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Football
Aggies at Bearkats
Final · Elliott T. Bowers Stadium
Game Summary
On October 21, 2026, the New Mexico State Aggies defeated the Sam Houston Bearkats 30-24 in Huntsville, Texas. The road victory moved New Mexico State to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA.
James Jones led the Aggies on the ground, rushing for 178 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Adam Damante added 2 touchdown passes and completed 19 of 29 attempts for 160 yards.
New Mexico State built a 14-10 halftime lead through touchdown drives lasting 1 play and 2 plays. Sam Houston answered early in the 3rd quarter, scoring an 81-yard touchdown to move ahead. The Aggies responded by scoring 16 consecutive points and established a 30-17 advantage.
A Damante interception midway through the 4th quarter gave the Bearkats another opportunity to close the gap. Sam Houston converted the short field into a touchdown, cutting New Mexico State's lead to 6 points. The Aggies then covered 44 yards in 6 plays to run out the clock and secure the win.
Line
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMSU | 0 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 30 |
| SHSU | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
Scoring
- Railyn Adams 0 Yd Return of Blocked Punt (Sam Carpenter Kick)0–7
- James Jones 1 Yd Run (Kyah Francone Kick)7–7
- Sam Carpenter 38 Yd Field Goal7–10
- AJ Williams III 27 Yd pass from Adam Damante (Kyah Francone Kick)14–10
- Tim Burns Jr. 81 Yd pass from Landyn Locke (Sam Carpenter Kick)14–17
- AJ Williams III 5 Yd pass from Adam Damante (Kyah Francone Kick)21–17
- Kyah Francone 25 Yd Field Goal24–17
- TJ Washington Jr. 7 Yd Run (Kyah Francone PAT failed)30–17
- MJ Dowdy 1 Yd Run (Sam Carpenter Kick)30–24
Team stats
| NMSU | SHSU | |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd down efficiency | 2-12 | 3-13 |
| Total Yards | 363 | 246 |
| Passing | 160 | 235 |
| Rushing | 203 | 11 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Possession | 34:34 | 25:26 |
Leaders
- SHSU · Passing YardsLandyn Locke · 18/31, 235 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
- SHSU · Rushing YardsMJ Dowdy · 4 CAR, 17 YDS, 1 TD
- SHSU · Receiving YardsTim Burns Jr. · 4 REC, 117 YDS, 1 TD
- SHSU · TacklesTyler Bailey · 7
- NMSU · Passing YardsAdam Damante · 19/29, 160 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
- NMSU · Rushing YardsJames Jones · 27 CAR, 178 YDS, 1 TD