The New Mexico State Aggies and Liberty Flames will battle on Liberty Mountain for the title of “Conference USA Champion” this Friday.

The Flames and Aggies will showdown at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia on Dec. 1 at 7 PM. The game will be broadcast on CBSSN and LFSN Radio (The Journey 88.3 FM).

The Aggies and Flames, who are both in their first season with Conference USA, have taken the conference by storm. The two teams faced off earlier in the season, ending in a 33-17 Flames victory. Liberty is 4-2 against New Mexico State overall.

The Aggies are currently 10-3 overall and on an 8-game win streak. Aside from their loss to Liberty, the Aggies have lost to UMass and Hawai’i. Two weeks ago, the Aggies stunned Hugh Freeze and Auburn 31-10 in Auburn, Alabama.

Jerry Kill, the head coach for New Mexico State, is in his second season with the Aggies. Kill coached the Aggies to a 7-6 record and a Quick Lane Bowl win against Bowling Green last season.

Before Kill came to New Mexico State, the program had recorded only five winning seasons in the past fifty years. Kill began his coaching career in 1985 and held coaching positions with Virginia Tech and TCU before coming to New Mexico State.

The New Mexico State offense has averaged 217.4 passing yards and 205.8 rushing yards per game this season. The Flames are one of three teams this season to hold the Aggies to under twenty points as the Aggies have averaged 28.2 points a game. The Aggies finished their regular season schedule with a turnover ratio of -2.

In the Flames and Aggies matchup earlier this season, Aggies’ quarterback Diego Pavia was intercepted twice. Last week, Pavia led the Aggies in passing and rushing yards against Jacksonville State despite entering the game questioning whether he was healthy enough to play.

The Aggies and the Flames were each other’s premier conference game as members of Conference USA and will also be each other’s final conference game this season as each team heads into bowling season. The Aggies have a 4-0-1 bowl game record and are therefore the only FBS team to have appeared in one or more bowl games without sustaining a loss.

Three Players to Watch For

QB #10 – Diego Pavia has thrown 325 times for 2,727 yards, 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Pavia has also rushed 153 times for 806 yards and 5 touchdowns. Of the Aggies’ 5,502 offensive yards this season, Pavia has delivered 3,533.

LB #44 – Keyshaun Elliott has recorded 53 solo tackles, 92 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, 4 pass defenses, and one forced fumble this season. Elliot leads the Aggies in solo tackles this season.

WR #14 – Trent Hudson has 28 receptions for 483 yards and 8 touchdowns this season. Hudson leads the Aggies in receiving touchdowns this season and was the only receiver to score against Liberty in the two teams’ matchup in September.

Upcoming Games

Dec. 1 – New Mexico State @ Liberty

TBA Bowl Game