LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) Dino Maldonado threw for three touchdowns and Juwaun Price ran for two more as New Mexico State rolled to a 30-point lead in the third quarter, then held off a late rally to beat South Carolina State 43-35 on Saturday night.

Price ran 14 yards for the game's first touchdown, then added an eight-yard run to start the second quarter to give the Aggies a 22-0 lead. Maldonado threw touchdown passes of 37 and 41 yards in the second quarter to put New Mexico State up 36-13 at intermission, then added his third scoring pass early in the third quarter to make it 43-13.

Corey Fields Jr. threw four touchdown passes to bring the Bulldogs (0-3) back, connecting on 30 of 47 pass attempts for 352 yards, but he was intercepted three times. Will Vereen had nine catches for 118 yards.

Maldonado finished with 321 yards on 24-of-32 passing. Price finished with 62 yards on 13 carries.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak to start the season for New Mexico State, which lost to UTEP, San Diego State and New Mexico.

---

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.

Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.