Jacksonville State's 65-Game Rush Streak Meets New Mexico State's Top Defense

Jacksonville State football carries a 65-game streak of consecutive contests featuring a rushing touchdown into Las Cruces. The Gamecocks face New Mexico State at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 28, in a Conference USA matchup that will shape the league standings.

ESPN2 carries the broadcast. The forecast calls for a low of 56 degrees and light winds. Liberty leads the league at 3-0 in conference play, tied with Jacksonville State. New Mexico State sits at 2-1. The loser will face a difficult path, as Liberty hosts the Aggies on Nov. 7 and does not play the Gamecocks in the regular season.

Jacksonville State enters the game on a four-game winning streak. Three of those victories were decided by four points or fewer. Quarterback Caden Creel led the decisive drive against Florida International on Oct. 13. He threw a 34-yard pass to Ronnel Johnson to reach the opponent's 8-yard line. Garrison Rippa kicked a 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining. Rippa has made 47 career field goals, two shy of the school record.

The Gamecocks extended their rushing streak with a 4-yard run by Justus Savage. The next longest active streak in Division I belongs to FCS Montana State at 40 games. Creel is the only FBS quarterback averaging at least 225 passing yards and 70 rushing yards. Jacksonville State is 13-1 in weekday conference games, the best record in the league over the past four years.

New Mexico State has turned its ground game around. The Aggies average 151.4 rushing yards per game, second in the conference. They finished last in the nation in 2025 with 77.3 yards per game. James Jones ran for 178 yards and a touchdown last week against Sam Houston. His 111.0 average rushing yards per game lead Conference USA and rank 10th nationally.

The Aggies' defense presents a major challenge. They allow 109.1 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the conference and 30th nationally. In conference play, they hold opponents to 51.3 yards per game. That figure is 16.7 yards lower than the next best FBS team. It is the first season since 1994 that New Mexico State has held four opponents under 75 rushing yards.

Jacksonville State allows 156.4 rushing yards per game. The Gamecocks have won each of the last seven road conference games by seven points or fewer. The SportsLine model projects a 27-24 victory for Jacksonville State. The teams last met in 2024 and share a 1-1 series history.