November 29, 2025 – Middle Tennessee (4-9, 3-6 Conference USA) escaped Las Cruces with a 31-24 overtime victory against New Mexico State (4-8, 2-6) before 7,381 fans at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Blue Raiders secured their third conference win after a back-and-forth battle that required an extra period to decide.
DJ Taylor’s 64-yard touchdown run in the first quarter set the tone for Middle Tennessee’s explosive offense. The Blue Raiders took a 14-7 halftime lead when Roman Gagliano connected with AJ Jones on a 24-yard touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the half.
Gagliano Manages Clutch Drives
Roman Gagliano completed 24 of 42 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His ability to convert crucial third downs kept drives alive throughout the contest.
| Quarterback | Comp | Att | Yds | TD | INT | Long | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Gagliano | 24 | 42 | 260 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 2 |
| Adam Damante | 29 | 44 | 311 | 2 | 2 | 64 | 1 |
New Mexico State fought back in the second half behind TK King, who caught 10 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Adam Damante’s one-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave the Aggies a 21-17 lead.
Ground Game Provides Balance
Jekail Middlebrook anchored Middle Tennessee’s rushing attack with 20 carries for 95 yards, consistently moving the chains on key possessions.
| Running Back | Att | Gain | Loss | Net | TD | Long | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jekail Middlebrook | 20 | 97 | 2 | 95 | 0 | 28 | 4.8 |
| DJ Taylor | 4 | 78 | 1 | 77 | 1 | 64 | 19.3 |
| Kadarius Calloway | 9 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 20 | 4.1 |
Landon Collins’ 19-yard touchdown catch with 5:05 left in regulation put Middle Tennessee ahead 24-21. New Mexico State answered with Ryan Hawk’s 35-yard field goal with 58 seconds remaining to force overtime at 24-24.
In the extra period, Gagliano hit Jones for an 11-yard touchdown on third-and-10. New Mexico State’s overtime drive stalled after two false start penalties, and backup quarterback Parker Awad fell short on fourth down to seal the victory.
The Blue Raiders totaled 459 yards while limiting New Mexico State to 395 yards and forcing two interceptions.
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