New Mexico State University

Aggie Football

1999 Season

This Week's Game

NMSU finishes its season this Saturday, going head-to-head with the North Texas Eagles in Aggie Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST.  The Aggies are  5-5 overall, 2-3 in conference play and are coming off a 45-26 defeat at the hands of Boise State last week. North Texas is 2-7 overall, 1-3 in conference and riding a three-game losing streak, with the most recent a 27-3 loss at the hands of TCU last weekend.

NMSU-UNT Series
NMSU and North Texas, in their second stint as conference opponents, have butted heads 27 times previously. The Eagles hold a decisive 17-8-2 advantage in the all-time series which began in 1958 with a 43-12 UNT win. The two schools spent four seasons as conference mates in the Missouri Valley Conference (1971-74), before the Eagles left to become an independent (teams split four games 2-2). The Aggies and Eagles continued playing the series, following UNT’s departure from the MVC, every year until 1983. The Eagles have won four games in a row in the series, including each of the last three seasons when the teams have matched up as Big West opponents. Last season, the Eagles won 19-11 in Denton. The Aggies' last  victory was 1982, a 30-19 win in Las Cruces. UNT owns a 7-4-1 all-time series lead in Las Cruces.

Team Breakdown

According to the breakdown, NMSU has the statistacl advantage, and should, therefore, win the game; but stats aren't the real determaning factor for who wins a game. . . .

Injuries

CrimsonAggie's Prediction
This week's matchup pits the league's best rushing offense (NMSU) against the league's second-worst rushing defense (UNT).  Also, NMSU possesses the league's second best mark in total offense while North Texas' total offense is the worst in the league. But, NMSU's vaunted option attack will be limited because the i-backs are pretty banged up; converted FB Phil Branstetter will more than likely get the start. Sophomore QB K.C. Enzminger is nursing a sore shoulder on his throwing arm, and senior QB Ty Houghtaling is still having some back problems.  Because of these key injuries, this game won't be easy for the Aggies despite UNT's seemingly poor offense.  However, I predict a close game early with NMSU ultimately pulling away late and collecting the win: NMSU 35 - UNT 17

Last Week's Result

NMSU's hopes of a Confernce title were shattered with 45-26 loss at the hands of Boise State in Bronco Stadium. The Aggies, trailing the entire game, pulled to within 24-20 in the third quarter when Nick Cecava connected on a career-long 52-yard field goal. One minute later,  BSU quarterback Bart Hendricks hit Mike Davisson with a game-winning 23-yard scoring pass, his third TD toss of the day. BSU's Gavin Reed added a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter to increase the Broncos lead to 38-20. After a 5-yard K.C. Enzminger TD toss to Lane Grady, Hendricks finished the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run with 4:49 left. With this loss, NMSU drops  to 5-5, 2-3 (Big West) and the Ags were mathematically eliminated from the Big West race
and resulting Humanitarian Bowl berth.

Down 24-10 at the half, the Aggies scored on their first drive of the third quarter, on a 4-yard TD run by Enzminger. The play was set up by a 75-yard catch-and-run play from Enzminger to Robert Garth. Boise State scored on its first two possessions on Hendricks' 18-yard pass to Jay Swillie and the quarterback's 9-yard keeper. Cecava kicked a 39-yard field goal and Enzminger scored from one yard out with 5:45 remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to 14-10.  Bronco kicker Nick Calaycay made a 39-yard field goal and Hendricks hit Lou Fanucchi with a 26-yard touchdown throw in the closing minutes of the first half to give Boise State a two touchdown lead at the half.

NMSU outgained the Broncos, 448 yards to 447. Enzminger threw for a career high  346 yards on 17-of-32 passing, one TD pass and one TD rush. I-back Phil Branstetter, making his first career start, led the Aggies with 83 yards on 18 carries.

1999 Schedule

1999 Conference Standings

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Created August 16, 1999
Posted to Web November 19, 199
Last Update -- same as post date