New Mexico State University comes from behind

With the state of New Mexico off limits for sports events, the New Mexico State football  team took its game to El Paso, Tx., Sunday and rallied to defeat Dixie State, 35-29, at the University of Texas El Paso.

It was a see-saw battle between the Aggies and Division I newcomer Dixie State, with the win ending NMSU brief spring session at 1-1after a 43-17 setback to Tarleton State back on Feb. 28.

Here, NMSU got behind the passing, rushing effort of quarterback Josh Johnson to overcome a 29-21 deficit. Johnson, who finished with 171 yards through the air 53 along the ground, ran for back-to-back first downs to maintain a final drive, and halfback Juwan Price ran 13 yards for the winning touchdown. Price, who finished with 165 yards on 20 carries, took a handoff from Johnson and darted straight up the middle.

As for Johnson, he picked up 28 rushing yards via the game-winning drive.

Overall, the Aggies had a big game along the ground, pounding out 329 yards. Dixie State, meanwhile, brought a 29-29 tie after being down by eight points. It had quarterback Kody Winstead hooking up with running back Quali Conley on a 75-yard pass play, with Conley racing 50 yards untouched into the end zone. But the Trailblazers came up short on back-to-back tries to take the lead, one following a pass interference against New Mexico State.

Winstead had a career-high 352 aerial yards to go with a pair of touchdown passes, and found nine different receivers, with Conley reeling in four catches for 98 yards. Dixie State also concluded at 1-1.