Jacksonville State visits New Mexico State in Wednesday night Conference USA game

Jacksonville State (5-2, 3-0 Conference USA) travels to Las Cruces, N.M., to face New Mexico State (3-4) on Wednesday night, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Gamecocks are favored by 3 to 3.5 points depending on the listing, and the over/under is 49.5. Jacksonville State won nine, nine and eight games in its first three FBS seasons, but its last two wins, over Kennesaw State and FIU, came by a combined four points. The Gamecocks rank 77th in red-zone scoring percentage. Quarterback Caden Creel is a dual-threat player, while Trey Hedden starts for the Aggies. New Mexico State lost a closer-than-expected game to Florida State and routed Western Kentucky, but it played poorly against FIU, Hawaii and New Mexico. The Aggies rank 46th in yards per play and are in the top 30 against the run. A SportsLine model that simulated the game 10,000 times leans Over 49.5 points.

The left-leaning New York Times item, headed "New Mexico State Aggies," is a team hub. It lists general college football pieces on Week 8 rankings, bowl projections, rivalry trophies and SEC results, plus a note on a 1987 New Mexico State star. It does not mention the Jacksonville State game, the odds or the players. The right-leaning New York Post previews the matchup with a headline predicting the Aggies keep it close. It stresses Jacksonville State's narrow wins and red-zone struggles against New Mexico State's inconsistent offense and strong run defense, and it lists the spread at 3.5. The alternative outlet CBS Sports takes a distinct betting angle, with a 3-point spread, the model pick, over/under trends and promo offers.