2022 New Mexico State Aggies football team explained
The 2022 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and compete as an FBS independent. They were led by first-year head coach Jerry Kill.[1] [2]
The season was the program's last season as an independent as the Aggies joined Conference USA in 2023.[3] [4] Prior to the 2022 season 247Sports predicted them to have a 3–9 record and be one of the ten worst programs in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.[5]
Despite having a 6–6 regular-season record with two wins over FCS teams, the NCAA granted a waiver for New Mexico State to be bowl-eligible due to their canceled game against San Jose State.[6]
Schedule
New Mexico State's schedule consists of six home games and six away games for the 2022 season.[7]
Game summaries
Nevada
See also: 2023 Nevada Wolf Pack football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NEV | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 16 |
| Total yards | 257 | 303 |
| Rushing yards | 179 | 85 |
| Passing yards | 78 | 218 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 5 |
| Time of possession | 31:44 | 28:16 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Nevada | Passing | Shane Illingowrth | 7/12, 51 yards |
| Rushing | Toa Taua | 19 rushes, 109 yards |
| Receiving | Tyrese Mack | 4 receptions, 40 yards |
| New Mexico State | Passing | Gavin Frakes | 9/13, 143 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 5 rushes, 36 yards |
| Receiving | Justice Powers | 2 receptions, 74 yards | |
At Minnesota
See also: 2022 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | MINN |
|---|
| First downs | 6 | 31 |
| Total yards | 91 | 485 |
| Rushing yards | 38 | 297 |
| Passing yards | 53 | 188 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 15:30 | 44:30 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | Gavin Frakes | 2/7, 43 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Diego Pavia | 3 rushes, 14 yards |
| Receiving | Justice Powers | 1 receptions, 34 yards |
| Minnesota | Passing | | 13/19, 174 yards |
| Rushing | | 21 rushes, 132 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Mike Brown-Stephens | 3 receptions, 52 yards | |
At UTEP
See also: 2022 UTEP Miners football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| UTEP | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
At Wisconsin
See also: 2022 Wisconsin Badgers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | WISC |
|---|
| First downs | 14 | 24 |
| Total yards | 242 | 595 |
| Rushing yards | 118 | 260 |
| Passing yards | 124 | 335 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 28:43 | 31:17 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | Diego Pavia | 6/19, 52 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Star Thomas | 9 rushes, 46 yards |
| Receiving | Jordin Parker | 1 reception, 36 yards |
| Wisconsin | Passing | | 12/15, 251 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 15 rushes, 86 yards, 3 TD |
| Receiving | | 4 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD | |
Hawaii
See also: 2022 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team. Statistics
| Statistics | HAW | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Hawaii | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
FIU
See also: 2022 FIU Panthers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | FIU | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 14 |
| Total yards | 344 | 221 |
| Rushing yards | 162 | 82 |
| Passing yards | 182 | 139 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 30:45 | 29:15 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| FIU | Passing | | 13/19, 175 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Lexington Joseph | 14 rushes, 80 yards |
| Receiving | Tyrese Chambers | 6 receptions, 72 yards, TD |
| New Mexico State | Passing | Diego Pavia | 8/14, 85 yards |
| Rushing | Jamoni Jones | 12 rushes, 50 yards |
| Receiving | Bryce Childress | 5 receptions, 43 yards | |
New Mexico
See also: 2022 New Mexico Lobos football team. Statistics
| Statistics | UNM | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
San Jose State (cancelled)
See also: 2022 San Jose State Spartans football team. The day before the game, October 21, San Jose State freshman running back Camdan McWright was struck by a school bus, sustaining fatal injuries.[8] The game between the Spartans and Aggies was postponed to allow San Jose State players time to grieve before the game was outright canceled.[9] New Mexico State later scheduled a game against Valparaiso as a replacement.
At UMass
See also: 2022 UMass Minutemen football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | MASS |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| UMass | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
Lamar
See also: 2022 Lamar Cardinals football team. Statistics
| Statistics | LAM | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | 14 | 22 |
| Total yards | 247 | 433 |
| Rushing yards | 125 | 187 |
| Passing yards | 122 | 246 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 25:22 | 29:37 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Lamar | Passing | Nick Yockey | 7/13, 89 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Hunter Batten | 3 carries, 44 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Devyn Gibbs | 3 receptions, 47 yards |
| New Mexico State | Passing | Diego Pavia | 14/19, 154 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Diego Pavia | 8 carries, 81 yards |
| Receiving | Ta'ir Brooks | 2 receptions, 70 yards | |
At Missouri
See also: 2022 Missouri Tigers football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | MIZ |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| Missouri | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
At Liberty
See also: 2022 Liberty Flames football team. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | LIB |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Turnovers | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| Liberty | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
Valparaiso
See also: 2022 Valparaiso Beacons football team. Statistics
| Statistics | VAL | NMSU |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 20 |
| Total yards | 188 | 621 |
| Rushing yards | 28 | 232 |
| Passing yards | 160 | 389 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 40:09 | 19:51 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Valparaiso | Passing | Michael Appel Jr. | 16/31, 106 yards |
| Rushing | Aaron Dawson | 13 rushes, 17 yards |
| Receiving | Braden Contreras | 4 receptions, 40 yards |
| New Mexico State | Passing | Diego Pavia | 9/13, 323 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Ahmonte Watkins | 1 rush, 78 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Kordell David | 3 receptions, 95 yards, TD | |
On November 29, New Mexico State announced that a game against Valparaiso had been scheduled in order to make-up for the canceled game against San Jose State. The Beacons, an FCS team, had played 11 games already so the NCAA had to approve a waiver in order for the game to be played. New Mexico State reached out to other schools such as Nevada, Wyoming, and Virginia Tech.
[10] As the Aggies had already played an FCS team earlier in the season the program had to get a second waiver approved that would allow the team to become bowl eligible with two wins against FCS opponents. Two days before the game, December 1, the NCAA approved the waiver due to the canceled game against San Jose State.
With the win over the Beacons, and with NCAA approval, the Aggies became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2017 season.
Vs. Bowling Green (Quick Lane Bowl)
See also: 2022 Bowling Green Falcons football team and 2022 Quick Lane Bowl. Statistics
| Statistics | NMSU | BGSU |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 16 |
| Total yards | 407 | 294 |
| Rushing yards | 240 | 84 |
| Passing yards | 167 | 221 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 38:10 | 21:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | Diego Pavia | 17/29, 167 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Ahmonte Watkins | 9 rushes, 76 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Kordell David | 5 receptions, 54 yards |
| Bowling Green | Passing | Camden Orth | 14/22, 191 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Jaison Patterson | 6 rushes, 23 yards |
| Receiving | Ta'ron Keith | 3 receptions, 69 yards | |
Notes and References
- News: Lou Romano and Gabrielle Caracciolo. Jerry Kill named new NMSU football coach. KFOX-TV. November 29, 2021. December 9, 2021.
- News: Stephen Wagner. Welcome to the Kill era: New Mexico State introduces Jerry Kill as head football coach. Las Cruces Sun-News. November 29, 2021. December 9, 2021.
- News: Salina Madrid. NMSU moves to Conference USA. KFOX-TV. November 5, 2021. December 9, 2021.
- News: Van Tate. NMSU joins Conference USA. KRQE. November 6, 2021. December 9, 2021.
- Web site: Crawford . Brad . Projecting college football's 10 worst teams for 2022 season . 247 Sports . 247 Sports . 15 April 2023.
- Web site: New Mexico State (5-6) granted waiver to play in bowl game. December 1, 2022. December 1, 2022. ESPN.com. Rittenberg, Adam.
- News: Jason Groves. New Mexico State adds sixth home in 2022 with FIU home-and-home. Las Cruces Sun-News. June 23, 2021. December 9, 2021.
- Web site: . Bonagura . Kyle . San Jose State RB Camdan McWright struck, killed while on scooter . October 21, 2022 . September 3, 2023.
- Web site: . San Jose State football player Camdan McWright struck, killed by bus while riding e-scooter . October 21, 2022 . September 3, 2023.
- Web site: FB Schedules . Kelley . Kevin . New Mexico State adds Valparaiso to 2022 football schedule . November 29, 2022 . September 3, 2023.
