Latest news with #NewMexicoState
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Delaware, Missouri State Add To Conference USA's Growing Inventory Of New FBS Teams
Delaware and Missouri State officially join Conference USA on July 1 and will increase league membership to 12 and FBS membership to 136. The Blue Hens and Bears will make it five schools in three seasons to have elevated from the FCS to the FBS and join CUSA. Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State made the move in 2023 and Kennesaw State in 2024. The five former FCS schools came from as many different conferences and are the most recent to elevate to the higher subdivision. UD was in the Coastal Athletic Association (formerly Colonial Athletic Association), MSU came from the Missouri Valley Conference, Kennesaw State was in the Big South, Jacksonville State had two years in the Atlantic Sun following an 18-year stint in the Ohio Valley Conference, and Sam Houston State had two seasons in the WAC after a 33-year run in the Southland Conference. Delaware and Missouri State will also make it seven schools to join CUSA in the aforementioned timeframe as previously independent Liberty and New Mexico State came on board in 2023, and at a time when independents have virtually disappeared. (Only Notre Dame and UConn will be on their own in 2025, though in entirely different spheres.) The Flames left the Big South to join the FBS in 2018 and were independent for five seasons before joining CUSA. The Aggies have had a nomadic time of it this century having been a member of four conferences, including two stints in the Sun Belt, and have twice been independent. Taking on five schools from the FCS and two from the independent ranks was necessary for Conference USA given the wheels that were set in motion in autumn 2021 when Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA announced they were departing for the American Athletic Conference effective 2023. That was the year Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss decided to leave for the Sun Belt. Hence, CUSA had to quickly re-make itself, which it did by filling the gaps around holdovers FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky. In the not-so-distant past, teams that moved up from the FCS usually took their lumps while finding their footing in college football's highest level. Because of how Conference USA has restructured and with Western Kentucky the only holdover having achieved notable success (10 bowl appearances in 11 years, one top 25 finish) as a league member, opportunities have been abundant for the FBS newbies and the former independents to achieve immediate success. Below are examples. The Gamecocks won the conference championship last season as a second-year FBS and CUSA member. Their lone conference loss was at Western Kentucky in the regular-season finale before blasting (52-12) the Hilltoppers a week later for the title. Rich Rodriguez led the program's transition to the FBS and went 27-10 in three seasons (13-3 in two years of CUSA play) before returning to West Virginia. Charles Kelly, an assistant at JSU in the 1990s, takes over. If not for a mid-season loss to Western Kentucky, the Bearkats would have played JSU for the conference title. As it turned out, Sam Houston State was the only CUSA team to win double-digit games (10-3) last season. Coach K.C. Keeler, who succeeded College Football Hall of Famer Tubby Raymond at Delaware – Keeler was a Blue Hens linebacker under Raymond -- in 2002 and ran the program for 11 years before taking over at Sam Houston State, returned to the I-95 corridor in December to coach Temple. Phil Longo returned to Huntsville to run the program. He was the Bearkats' OC for three seasons (2014-16) under Keeler before serving in the same role with Ole Miss, North Carolina and Wisconsin. The Aggies' inaugural CUSA campaign of 2023 resulted in a championship game appearance, a slugfest (49-35) of a defeat to Liberty, which was in its first season with the conference. Jerry Kill's team went 10-2 in the regular season – their loss to the Flames was followed by bowl loss to Fresno State – for the program's first double-digit win season since 1960 when the school was a member of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association with, among others, Arizona and Arizona State. Tony Sanchez took over Kill and enters his second season as coach. The 2023 conference championship win over New Mexico State noted above sealed a New Year's Six Bowl for the Flames, who improved to 13-0 and ascended to No. 18 in the AP poll. Jamey Chadwell's first year at the helm in Lynchburg concluded with a Fiesta Bowl blowout loss (45-6) to Oregon, and a No. 25 ranking. True, Kennesaw State went 2-10 last year in its inaugural FBS season. Both wins, however, were in conference play, including against Liberty, and a pair of losses were in overtime. Not too bad for a school that did not field a football program until 2015 and was led by Brian Bohannon from day one before his awkward departure late last season. Former North Carolina Central head coach and NFL assistant, Jerry Mack, takes over. In the larger picture as far as Conference USA is concerned, Delaware and Missouri State coming on board should only aid the long-term health of the league, if indeed there is such a thing as 'long-term' in college football. CUSA, though, has done a nice job of continuing to build itself in a rather unique manner and with 11 states represented in what will be a 12-team league for the fast-arriving 2025 college football season.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Texas A&M QB turned Vanderbilt tight end is one of the country's top playmakers
It's hard to keep track of the former Texas A&M players who have thrived after transferring from the program as much as one of the Aggies' former backup quarterbacks, as current Vanderbilt senior Eli Stowers, now a tight end, is entering his final season with the Commodores, and looks like one of the top receivers in the country. After spending one season with New Mexico State, where he seamlessly transitioned to the postion, reeling in 35 receptions for 366 yards and two touchdowns, Stowers returned to the SEC, knowing that his 6'4" frame 225-pound build would attract several teams, especially receiver-needy Vanderbilt. Advertisement Joining his former New Mexico State QB Diego Pavia, one of the more exciting playmakers in College Football, Stowers jumped on the scene immediately as the go-to receiving option, producing a career high, and team high 49 receptions, 638 yards and five touchdowns during his first season in Nashville. Heading into the 2025 campaign, Stowers is looking to build off of his success last season While going over 600-plus yards is a challenging feat for any tight end, Stower's length, soft hands, and excellent route running gives him a chance to best his 2024 output. Plus, he enters the season as Pro Football Focus's No. 1-ranked tight end nationally. For those who feel that Texas A&M should have kept Stowers, his sudden switch to tight end was unknown to everyone expect former New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill and his staff, so it's hard to blame anyone regarding to change of venue. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Former Texas A&M QB Eli Stowers now the top TE in college football
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
OU football lands Norman North alum Gavin Frakes in transfer portal from Virginia
NORMAN — OU football has reportedly added a fifth quarterback to its roster. Former Norman North standout Gavin Frakes, who spent two seasons at New Mexico State and last season at Virginia, is set to transfer to the Sooners, according to a report Thursday from OUInsider. Advertisement Frakes made five starts for New Mexico State in 2022 but didn't see action in 2023. He also didn't play for the Cavaliers in 2024 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Frakes served as Norman North's starting quarterback as a senior in the fall of 2021 and was a top-100 class of 2022 prospect in Oklahoma. Frakes led the Timberwolves to a 7-4 record and finished the regular season with 2,992 all-purpose yards and 32 touchdowns. Frakes joins John Mateer, Michael Hawkins Jr., Whitt Newbauer and Jett Niu as quarterbacks on the Sooners' roster. Frakes is OU's seventh spring transfer portal addition, joining Newbauer (Mercer), wide receiver Jer'Michael Carter (McNeese State), defensive tackle Siolaa Lolohea (Utah State), offensive lineman Jake Maikkula (Stanford), running back Jaydn Ott (Cal) and kicker Tate Sandell (UTSA). Advertisement More: Why OU softball is more prepared for Alabama this time around in NCAA super regionals Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@ or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football lands QB Gavin Frakes in transfer portal from Virginia
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NB3 Matchplay to return this fall with new-look field
May 15—One of the most unique events in college golf is set for an encore. The NB3 Matchplay is returning for a second year, Golf Channel announced in a release this week. After debuting last fall, the Notah Begay III-sponsored event will be held Oct. 7-8 to coincide with the International Balloon Fiesta. Matches will be broadcast on Golf Channel out of Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, the site of last year's tournament. Advertisement Begay, an Albuquerque native and former golfer on the PGA Tour, previously said he would be interested in holding another NB3 Matchplay after last year's "success." "The live national television broadcast on Golf Channel proved to be a huge success for our sponsorship partners," Begay said in a release. " ... I'm so thankful to Santa Ana Pueblo for hosting this prestigious event as it has given us the chance to showcase the world class Twin Warriors golf course as well as the resort amenities. "The second edition of this championship will prove to be another win for everybody in the state of New Mexico." The men's field will feature New Mexico, New Mexico State, UNLV and Oregon, coached by one of Begay's former college teammates in Casey Martin. The women's field includes both in-state schools and new additions like Texas A&M and Arizona. Advertisement UNM, NMSU, Stanford and Texas' men's and women's teams comprised last year's field. The Aggies and Longhorns won last year's men's and women's titles, respectively. The tournament will retain last year's round robin format, with each team in respective fields playing each other for five points a match. The team with the most points at the end of three matches will receive the title. A press conference with further details is scheduled for mid-June.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former NMSU basketball star Pascal Siakam heading to NBA Eastern Conference Finals
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Former New Mexico State men's basketball star and current Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam is heading to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals for a second consecutive year. Siakam, who was at New Mexico State from 2013-2016, recorded 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in the Pacers 114-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored a game-high 31 points. Advertisement With the win on Tuesday, the Pacers won the series 4-1 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Siakam and the Pacers await the winner of the matchup between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. New York holds a 3-1 lead with Game 5 on Wednesday night. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
