LAS CRUCES – After five years of playing as an independent football program, New Mexico State will enter Conference USA for the 2023 season.
C-USA released its football schedule on Tuesday and N.M. State released its complete schedule, which features 13 games – six home games, eight league games and four midweek games in October as part of C-USA’s multimedia rights deal.
New Mexico State joins C-USA next year along with Liberty, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State. Kennesaw State joins in 2024 to combine with C-USA holdovers Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and UTEP to form the 10-team league in 2024.
Since the Aggies play at Hawaii this season (Sept. 23), the school had the option to play 13 games, but in order for Jerry Kill’s team to reach bowl games in back-to-back seasons, the Aggies will need to finish the season 7-6 or better.
“I’m really excited about next year,” New Mexico State Athletics Director Mario Moccia said. “I think you can count the number of times we have won seven games on one hand. I certainly think it’s possible, but we have to stay healthy. We start with two home games and with the excitement of how we finished, we have a chance to start out of the game strong. I’m interested to see how the campus and Las Cruces reacts to the midweek games. They will be televised, but I hope for great crowds.”
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