New Mexico vs. New Mexico State Prediction, Odds & Pick
Prediction, odds and the model's read
Our model's read
Scouting report
2026 · 3 games in, blended with the projection
Where New Mexico gets at New Mexico State: 26th at keeping a clean pocket, against a unit 128th at generating havoc. Where New Mexico State gets at New Mexico: 26th at hitting chunk plays, against a unit 110th at keeping everything in front of them. New Mexico is also 17th in the push up front, against a unit 117th.
How
UNMattacks
NMSU
- 1
Expect a clean pocket
sacks and tackles for loss · projected · 1 game in
UNM8.3%#26 of 138NMSU12.9%#128 of 138 - 2
Establish the push up front
the push the line gets · projected · 1 game in
UNM3.77#17 of 138NMSU2.97#117 of 138 - 3
Finish drives in the red zone
turning trips inside the 40 into points · projected · 1 game in
UNM4.89#38 of 138NMSU3.94#121 of 138
HowNMSUattacksUNM
- 1
Take shots
hitting chunk plays · 58% this season, 3 games
NMSU1.39#26 of 138UNM1.47#110 of 138
The two teams
New Mexico
New Mexico is in year 2 under Jason Eck. The strengths are on both sides of the ball, led by 7th at staying out of the backfield. The way in is 110th at keeping everything in front of them.
New Mexico has played 1 game against an average slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 16% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.
Projected strengths
- Offensegetting stopped at the line5.3%#7 of 138
- Offenserunning it+0.47#17 of 138
- Defensethe push the line gets1.39#20 of 138
Projected soft spots
- Defensehitting chunk plays1.47#110 of 138
New Mexico State
New Mexico State runs it: Tony Sanchez's offenses have been run-leaning across 7 seasons. The strengths are offensive, led by 26th at hitting chunk plays. The way in is 132nd in the push up front, and they are 131st at keeping a clean pocket.
On fourth down he goes for it about as often as his peers do from the same spots (−2.9%). Against what the expected-points model recommends he is −32.9% — the profession as a whole is negative on this.
New Mexico State has played 3 games against an average slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 31% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.
Strengths
- Offensehitting chunk plays1.39#26 of 138
Soft spots
- Offensethe push the line gets3.20#132 of 138
- Offensesacks and tackles for loss15.9%#131 of 138
- Offenserunning it+0.16#130 of 138
Ranks are national. Nothing here is last season's number — carrying one forward is measurably worse than saying nothing — and in-season figures are adjusted for who was actually played. This describes the matchup; it is not a prediction and not a pick.
Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.
Model prediction
how the number is builtOur model simulates the game drive by drive from each side's opponent-adjusted efficiency (NMSU Elo 1261, UNM Elo 1558 for reference), with home-field advantage. That projects NMSU +11.3 (23% to win), essentially in line with the market.
Why that percentage is worth reading: across 604 graded in-season games, the calls this model put near 58% came in at 58.2%. The full calibration table is published, bin by bin. Early in the season the cold-start path runs instead and calibrates less well (Brier 0.2028 against 0.1889).
Model as of Sep 1 · through week 1 · drive simulation
Where the game is won
2026 national rank · right is better
offensethe defense it faces
Moving the ball
UNM74th91stNMSUNMSU62nd4thUNMThrough the air
UNM115th104thNMSUNMSU39th2ndUNMOn the ground
UNM21st73rdNMSUNMSU96th16thUNMStaying on the field
UNM49th102ndNMSUNMSU23rd6thUNMTaking care of it
UNM21st22ndNMSUNMSU104th1stUNM
Each bar runs from last in the country on the left to 1st on the right. The filled span is the gap between the offense and the defense it faces.
Season form — 2026
nationally rankedThe matchup, in context
series history + adjusted profilesNew Mexico leads 65–24–2 · New Mexico has won 2 straight · 38% have been one-possession games
| UNM | NMSU | |
|---|---|---|
| +7.5 (#42) | CORE overall | -14.9 (#121) |
| -1 / -9 | offense / defense | -7 / +8 |
| 4.11 | points / drive | 1.55 |
| 0.78 | allowed / drive | 3.38 |
| 11% | three-and-outs | 15% |
| -4 | pass over expected | +6 |
Bold is the side ahead. CORE strips the situation from every play and solves the schedule out across the league, so these compare two teams that never met.
Key matchups
The analyst read: each team's offense splits crossed against the opponent's defense, with the edges called out.
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FAQ
Who will win New Mexico vs. New Mexico State?
Gridpex's model favors New Mexico with a 77% win probability.
What's the predicted spread for New Mexico vs. New Mexico State?
The model projects New Mexico by 11.3.
What time is New Mexico vs. New Mexico State and what channel is it on?
Sat, Sep 26, 3:30 PM ET, at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
Where this number comes from. Every projection on this page is produced by the same model, run before kickoff on opponent-adjusted efficiency, power ratings and situational data — walk-forward validated on eleven seasons and never adjusted after the fact. How the model works →