NM State football suffers 37-10 loss to Fresno State in New Mexico Bowl
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KTSM) – New Mexico State football suffered a 37-10 defeat to Fresno State in the 2023 Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on Saturday.
Final: Fresno State beats New Mexico State 37-10 in the New Mexico Bowl. The Aggies finish the season 10-5. pic.twitter.com/P5B4TRUjAY
— Colin Deaver (@ColinDeaverTV) December 17, 2023
Fresno State snapped a three-game losing streak and collected its second New Mexico Bowl win in the last three years. Meanwhile, New Mexico State, in its first New Mexico Bowl appearance, suffered its first loss in a bowl game in program history. New Mexico State now holds a 4-1-1 all-time record in bowl games.
New Mexico State’s offense went silent against Fresno State. In 12 total drives in the game, New Mexico State only managed to score points in two of them. NMSU got a field goal from Ethan Albertson in the second quarter and then a 14-yard touchdown run by quarterback Diego Pavia at the 04:23 mark of the third quarter.
“I got to figure out who this team is. Right now, we aren’t playing really good in any phases. It looks like we are nervous and playing like a young team.”
NMSU HC Jerry Kill in an interview on then ESPN broadcast after the first quarter of play. https://t.co/rE9jtxGrAO— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) December 16, 2023
New Mexico State’s offense went 3-and-out a total of four times, turned the ball over on downs three times, and had a drive end in an interception. Fresno State’s defense sacked Pavia four times for 21 sack yards, had seven tackles for loss, and had four pass break ups in the game.
NMSU collected 200 total yards on offense in the contest. Aggies had 142 rushing yards and 58 passing yards. Pavia’s homecoming to Albuquerque was less than ideal as he finished the contest throwing 11-of-25 (44%) for 58 passing yards, one interception, and had 74 rushing yards on 18 total attempts.
Fresno State’s offense was firing on all cylinders. Bulldogs’ quarterback Mikey Keene had 31 completions on 40 pass attempts for 380 passing yards. Three of those 31 completions were touchdown passes. Fresno State recorded 500 total yards, 380 over the air, 120 on the ground for a total of 37 points in the contest.
Keene is on fire. He’s 13-13, 170 passing yards, and 2 passing TD. https://t.co/jWaGuTjOur
— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) December 16, 2023
New Mexico State saw its 2023 season end with a pair of tough losses. The 37-10 loss to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday and then the 49-35 defeat to a nationally ranked Liberty team in the Conference USA championship game on back on Dec. 1.
New Mexico State failed to end the year on a win but that did not diminish the team’s accomplishments in a historic 2023 season. New Mexico State finished the year with a 10-5 overall record, the second ever double-digit win season in program history (11 wins, 1960). NMSU also played for the Conference USA championship in its first ever year as a member of the conference.
New Mexico State will get some rest and quickly turn its attention to 2024, year three of the Jerry Kill era.
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