New Mexico State at Sam Houston
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 8:00 PM ET Share
New Mexico State plays at Sam Houston on Wednesday, October 21, at 8 p.m. Eastern. It will be their fourth meeting; New Mexico State leads the series 2–1.
Game notes: the series, streaks, the coaches and school records within reach, from the research desk.
Upcoming at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium, HuntsvilleForecast at kickoff: 76°F, clearNational Weather Service forecast, Mon 5:16 AM ETTV: ESPN2
Preview
| New Mexico State | Sam Houston | |
|---|---|---|
| 2–4 | Record | 1–5 |
| 0.02 (116th) | EPA per play | −0.00 (123rd) |
| 0.05 (63rd) | EPA per play allowed | 0.11 (89th) |
| 41% (98th) | Success rate | 39% (118th) |
| 40% (69th) | Success rate allowed | 40% (65th) |
| 1.38 (12th) | Explosiveness | 1.26 (52nd) |
| 3.4 (102nd) | Points per trip inside the 40 | 2.7 (126th) |
| 14% (96th) | Havoc caused | 20% (20th) |
| 0.01 | Opponent-adjusted EPA | 0.02 |
| 0.11 | Opponent-adjusted EPA allowed | 0.14 |
New Mexico State
| Player | Share | EPA/play | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trey Hedden QB | 72% | 0.29 | 0.18 |
| James Jones RB | 51% | 0.19 | 0.16 |
| Terrell Washington Jr. RB | 22% | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Tyler King WR | 24% | −0.09 | |
| Josiah Thomas TE | 11% | 0.76 | |
| AJ Williams III WR | 11% | 0.67 |
Kicker: Ilya Uvaydov, 0.7 points above a replacement kicker on seven field-goal tries.
Sam Houston
| Player | Share | EPA/play | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landyn Locke QB | 96% | 0.14 | 0.16 |
| Alton McCaskill RB | 32% | −0.05 | 0.11 |
| MJ Dowdy RB | 26% | −0.24 | |
| Grady O’Neill WR | 19% | 0.35 | |
| Chris Reed WR | 17% | 0.16 | |
| Tim Burns Jr. WR | 13% | 0.47 |
Kicker: Samuel Carpenter, 1.1 points below a replacement kicker on five field-goal tries.
Each side’s numbers this season, with its rank in the nation (first is best, on defense too), from CollegeFootballData.com’s game preview, as of October 16. The better side of each line is bold. Key players are each side’s leading passer, two leading runners and three leading receivers by share of plays. Adjusted: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced.
Players to watch
New Mexico State
- Running backJames Jones599 rushing yards, 3 TDLast: at Florida International, 15 carries, 89 yards; 3 catches, 19 yardsTeam leader in rushing yards
- QuarterbackTrey Hedden906 passing yards, 5 TDLast: at Florida International, 2 of 8, 19 yards, 1 INTTeam leader in passing yards
- SafetyNicolas Sessions51 tackles, 1 INTLast: at Florida International, 13 tackles ★Team leader in tackles
Sam Houston
- QuarterbackLandyn Locke1,418 passing yards, 11 TDLast: vs. Western Kentucky, 13 of 30, 112 yards, 1 INT; 6 carries, −23 yardsTeam leader in passing yards
- ReceiverChris Reed17 catches, 289 yards, 3 TDLast: vs. Western Kentucky, 3 catches, 51 yardsTeam leader in receiving yards
- LinebackerDean Ford38 tackles, 1 sackLast: vs. Western Kentucky, 12 tackles ★Team leader in tackles
Each side’s two top producers this season (national leaders first) and its leading tackler.
Before kickoff
Our ratings and the line, going in
Our ratings (scores only)
Sam Houston 53% to win.
The line
New Mexico State −2.5, over/under 46.5.
Updated once a night until kickoff: the consensus line when the books publish one, otherwise a single major sportsbook’s.
Win chances before kickoff: New Mexico State 57%, Sam Houston 43%. CollegeFootballData.com’s estimate from the point spread.
The series
Every New Mexico State–Sam Houston gameNew Mexico State leads 2–1 in three meetings.
| 2025 | New Mexico State 37, Sam Houston 10 | |
| 2024 | Sam Houston 31, New Mexico State 11 | |
| 2023 | New Mexico State 27, Sam Houston 13 |
Around this game
New Mexico State
- Next gamevs. Jacksonville StateOct. 28, 2026
- SeasonNew Mexico State in 2026
- ProgramNew Mexico State history and records
Sam Houston
- Next gameat Missouri StateOct. 27, 2026
- SeasonSam Houston in 2026
- ProgramSam Houston history and records