The FIU Panthers will play host to the New Mexico State Aggies on Wednesday, looking to extend their four-game home winning streak. Meanwhile, the Aggies are still looking for their first road win of the year, although they did manage to blow out Western Kentucky in their Conference USA opener.
Florida International is a 6.5-point home favorite on Wednesday at -250 moneyline odds, while New Mexico State has +205 moneyline odds. The game total is set at 46.5 points. Here is a preview of the Week 6 showdown featuring odds and lines from DraftKings Sportsbook.
New Mexico State Aggies vs. FIU Panthers Preview
New Mexico State
The Aggies had a rough go in nonconference play, losing by 17 at Florida State and by 10 at Hawaii. Even though they beat an FCS team in Mercyhurst 51-14 in their home opener, they lost 42-18 to in-state rival New Mexico to close out September. New Mexico State got back on track with a 34-13 win over Western Kentucky in its first CUSA contest of the year, although the Hilltoppers are the 13th-lowest ranked FBS team in SP+.
There has been a quarterback battle brewing for weeks in Las Cruces, despite Trey Hedden winning the starting job over the summer. The Furman transfer got the hook midway through the New Mexico game, then former Arizona transfer Adam Damante got the nod against Western Kentucky. Hedden is completing 54.3% of his passes for five touchdowns, five interceptions, 14.1 yards per completion and a 124.1 passer rating. As for Damante, he boasts a 70.8% completion percentage with four touchdowns, one interception, 11.0 yards per completion and a 159.4 passer rating. Damante has a rushing touchdown, too.
New Mexico State’s ground game runs almost entirely through James Jones, though. The Louisiana-Monroe transfer leads the conference with 77 carries and 510 yards, totaling four touchdowns from scrimmage. Tyler King is the Aggies’ top wideout with 286 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions, followed closely by tight end Josiah Thomas with his 226 yards on 16 grabs.
The Aggies’ defense has actually contributed a solid share of the team’s offense. Cornerback De’Marcus Peters has a pick six and a scoop and score to his name, on top of the interception that safety Nick Session returned for a touchdown. At the same time, New Mexico State ranks outside the top 100 in passing yards allowed per game while giving up the eighth-most rushing touchdowns per game.
On the whole, New Mexico State ranks No. 120 in the SP+ opponent-adjusted efficiency rankings. It ranks No. 111 on special teams, No. 112 on offense and No. 117 on defense.
FIU
Both of Florida International’s losses this season have been slogs, from its 19-9 Week 1 loss at South Florida to its 16-10 Week 3 loss at Florida Atlantic. The Panthers have been much better at home, beating Buffalo 33-20 in Week 2 and handling FCS opponent Long Island 20-3 in Week 4. FIU then had a bye in Week 5, making this its Conference USA opener.
Quarterback J.J. Kohl is among the most explosive signal-callers in the country with his 13.3 yards per completion. At the same time, however, Kohl’s 57.1% completion percentage, five touchdowns and six interceptions factor into his 124.3 passer rating. Maguire Anderson has been Kohl’s favorite target so far, reeling in 24 passes for 382 yards and two scores. JoJo Stone ranks second on the team with 13 receptions and 183 yards, while Tyson Carter ranks third with nine catches and 153 yards.
Kohl has turned 21 carries into 70 yards and a touchdown, but running backs Anthony Carrie and Devonte Lyons are the co-leaders in the backfield. The former has 195 yards while the latter has rushed for 117, with both averaging fewer than 3.5 yards per carry. Neither has found the end zone yet in 2026.
On the other side of the ball, FIU ranks No. 18 in the nation with its 14.5 points allowed per game. The Panthers rank top 25 in limiting opponent passing yards, passing touchdowns, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. The 4.0 yards per play they are giving up are good for the fourth-fewest in FBS, even though their 1.0 turnovers forced per game rank outside the top 80.
FIU ranks No. 95 in SP+, coming in at No. 59 on defense but No. 106 on special teams and No. 119 on offense.
New Mexico State Aggies vs. FIU Panthers Pick, Best Bet
By almost every metric, neither the Aggies nor Panthers are world-beaters this season. The only positively-rated unit in this matchup is the FIU defense, after all. That can’t be good for New Mexico State’s sporadic offense, which could only muster up 19 points versus a Hawaii defense that ranks outside the top 100 in SP+ and just 17 points versus a Florida State defense that ranks nine spots above Florida International.
This game could look a lot like the FIU-Buffalo game from mid-September, considering Buffalo is only eight spots below New Mexico State in SP+ and boasts a very similar advanced statistical profile. Getting caught in the transitive trap can be dangerous, but the Aggies’ turnover issues and inefficient pass defense makes it unlikely for them to pull off an upset on the road.
