Today, we continue our series of an early look ahead to the teams on Liberty’s 2026 schedule. We will give a quick preview of all 12 teams that stand in the Flames’ way of hoping to get back to another bowl trip and potentially a second CUSA championship as fourth-year head coach Jamey Chadwell prepares his team for the upcoming season.
Previous:
James Madison
Gardner-Webb
Ball State
Coastal Carolina
Delaware
Sam Houston
Kennesaw State
FIU
Now, we turn our attention to Liberty’s game at New Mexico State when the calendar shifts to November.
New Mexico State
• When: Saturday, Nov. 7 in Las Cruces, New Mexico (5 p.m., ESPN+)
• Last year’s record: 4-8, 2-6 CUSA (t-9th)
• Coach: Tony Sanchez, 3rd year at NMSU
• 2026 SP+ ranking: 123
• Series History: Liberty leads, 7-2
Last Meeting: Oct. 14, 2025: Liberty 30, NMSU 27
After its offense struggled for most of the second half, Liberty pieced together a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter to rally for a 30-27 win over NMSU. The Aggies scored on their first three drives of the second half to grab all of the momentum, but a muffed punt return allowed Liberty to get on the board with a Jay Billingsley field goal to move within 27-23. With 3:46 remaining, the Flames took over at their own eight-yard line to start the game winning drive. Ethan Vasko completed all 7 of his passing attempts on the 13 play drive, setting up an eight yard rushing touchdown by Evan Dickens. The Aggies missed a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired. Vasko completed 20 of 30 passes for 179 yards while throwing two interceptions and losing another ball on a sack.
Program History:
National Championships: 0 (at FBS level)
Conference Championships: 0 (at FBS level)
Bowl Record: 4-1-1
Last Bowl Appearance: 2023 New Mexico Bowl, 37-10 L vs Fresno State
The Aggies have been unable to maintain the momentum created in the program under previous head coach Jerry Kill and Diego Pavia. After those two left for Vanderbilt, Tony Sanchez was promoted from within and he had previous head coaching experience. However, Sanchez has yet to have a winning season as a head coach after posting 3-9 and 4-8 marks the previous two years. Entering his third year, he hopes it is his best team at NMSU on both sides of the ball as they were just two plays away from being in a bowl last year. The non-conference slate is rugged and they host four of the league’s top teams, so they could be an underdog in 8 or 9 games this season.
New Mexico State has 10 returning starters to add to a group of 36 newcomers. Sanchez says this is his best quarterback and offensive line rooms in his three years. Trey Hedden, Jr. was a two-year starter at Furman where he threw for nearly 3,000 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions with a 66% completion percentage last year. He will compete with Kalani McLeod for the starting job. McLeod threw for over 3,000 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in JUCO ball last year. The defense should be improved, returning four of its top 6 tacklers from last season and getting its 6th best tackler from 2024 back.
What’s at Stake?
The Aggies have proven capable of competing with the league’s best, making this a game the Flames cannot afford to drop if they hope to contend for a conference championship. A victory would strengthen Liberty’s position in the standings and keep momentum rolling into the final stretch of the season. In a tightly contested conference race, games like this often make the difference between hoisting a trophy and falling just short.
