CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2002 New Mexico State

7–⁠5 (5–⁠1 Sun Belt Conference), coached by Tony Samuel.

Schedule and results

New Mexico State in 2002, game by game: lost at No. 22 South Carolina 24–34; lost at California 13–34; won vs. New Mexico 24–13; lost at No. 8 Georgia 10–41; won vs. UTEP 49–14; won vs. Louisiana 31–28; won vs. UL Monroe 34–21; won at Arkansas State 26–21; won vs. Middle Tennessee 24–21; lost at Utah State 30–32; lost at North Texas 27–38; won at Idaho 35–31+35−31Lost 24–34 at No. 22 South Carolina-10No. 22 South CarolinaLost 13–34 at California-21CaliforniaWon 24–13 vs. New Mexico+11New MexicoLost 10–41 at No. 8 Georgia-31No. 8 GeorgiaWon 49–14 vs. UTEP+35UTEPWon 31–28 vs. Louisiana+3LouisianaWon 34–21 vs. UL Monroe+13UL MonroeWon 26–21 at Arkansas State+5Arkansas StateWon 24–21 vs. Middle Tennessee+3Middle TennesseeLost 30–32 at Utah State-2Utah StateLost 27–38 at North Texas-11North TexasWon 35–31 at Idaho+4Idaho
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31at22South CarolinaL 24–⁠3425%
Sep 7atCaliforniaL 13–⁠3444%
Sep 21vsNew MexicoW 24–⁠1345%
Sep 28at8GeorgiaL 10–⁠4119%
Oct 5vsUTEPW 49–⁠1472%
Oct 12vsLouisianaW 31–⁠2871%
Oct 19vsUL MonroeW 34–⁠2181%
Oct 26atArkansas StateW 26–⁠2161%
Nov 2vsMiddle TennesseeW 24–⁠2167%
Nov 9atUtah StateL 30–⁠3257%
Nov 16atNorth TexasL 27–⁠3844%
Nov 23atIdahoW 35–⁠3169%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Idaho 35–⁠31; unranked in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Sun Belt Conference.

In program history: The 10th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 93 on file).

Record
7–⁠5
Conference
5–⁠1 2nd in Sun Belt Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
327–⁠328
Coach
Tony Samuel
Elo
1449 +11 this season
SP+ rating
-12.4 No. 92 of 117; offense No. 90, defense No. 88
SRS
−6.3 No. 75 of 117 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
No. 103
Offensive coordinator
Barney Cotton
Defensive coordinator
Steve Stanard
Offense
Option
Defense
4–⁠3

Top recruits in the 2002 class

Nick Cole OG★★No. 898

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2002 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Offensive line12.00.767

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Drafted in 2003

The 2003 draft
Rd 7Siddeeq Shabazz DBOakland Raiders

2002 Sun Belt Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
North Texas6–⁠08–⁠5
New Mexico State5–⁠17–⁠5
Arkansas State3–⁠36–⁠7
Middle Tennessee2–⁠44–⁠8
Louisiana2–⁠43–⁠9
UL Monroe2–⁠43–⁠9
Idaho1–⁠52–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.