Massachusetts vs New Mexico State 08/26/23

The Minutemen showed some improvement defensively for head coach Don Brown and allowed a shade under 370 yards per game. The UMass secondary intercepted nine passes and are led by CB Jordan Mahoney.

Prior to last season’s improbable seven-win season, New Mexico State had just eight victories the previous four years combined. Former Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill moved mountains in his first year at the helm and led the Aggies to a victory against Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl. New Mexico State will look to pound the ball behind a talented offensive line with RBs Star Thomas and Jamoni Jones. 

The biggest reason for New Mexico State’s turnaround was on defense. The Aggies went from being one of the worst teams on that side of the ball to finishing 29th in total defense last year. New Mexico State lost two of their best linebackers and it remains to see if the defense can sustain their success.

These two teams battled last season, with Nex Mexico State pitching a shutout in the second half to earn a 23-13 road victory. The Minutemen only trailed by three points entering the fourth quarter and could keep things close here. Both teams are defensive minded, so the under is the play. Final Score Prediction, New Mexico State Aggies win 20-13.