New Mexico State Football: Aggies hope to find playmakers in 2021

The New Mexico State Football program is starting from scratch after not playing last fall. 

New Mexico State football is one of the few teams that did not play during the pandemic in 2020 and the Aggies opted to play in two games in the spring against Tarleton State and Dixie State.

If those games are any indication of how the upcoming season might go, this could be a very long season for New Mexico State. The Aggies got blown out by Tarleton State and just got by with a win vs Dixie State. The theme of the spring was trying to play as many guys as possible and find difference-makers for the fall. It is tough to make the argument that it worked and there is not much optimism heading into the fall.

Like other independent programs outside of Notre Dame, it has been tough going for New Mexico State football and it is fair to wonder whether this program has what it takes to win at the division one level. UMass is going through a similar issue and I think the program should take a look at whether it is feasible to continue playing at this level.

The Aggies made a bowl game in 2017, in what was a thrilling win over Utah State, but that was their first bowl game since 1960 and it has been historically tough to win at New Mexico State, though head coach Doug Martin has managed to keep his job for eight years.

There is not much experience on the roster from the 2019 season and that could mean that the Aggies have a really low floor over the next couple of years. This is a pivotal time for the program as it searches for a new conference home and tries to find a way to win some games.