James Jones and J.J. Kohl Headline FIU vs NMSU

New Mexico State running back James Jones has provided the most reliable offensive production in this matchup, compiling 373 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 58 carries over his last four games. Florida International quarterback J.J. Kohl has posted 563 passing yards across two games, though five interceptions have marred his air attack. With FIU entering as a 6.5-point favorite on 11 days of rest, contrasting individual forms set the stage for Wednesday's contest.

Offense Breakdown and Recent Production

The player form data highlights starkly different offensive profiles for both squads over their recent outings.

Player	Team	Games	Key Production
James Jones	NMSU	4	58 rush, 373 yds, 2 TD
J.J. Kohl	FIU	2	53/93 pass, 563 yds, 1 TD, 5 INT
Adam Damante	NMSU	2	31/45 pass, 308 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Maguire Anderson	FIU	2	16 rec, 226 yds, 0 TD

James Jones leads the Aggies' ground effort, averaging 6.4 yards per carry while adding 4 receptions for 29 yards across four tracked appearances through October 1. Backfield partner Terrell Washington Jr. has chipped in 96 rushing yards on 25 carries and 46 receiving yards on 6 catches across four games, along with one incomplete pass attempt.

At quarterback for New Mexico State, two passers have logged snaps in recent games. Trey Hedden completed 52 of 96 passes for 634 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions over three games, adding -11 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Adam Damante operated with higher efficiency over two games, completing 31 of 45 passes for 308 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while adding a rushing score on 6 carries (-3 yards) and 1 reception for -4 yards. Their top downfield weapons have been Tyler King, who caught 17 passes for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns in four games, and Josiah Thomas, who hauled in 14 receptions for 209 yards.

FIU Workloads and Line Dynamics

Florida International's two games of tracked player data reveal a heavy reliance on wide receiver Maguire Anderson, who gathered 16 receptions for 226 yards. Quarterback J.J. Kohl added 45 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 12 attempts to go with his 563 passing yards, but his 5 interceptions on 93 attempts represent a major point of volatility.

Other contributors in FIU's passing game include JoJo Stone (8 catches, 77 yards; 1 carry, 3 yards), James Resar (6 catches, 51 yards, 1 TD; 1 carry, 17 yards), and Tyson Carter (5 catches, 64 yards). Running back Anthony Carrie handled 29 carries for 75 yards alongside 2 catches for 21 yards over the two-game span.

FIU brings an 11-day rest advantage after defeating LIU 20-3 on September 26. New Mexico State carries 6 days of rest after topping Western Kentucky 34-13 on October 1. Oddsmakers opened FIU as a 4.5-point favorite before the spread pushed to -6.5 across consensus markets, while the game total dropped four full points from an opening 50.5 down to 46.5. In head-to-head play, FIU won the most recent meeting 34-13 in 2024 and a 2022 matchup 21-7, while New Mexico State claimed a 34-17 victory in 2023.