Rivalry renewed: UNM to open Mountain West play against former WAC rival UTEP

Albuquerque, N.M. — When the University of New Mexico football team kicks off Mountain West play on Oct. 3, it will do so against a familiar face from the past. The Lobos will host UTEP at University Stadium, reigniting a regional rivalry that stretches back more than half a century and marks the first meeting between the programs since 2022.

The matchup, confirmed in the Mountain West’s 2026 conference schedule released Monday, revives a series that defined both schools during their shared tenure in the Western Athletic Conference. From 1968 to 1998, UNM and UTEP met annually, with the Lobos authoring a 17-game winning streak that still looms large in the history books. Before that, the two programs were Border Conference foes from 1935 to 1950.

Across 131 seasons of Lobo football, no opponents have appeared more frequently than New Mexico State (115 meetings) and UTEP (80). UNM holds a 44-33-3 advantage in the all-time series against the Miners, including four victories in the last 10 contests played since the Lobos departed for the Mountain West in 1999.

Following the Oct. 3 opener, UNM will enjoy its only open date of the season on Oct. 10 before traveling to Hawaii on Oct. 17. The Lobos then return home to welcome North Dakota State on Oct. 24, embark on back-to-back road tests at San Jose State (Oct. 31) and Nevada (Nov. 7), and finish with a pivotal homestand against preseason league favorite UNLV on Nov. 14. The regular-season slate concludes at Wyoming on Nov. 21 and back at home versus Air Force on Nov. 28.

Kickoff times and television designations will be announced throughout the summer. Mountain West broadcasts are handled by FOX Sports, CBS Sports, and the CW Network, with select games subject to Friday shifts prior to the season.

The 2025 campaign saw the Lobos post a 9-4 record, including a perfect 6-0 mark at University Stadium, and culminated in a Rate Bowl appearance.