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FACTS & STATS: Site: Aggie Memorial Stadium (30,343) -- Las Cruces, New Mexico. Television: WAC Sports Network. Home Record: Nevada 3-0, NMSU 1-3. Away Record: Nevada 1-3, NMSU 2-1. Neutral Record: Nevada 0-0, NMSU 0-0. Conference Record: Nevada 2-0, NMSU 1-2. Series Record: Nevada leads, 12-2.

GAME NOTES: The Nevada Wolf Pack hit the road for the first time since the start of October when they pay a visit to New Mexico State Aggies in Western Athletic Conference play in Las Cruces this weekend.

Nevada, is coming off a three-game homestand in which it ran the table against the likes of UNLV, New Mexico and Fresno State. Last Saturday, the Pack took down the Fresno State Bulldogs in a wild 45-38 event in order to move to 2-0 in Western Athletic Conference action. Now 4-3 overall on the season, Nevada is currently the only team in the WAC that has yet to experience a league defeat. Nevada, which is a perfect 3-0 home so far this season, has won only once in four tries on the road.

As for the Aggies, they had a rare opportunity to run a win streak to three games last weekend but the team came up short in an 45-34 final against the Hawaii Warriors in Honolulu. The setback was the team's second in three conference chances thus far in 2011.

Surprisingly, the Pack has never lost in Las Cruces, a perfect 6-0 to this point on the road and 12-2 in the all-time series overall. Last year, Nevada cranked out a 52-6 win in Reno which means NMSU has been outscored 115-26 in the last two games against the Pack.

Mike Ball, who was named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, ran all over Fresno State last Saturday as he gained 198 yards and scored once on 26 carries for the Pack. Not to be overlooked was quarterback Cody Fajardo who not only converted 19-of-27 passes for 313 yards and a score, he also ran the ball 17 times and gained 61 yards as he to hit the end zone for the hosts in Reno. Rishard Matthews, who ranked first in the conference and ninth in the nation with an average of 111.4 ypg receiving, caught seven balls for 148 yards. Fajardo, who has been sharing time under center with Tyler Lantrip, now appears to be the logical choice as a starter, given his ability to pass for big yardage and also break out of the pocket and create on his own. Fajardo, now second on the team in rushing with 384 yards and a team best six touchdowns, has completed 72.7 percent of his pass attempts which makes it easier to overlook the fact that he has tossed four interceptions along the way. The Pack is back to running the ball at a high level as well, the team averaging 251.6 ypg to rank second in the conference and 10th nationally entering play this week.

The pass defense for Nevada was rather suspect as it allowed Derek Carr to complete 20-of-37 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, sacking him only once as the Bulldogs remained in contention throughout the matchup last Saturday. That lack of pressure at the line of scrimmage also allowed FSU running back Robbie Rouse to generate 167 yards and two touchdowns as he too tore up a lackluster Nevada group. The run defense for the Pack overall this season has been marginal at best, the team giving up 182.1 ypg which has them ranked fifth in the conference and 86th nationally. The pass defense has been much more effective and is surprisingly tops in the conference and 16th in the country this week, permitting just 182.4 ypg two opponents. Brett Roy, who ranks fourth on the team in total tackles, has made 12.5 of those behind the line of scrimmage and has six sacks in seven games, so at least he's been apply to pressure in the backfield.

After being dreadful for so many seasons New Mexico State is actually showing signs of life this year especially in recent weeks during which the team has scored no less than 31 points in three straight outings. Quarterback Matt Christian help to keep the Aggies competitive against Hawaii on Saturday night, converting 18-of-34 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns but he was also sacked twice and had trouble completing two-point conversion plays following back-to-back touchdowns for the visitors. Taveon Rogers caught three balls for 64 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Kenny Turner posted a game-high 119 yards and one TD on 17 carries. Christian, who stepped in for Andrew Manley who was injured in the middle of September and will miss the rest of the season, has the NMSU offense picking up steam in the last month, the squad now generating close to 28 points per game and more than 400 yards of offense per outing.

The New Mexico State defense seemed to be up to the task of keeping the Hawaii offense on its toes as it brought down opposing quarterbacks for a total of five sacks. However, the Aggies did allow the Warriors to generate more than 500 yards of total offense and that's simply unacceptable. Granted, the Aggies to bring down Bryant Moniz four times behind the line of scrimmage, but along the way the signal-caller found time to toss two touchdown passes and run for two more. trying to keep the defense level this season has been David Niumatalolo who leads the team with seven sacks and that ranks him second in the league and eighth nationally heading into play this week. As a team, the Aggies are second in the conference and tied for 44th nationally with an average of 2.1 sacks per contest. However, as great as that effort may be the team is still lacking when it comes to stopping plays behind the line of scrimmage as they averaged just 4.1 tackles for loss per outing and that has them ranked seventh in the conference and 113th in the nation.

As long as Nevada's offense is being led by Fajardo, the team has a great chance of picking up a road victory this weekend. However, getting into a shootout with the Aggies could easily complicate issues and make earning a victory that much harder.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Nevada 38, New Mexico State 27