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FACTS & STATS: Site: LaVell Edwards Stadium (63,725) -- Provo, Utah. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: NMSU 2-3, BYU 5-1. Away Record: NMSU 2-3, BYU 2-2. Neutral Record: NMSU 0-0, BYU 0-0. Conference Record: NMSU 2-3, BYU 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Still with an outside chance of making a bid for the postseason this year, the New Mexico State Aggies know it is now or never as they clash with the BYU Cougars in non-conference play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday night.

Last weekend, the Aggies snapped a three-game slide by taking out the Fresno State Bulldogs in a thrilling 48-45 advantage in Las Cruces, the first time in 18 all-time meetings that NMSU was able to log a win against the Bulldogs. Despite still being two games under .500 overall and just 2-3 against the rest of the Western Athletic Conference, NMSU still has a chance to reach seven wins on the season thanks to having a 13-game slate in 2011.

As for the Cougars, a team that now operates as an Independent after playing for many years in the Mountain West Conference, they've rebounded quite well from back-to-back losses against Texas and Utah early on in order to produce a record of 7-3. Last week, the team dismantled Idaho at home in a 42-7 final, the sixth win in seven chances for BYU, which still has a stop at Hawaii on the books for the first weekend in December.

While the Cougars have taken on New Mexico a total of 60 times on the football field, this is actually the first-ever meeting between BYU and NMSU.

A 37-yard touchdown catch by Taveon Rogers with less than two minutes remaining in regulation proved to be the difference as New Mexico State registered the three-point win over Fresno State in a Western Athletic Conference showdown at home last Saturday. Rogers finished the night with 10 catches for 166 yards for the Aggies, not to mention logging a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter as well. Quarterback Matt Christian connected on 25-of-43 passes for 360 yards and a pair of TDs. On the ground it was Kenny Turner who posted 112 yards and three TDs on 27 attempts for the hosts as they snapped a three-game slide. Rogers has been the top performer for the Aggies this year by far, and is averaging 223.7 all-purpose yards per game which is not only tops in the WAC, it is also first in the FBS. As a return man, Rogers is averaging 27.2 yards per chance which is also tops in the WAC.

Obviously, with giving up 45 points the defense for the Aggies was anything but solid last Saturday, but in the end it was just strong enough to get the job done. New Mexico State surrendered a whopping 495 yards of total offense to the visitors in Las Cruces, the pass defense being touched for 391 yards and three touchdowns. The run defense permitted just 104 net yards, but at the same time the Bulldogs carried the ball into the end zone on three occasions. Outside of giving up just 16 points in a six-point loss to UTEP early in the campaign, the Aggies have allowed no less than 21 points in every game this season, with a high of 63 being dropped on them by Georgia just a couple weeks ago. Needless to say, the team's scoring defense is second-to-last in the conference and 112th in the nation this week with a whopping 36.8 ppg surrendered.

Jake Heaps threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns as the BYU Cougars cruised to the 35-point win over the Idaho Vandals in non-conference action at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Heaps connected on 15-of-20 passes for the Cougars while Riley Nelson, who was taken out due to injury in the first quarter, contributed with 4-of-7 passing for 56 yards and another score for the hosts. Bryan Kariya recorded a pair of rushing TDs as well. Reports have Nelson doubtful for this meeting against New Mexico State due to a chest injury, which means Heaps is back as the starting quarterback for the Cougars. Heaps has connected on 57.2 percent of his pass attempts this season for 173.4 ypg, but the fact that he has more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five) is not very encouraging. Hopefully the running game (165.0 ypg) will help to carry the Cougars while they reload and figure out how to deal with the loss of Nelson.

For almost three full quarters the BYU defense kept the Vandals from making any real progress, but one quick move by Idaho's Princeton McCarty changed all that when he galloped 82 yards for a touchdown with just under four minutes remaining in the period. Other than that, the Cougars did what they needed to do in order to hold down the visitors, limiting the Vandals to just 10 first downs and a paltry 50 passing yards, while picking off a couple of passes along the way. As a group, the Cougars have a pass efficiency defense rating of 108.97 which is 10th in the country right now and leads all teams that have no conference affiliation at the moment. The run defense has given up a modest 131.8 ypg, and Kyle Van Noy has been doing it all for the unit, from placing second on the team with 49 total tackles, to logging eight TFL, four sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one recovery.

With someone like Rogers on their side the Aggies will always have a chance at an upset win, but right now the Cougars are simply more disciplined and will make sure that they don't get caught off guard at home.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: BYU 38, New Mexico State 17