LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Road woes continue for the Utah State Aggies.

New Mexico State scored 23 second-half points — including 19 unanswered — en route to the 26-21 Sun Belt Conference victory over Utah State Thursday night, holding the Aggies winless on the road in five tries this year.

The loss snapped Utah State's two-game winning streak and it all but ended the Aggies' chances to win the conference championship. It also snapped a 12-game winning streak in Las Cruces.

NMSU back-up quarterback Buck Pierce rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and Tony Joseph, who ran for 116 yards, added another in leading the Aggies.

The difference in the game came down to special teams, however. Along with taking advantage of a Utah State fumble on a kickoff return, New Mexico State kicker Dario Aguiniga nailed a pair of field goals, while USU's Justin Hamblin, who hadn't attempted a field goal in seven games, was 0-for-2.

With the win NMSU improves to 3-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play, while Utah State falls to 3-7 overall and 3-2 in league action.

Utah State led 7-3 at the end of the first half, but they had the ball inside the New Mexico State 25-yard line three times and managed only one touchdown.

On their first drive, the Aggies opted for a fourth-and-9 play instead of opting for the field goal. It all went downhill from there for the Aggies.

On their next two drives, Utah State drove inside the NMSU 20, but a personal foul penalty stalled the drive and resulted in a missed field goal.

Moments later, after stopping a New Mexico State fake-punt attempt on its own 42, the Aggies missed another field goal.

Quarterback Travis Cox hit Chris Cooley with a 14-yard touchdown pass late in the quarter as they took the early 7-0 lead.

NMSU's only points in the first half came on a 40-yard field goal by Aguiniga with one second left. It was the first of two for Aguiniga. He kicked a 26-yarder early in the third quarter.

Buck and Joseph scored back-to-back touchdowns midway through the third quarter as NMSU took the lead for good.

When Cox hit Brian Majors with a 19-yard touchdown the Aggies pulled to within five points at 19-14, but NMSU answered with a 1-yard run by Pierce.

David Fiefia scored on a 6-yard run late in the game, but the Aggies wouldn't get any closer.

Cox threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, and was intecepted for the first time in 94 attempts. Cooley had a career-high nine grabs for 97 yards. Wide receiver Kenny Coleman had six catches for a career-high 111 yards to lead USU's air attack. Fiefia recorded his second straight 100-yard rushing game as he gained 106 yards on 21 carries as the Aggies ran up 424 yards total offense.

Utah State allowed NMSU 401 yards total offense, including 261 in the decisive second half.

Along with 36 yards rushing, Pierce completed 18 of 23 passes for 208 yards for New Mexico State.

Utah State will have 10 days to recover before hosting Troy State Nov. 15 in the Aggies' final home game of the year.

The Aggies will close out the year on the road at Idaho Nov. 22.