Tag: New Mexico State Aggies

Diego Pavia leads upsets of Auburn, Alabama in consecutive years

Diego Pavia masters upsets of football teams from Alabama

The state of Alabama missed a good one in quarterback Diego Pavia.

Auburn and Alabama have learned that lesson painfully.

Pavia, a 6-foot-200-pounder, has quarterbacked teams that defeated the Tigers and Crimson Tide in consecutive seasons … at different schools.

The Pavia magic started in 2023 when he was the quarterback for New Mexico State. The Aggies went into Auburn and pummeled the Tigers, 31-10.

Pavia passed for 201 yards and three touchdowns in November when New Mexico State earned its first win over an SEC team in 28 tries.

Fast forward to October 2024. Pavia had transferred to Vanderbilt via the portal and was facing an Alabama team that had not lost to the Commodores since 1984.

Pavia did it again with his stirring performance against the top-ranked team in the country.

He was 16-of-20 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Pavia added 56 rushing yards on 20 attempts as Vanderbilt downed Alabama, 40-35, in an all-time stunner.

Pavia was beyond jubilant in a salty interview after the game.

How to watch Montana State Bobcats vs. New Mexico Lobos, TV channel, free live stream

Everything you need to know in order to watch the Montana State Bobcats take on the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday, Aug. 24.

The New Mexico Lobos host the Montana State Bobcats in Week 0 for what will be the second FBS game played in the nascent 2024 college football campaign.

The home team has a new head coach on the sideline with former BYU and Virginia skipper Bronco Mendenhall taking the reins, as well as some fresh additions who are expected to give the program an edge this fall.

The visitors on the other hand are looking to continue their recent excellence having won at least eight games in every season since sitting out the COVID year; the ‘Cats finished with a dozen wins in two of those three campaigns.

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Montana State vs. New Mexico Week 0 college football game info

Here’s everything you need to watch the Bobcats against the Lobos.

  • When: Saturday, Aug. 24
  • Where: University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • TV channel: FS1 (Watch FREE with Fubo)
  • Live stream: Fubo

There is more than meets the eye in this battle between two Big Sky and Mountain West opponents. The excitement of the return of the collegiate gridiron warriors in itself is enough to get anyone amped up but this matchup could prove to be a fun one for football fans.

What time is Montana State vs. New Mexico?

Montana State takes on New Mexico at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 24.

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Duke football lands running back Star Thomas from the transfer portal

The Blue Devils beat out Cal and Vanderbilt for transfer portal RB Star Thomas, who committed on Wednesday just a day after visiting the program.

One day after reports circulated that Star Thomas was on a visit with Duke, the former New Mexico State running back made his commitment official on Wednesday.

Thomas shared a graphic on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, about the decision.

“(You know) where to catch me at,” Thomas captioned the post.

The California Golden Bears, set to join Duke in the ACC in 2024, and Vanderbilt Commodores reportedly were the Blue Devils’ biggest competition for the 6-foot back, but he’ll be in Durham next season.

Thomas spent the last two seasons as a notable back for the Aggies, surpassing 100 carries in both 2022 and 2023. He rushed for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two years, and he averaged 5.8 yards per carry as a junior last season.

After the departure of Jordan Waters, Duke’s leading rusher in 2023, to NC State, the Blue Devils needed another bell cow. Jaquez Moore took the lion’s share of work between the tackles during the spring game, and despite a cacophony of younger backs waiting in the wings to spell the starters, he and Thomas now give head coach Manny Diaz two reliable options to churn out 10-15 carries per game.

Diaz already got good running back news on Monday when three-star 2025 prospect Javin Gordon announced his commitment to the program.

Duke expected to add New Mexico State transfer running back Star Thomas, per Matt Zenitz

Duke looks to add final piece to the 2024 running back room after Tuesday reports of a potential transfer commitment.

Duke’s running backs are about to get another infusion of talent.

On Tuesday afternoon, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported that New Mexico State transfer running back Star Thomas was expected to transfer to Duke.

The transfer, who visited Duke’s campus on Tuesday according to Zenitz, will apparently pick the Blue Devils after a hard push by the Vanderbilt Commodores.

He entered the portal in April, and things have gone in several directions since then. Toward the end of the month, it was believed that new ACC member Cal was going to earn his commitment, but the Blue Devils found a new gear, got him on campus, surged ahead of Cal, and fought off advances from Vanderbilt, too.

Thomas accounted for 1,499 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns over two years at New Mexico State

Landing Thomas is huge for Duke. He’s a senior with tons of experience, giving Duke another veteran to pair with lead running back and fellow senior Jaquez Moore. Moore is the only significant returning running back after Jordan Waters opted for the transfer portal and transferred to NC State.

 

The Devils have young names like Marquise Collins, Travis Bates, and Peyton Jones on the depth chart, too, but if they aren’t progressing in the manner they need to, Duke can ride Moore and Thomas as they build their offense around Texas transfer QB Maalik Murphy.

Duke one of the finalists to land New Mexico State RB Star Thomas

Duke continues to attack the transfer portal hard in search of more pieces for the 2024 season as they are a finalist for transfer RB Star Thomas.

Duke football is far from being done constructing its roster for the 2024 season. It seems they still have a ways to go.

Recently, Bruno Fina, an offensive tackle who played last season at UCLA, hit the transfer portal and came out on the other side as a Duke Blue Devil.

Duke is now looking to boost its running back room, it appears. On3’s Pete Nakos reported on Wednesday that Manny Diaz’s team is one of four finalists for New Mexico State transfer tailback Star Thomas.

Thomas was a second-team All-Conference USA selection this past season. He rushed for 633 yards in 2023 and added four rushing touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Throughout his career, he’s tallied 1,171 yards and 9 TDs on the ground along with 351 receiving yards and five scores as a passing weapon.

Duke’s competition includes newly minted ACC foe California, a sleeper team to win the SEC in Ole Miss, and the Toledo Rockets.

Thomas would be a welcome addition to Duke’s running back room. Since Jordan Waters’ departure to the NC State Wolfpack, the Blue Devils have been searching for a more proven option alongside Jaquez Moore, and Thomas certainly fills that role.

 

Lane Kiffin and the Rebels feel like the team to beat, but with Duke making the list as a finalist, we’ll see how things shake out when the dust settles.

New Mexico State’s Emma Bunch has won five straight tournament this spring

She has lost to only 26 players in 10 starts this season.

Emma Bunch has played against 463 golfers this spring. She hasn’t lost to a single one.

Bunch, a sophomore at New Mexico State, has been dominant since the calendar turned to 2024. She has played in five tournaments and won all five, including her latest win Wednesday in the Conference USA Championship, winning by a shot over Sam Houston’s Jennifer Herbst at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club in Magnolia, Texas. 

No other Division I women’s college golfer has more than four victories this year. Bunch is in a world of her own.

She started the spring with a win at the GCU Invitational, shooting 14 under. The next week, it was her second straight victory at the Momentum Transportation UNF Collegiate. No. 3 came at the Ping/ASU Invitational. Then the fourth straight was at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic before her conference crown marked the fifth straight win.

Bunch’s spring wasn’t anything to blink at, either. She finished runner-up in each of her first two starts. Her worst finish was 15th at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic. She added another pair of top 10s before the winter break.

To sum it up, Bunch’s record this year is five wins, two runner-up finishes, eight top 5s and nine top 10s. She has lost to only 26 players in 10 starts.

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Notre Dame defensive analyst is heading to New Mexico State as tight end coach

Notre Dame loses another staffer

As sign of a good program is when other teams are looking to take staffers and coaches from them, and this is exactly what is happening to Notre Dame.

Gerad Parker, the former Irish offensive coordinator, is taking Caleb Davis with him to be his new Director of Player Personnel. Notre Dame is also set to lose defensive analyst [autotag]Ronnie Regula[/autotag], as New Mexico State is expect to name him their new tight ends coach.

It hurts to lose staffers, but more importantly, it’s a reflection on how Marcus Freeman has developed his coaching staff. This should be viewed as a positive, as more perspective coaches will join him in South Bend to be coached up to make moves upward in the coaching world.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill stepping down

Kill, who spent five seasons as Minnesota’s head coach a decade ago, had been the Aggies’ head coach for the past two seasons.

New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill will step away from the program, according to a Saturday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Kill became the Aggies’ head coach ahead of the 2022 season, leading New Mexico State to a 17-11 record over the past two seasons.

He helmed a statement year in 2023. After New Mexico State got off to a 2-3 start, the Aggies won eight consecutive games including a 31-10 road upset of Auburn. They finished the regular season with a 7-1 record in conference play, earning a berth to the Conference USA Championship game where they lost to Liberty. It was New Mexico State’s first 10-win season since 1960 and the second in the history of the program.

After a 37-10 New Mexico Bowl loss to Fresno State, Kill ranted about rival New Mexico’s athletic director. The game was played on New Mexico’s campus, but Kill said UNM athletic director Eddie Nuñez wouldn’t let the Aggies use the school’s indoor practice facility.

“That’s chickenshit,” Kill said. “I don’t care, that’s my opinion. I get in trouble, I don’t give a shit, either. I can go down to Mexico tomorrow, drink margaritas, and let y’all enjoy your life.”

Before he took the New Mexico State job, Kill was a head coach for five different colleges from 1994-2015, culminating in a five-year tenure as the leader of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was TCU’s interim head coach after Gary Patterson was fired in 2021.

Tony Sanchez, who was UNLV’s head coach from 2015-2019, is

New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill blasts New Mexico AD after bowl loss

New Mexico State’s Jerry Kill was fuming at New Mexico AD Eddie Nunez

To keep it safe and not salty, New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill was, er, ticked off after his Aggies lost to Fresno State on Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl.

It had nothing to do with the 37-10 defeat. It had everything to do with the treatment his team received from AD Eddie Nunez of rival New Mexico and its facilities.

(Some NSFW language was used by Kill)

What set Kill off was the Lobos’ initial refusal to allow NMSU to use their indoor facilities while preparing for the bowl game despite it snowing in Albuquerque.

Per ESPN.com:

Kill told ESPN on Saturday night that New Mexico State would have had to practice at a local high school field if New Mexico Bowl executive director Jeff Siembieda had not intervened and pushed for the use of New Mexico’s facility. When NMSU showed up Thursday, as snow fell in the Albuquerque area, four police officers were at the New Mexico facility to monitor the Aggies’ practice.

“The police officers kind of laughed. They said, ‘There’s a lot of stuff going on in Albuquerque, I don’t know why we’re here watching the logo,'” Kill said. “It’s a great bowl game, but here’s the deal: They were going to make us practice on a high school field and let Fresno practice in the indoor, and that particular day, it snowed. But Jeff busted his butt and had to argue with their people to get us on the thing.”

Kill also mentioned a September incident involving his star Diego Pavia. The QB appeared in a video urinating on the New Mexico logo on the school’s indoor practice field.

“I hope the AD here gets the same damn discipline with the people around this state that Diego got, because he deserves it,” Kill said. “It don’t bother me a damn bit. When he don’t let us … practice in the indoor facility, when he don’t want us to do this and do that, that’s chickens—. I don’t care, that’s my opinion, if I get in trouble, I don’t give a s—, either. Because I can go down to Mexico tomorrow, drink margaritas and let you all enjoy your life, because I’ll be enjoying mine. But I’ve got class. I’ve had class my whole life.”

New Mexico State gets touchdown from 275-pound New Zealander Ron Tiavaasue

A touchdown reception for a 275-pounder from New Zealand

One of the best stories in college football continued on Friday in the Conference USA Championship Game as coach Jerry Kill led New Mexico State against undefeated Liberty.

The Aggies added another page to their wonder run as Ron Tiavaasue caught a TD pass in the second quarter.

The reason Tiavaasue’s story is special is the 6-foot-4, 275-pound tight end comes from Auckland, New Zealand.

The score gave the Aggies a 14-7 lead.

It was the first New Mexico State TD for the New Zealander, who had previously played at Missouri State and Utah State.