New Mexico State achieved a historic victory on Saturday afternoon by defeating Auburn 31-10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Led by coach Jerry Kill, the Aggies secured their first win against an SEC team in program history. Prior to this game, New Mexico State had lost 24 consecutive games against SEC teams and maintained a record of 0-4 against Auburn. This triumph also ended Auburn’s streak of 49 consecutive nonconference home wins against unranked teams, dating back to 2007.
Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia played a pivotal role in the game, completing 19 of 28 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns, as well as adding 35 yards on the ground. Pavia’s efforts, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to Eli Stowers, helped the Aggies secure a commanding 24-7 lead. Despite this advantage, Auburn fought back with two field goals to close the gap to 27-19 late in the third quarter. However, New Mexico State finished strong with two more touchdowns and held on for a final score of 31-10.
The loss was a stark contrast to Auburn’s previous 48-10 road win over Arkansas, which secured their bowl eligibility under coach Hugh Freeze’s debut. However, the team now faces a challenging matchup against arch-rival Alabama to close out the regular season. Meanwhile, New Mexico State has achieved significant improvements from their previous seasons with a current record of 9-3 and a seven-game winning streak. This includes wins over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl and Liberty team coached by Freeze earlier in the year.