FACTS & STATS: Site: Aggie Memorial Stadium (30,343) -- Las Cruces, New Mexico. Television: Local. Home Record: SJSU 3-0, NMSU 1-1. Away Record: SJSU 1-2, NMSU 2-1. Neutral Record: SJSU 0-0, NMSU 0-0. Conference Record: SJSU 2-0, NMSU 1-0. Series Record: San Jose State leads, 13-2.

GAME NOTES: Tops in the Western Athletic Conference standings, thanks to a 2-0 league start, the San Jose State Spartans shoot for their third straight win this weekend as they challenge the New Mexico State Aggies in Las Cruces. The Spartans first defeated league foe Hawaii near the end of September out in Honolulu by a score of 20-17 and then followed that up with a 30-7 triumph over Utah State at home last weekend, the team's 15th victory in the last 17 home dates, pushing the squad's overall record to 4-2 here in 2008. As for the Aggies, a group that didn't play their first game of the season until September 13th, they split their first four outings of the campaign and then opened league action with a thrilling 48-45 win over Nevada in Reno last Saturday. SJSU, which claimed a lopsided 51-17 outing in the series last year, has taken all but two of the 15 meetings in the series with NMSU. The most recent win for the Aggies against SJSU came in 1994 and by only three points (24-21). Not only has San Jose State won the last four meetings in the series, but it has beaten the Aggies in seven straight in Las Cruces as well.

Kyle Reed posted his first collegiate 300-yard passing game last Saturday as he converted 28-of-40 attempts, en route to three touchdowns and just one interception in the win over Utah State at home. David Richmond collected eight receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown for the squad, while Terrance Williams picked up three balls for 69 yards and a TD as well. While Reed was guiding the team to the easy victory, the running attack for the Spartans was sputtering along with just 87 yards on 29 attempts. Through six games Yonus Davis continues to lead the Spartans with his 350 yards on the ground, but with only one TD he is three behind Reed who is the team leader in that department. Reed, who has converted better than 72 percent of his pass attempts, has just seven TDs through the air, but at least he has limited his mistakes to three interceptions. Tied for second in the WAC in catches per game, David Richmond has team highs of 36 receptions for 407 yards already for a team that is third in the league in passing with 214.5 ypg.

One of the weakest offensive teams in all of college football, the Aggies again struggled to compete against SJSU on Saturday, held to a mere 71 yards on 34 rushing attempts and 190 yards of total offense. Justin Cole placed first on San Jose State with nine tackles, of which just three were solo, while Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week Duke Ihenacho picked off two passes and returned one 43 yards for a score in the second quarter. Also having one of the top defensive performances of the week was Kyle Flynn who tallied three of the team's four sacks. Thanks to Flynn's efforts, the Spartans are now first in the WAC and seventh in the nation in sacks per game with 3.17 per outing. Getting strong penetration also means the unit is third in the conference and 29th nationally with six and a half tackles for loss per contest. Few teams have a pass defense that can rival SJSU, with the group placing fifth in the country with a rating of 92.94 entering this week.

Earning himself WAC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday, quarterback Chase Holbrook turned back Nevada on Saturday with his 28-of-47 performance for 409 yards and three touchdowns. Although he failed to make it into the end zone, Chris Williams collected six passes for a game-high 128 yards, while running back Marquell Colston gained 118 yards and tallied a score on 24 carries. Williams, who now has 13 career 100-yard receiving games to his credit, also became the school's all-time leading receiver with 2,780 yards on 189 receptions. Holbrook has made a living under Hal Mumme firing one pass after another down the field and now has six 400-yard games in his college career as a result. This season he's completing close to 65 percent of his pass attempts for 306.4 ypg and has just six picks in 179 chances. However, as great as the passing attack can be at times, it currently ranks first in the WAC and fifth in the nation, the fact remains that NMSU can't seem to put a viable running scheme into action, which is why the program is last in the conference and 106th nationally with a mere 104.6 ypg this week.

The New Mexico State defense was pummeled for not only 313 yards on the ground last weekend, the group also surrendered another 194 yards through the air, yet still found a way to slip by the Wolf Pack on the road in Reno. A native of Hawaii and a transfer from Alcorn State, defensive end Oren Long got his name into the score book by returning a fumble 83 yards for a touchdown. Also having notable efforts were Jamar Cotton with 10 tackles and the team's only sack, while Davon House (six stops) returned an interception 42 yards for the squad. House now has two of the team's three interceptions this season, which means the Aggies are hurting for a stronger pass defense, one that does a better job at coming up with picks. When it comes to yardage allowed, NMSU is actually the best in the WAC this week with a mere 155 ypg permitted. However, the unit up front is being abused for 240.8 ypg, the worst number in the conference and 115th in the nation. Put it all together and New Mexico State is 105th in the country with 32.2 ppg allowed at the moment.

Pitting one of the best pass defenses in the country against someone like Holbrook, who will throw the ball over and over again regardless of the outcome, should make for an exciting 60 minutes of action on Saturday. But as gutsy as Holbrook can be, he's due for a few miscues here and there, which SJSU will certainly capitalize on, even in Las Cruces.