The NMSU Aggies fell to the UTEP Miners 30-3 Saturday at Aggie Memorial Stadium in the Aggies’ season opener. Saturday’s matchup marked the team’s first home game appearance since Nov. 30, 2019.
This is the first time UTEP has taken home the Brass Spittoon and Silver Spade in five years. The Miners last won the Battle of I-10 in 2016.
The Aggies have entered a rough season as they did not get the opportunity to play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Aggie quarterback Jonah Johnson felt that the team was prepared despite the unfortunate circumstances. He said in a press conference after the game, “We were prepared. We just got to execute as the offense.”
The Aggies’ only points came in the second quarter with a 27-yard field goal by Ethan Albertson.
The Miners jumped out to an early 17-0 lead in the first quarter. By halftime the score was 20-3.
Despite the Aggies’ dramatic loss this past weekend, Coach Doug Martin remained positive in a post-game press conference. “We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve had a lot we had to overcome, and it’s one game. We’ll just reload and play again next week,” Martin said.
The Aggies face off against the San Diego State Aztecs this Saturday, Sept. 4. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. MDT.
