As the new season approaches, New Mexico State football can finally look forward to their first league game since 2017.
Conference USA and newcomer NMSU released their 2023 schedule Tuesday afternoon, with the Aggies playing eight league games and five non-conference games.
Among their scheduled opponents, NMSU will play three 2022 bowl-eligible teams, two teams in their first Football Bowl Division (FBS) season and a Football Championship Division (FCS) program.
With a road game in Hawaii (September 23), the Aggies will exercise their option for a sixth home game (13th overall) to offset travel costs. The arrangement meant NMSU had to win seven of 13 games to qualify for the bowl game for the second straight season.
The 2023 schedule also marks the first time since 1999 that the Aggies are on the road against historic rivals UTEP and New Mexico.
NMSU will start their season at Aggie Memorial Stadium against UMass (August 26) before hosting Western Illinois (September 2). Then, before heading into the Aggies’ bye week, it’s three straight weeks of road games against upstart Mid-America Liberty (September 9), rival New Mexico (September 16) and Hawaii (September 23 ).
Returning from the break, NMSU will begin a four-game midweek series against conference rivals FIU (Thursday, Oct. 5), Sam Houston State (Wednesday, Oct. 12), UTEP (Wednesday, Oct. 18) and Louisiana Polytechnic University (Tuesday, October 24) as part of a new multimedia rights agreement between ESPN and C-USA.
Further conference games against Middle Tennessee (November 4) and Western Kentucky (November 11) will resume regular Saturday games for the remainder of the schedule.
NMSU will take a brief reprieve from the C-USA game and travel to Auburn (November 18), the only Power 5 opponent on their schedule. The Aggies will have $1.85 million guaranteed against the Tigers, according to the Las Cruces Sun.
The Aggies will honor graduating seniors and wrap up their season at home against C-USA newcomer Jacksonville State (November 25). If NMSU qualifies for the C-USA tournament, they will play on Dec. 1 or Dec. 2.
All game dates are subject to change to accommodate TV programming.
The Aggies finished the 2022 season 7-6 under first-year coach Jerry Kill, which included a 24-19 victory over Bowling Green in Detroit’s Quick Lane Bowl.
new mexico football
2023 schedule
August 26 UMass
September 2 Western Illinois
September 9th at Liberty*
September 16 in New Mexico
September 23rd in Hawaii
October 5 FIU*
October 11 Sam Houston St. *
October 18 at UTEP*
October 24 at Louisiana Tech University*
November 4 Middle Tennessee*
November 11 in Western Kentucky*
November 18 in Auburn
November 25 Jacksonville Street*
December 1st or 2nd Conference US Championship
home games in bold
Conference America Games*
All dates are subject to change.
