 yards. Another player who made a difference was Cade McConnell, who threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 passes.
UTEP’s defense also stepped up, knocking the QB down six times. The heavy lifting was done by Maurice Westmoreland and Praise Amaewhule, who combined for 4.5 sacks.
New Mexico State now has a winning record of 4-3. As for UTEP, Wednesday’s win increased its record to 2-5.
Both teams in this Wednesday’s competition not only won their last games, they also took care of their bettors and covered the spread. Looking ahead, the matchup is expected to be close and New Mexico State is only a 3-point favorite. This is the first time they have played away as favorites this season.
New Mexico State failed in its last game against UTEP in September 2022, losing 20-13. Luckily for New Mexico State, Ronald Awatt (who rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown) won’t be there this time. Will that be enough to change the bottom line? There’s only one way to find out.