New Mexicans will soon look to University Stadium once again to decide who reigns supreme in the state’s football: the Lobos or the Aggies. On Saturday, Sept. 27, the University of New Mexico Lobos and their rivals, The New Mexico State University Aggies, will be battling it out for the 115th time in their long-rivaled history.
Over time, the Lobos have claimed 74 of the wins, while the Aggies have claimed only 35 — with five ties between the teams — but over the last decade, the rivalry has been nearly split, with the Lobos barely passing the Aggies 5-4.
Both UNM’s Head Coach Jason Eck and NMSU’s Head Coach Tony Sanchez look to notch their first win in this rivalry, as this is Eck’s first season and Sanchez’s second season. Last year, the Lobos defeated the Aggies in Las Cruces at Aggie Memorial Stadium 50-40, but from that Lobos squad, only five starters returned.
So far, the Lobos have begun to exceed expectations and have performed better than originally anticipated, with an upset of the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins, on Sept. 12, but rivalry games pose a unique challenge, as emotions run higher.
The keys to this game could come down to composure, rushing and shutting down the pass, as these three factors will come into the forefront for the Lobos in taking down the Aggies.
Composure has benefited this Lobos squad, as they continue to be the FBS team averaging the fewest penalty yards per game this season. The Lobos have only committed seven penalties for an average of 15 penalty yards per game. To win, they’ll need to continue this trend of remaining collected on both ends of the ball, especially in a game that can become emotional.
The Aggies have not been so lucky, ranking 118 out of 134 FBS teams when it comes to fewest penalty yards per game, as they have committed 23 penalties, with an average of 73 penalty yards per game.
Rushing the ball has been the name of the game for the Lobos so far this season, as the Lobos’ rushers have been able to take credit for seven of the 11 Lobos touchdowns. Against UCLA, the Lobos were able to bully the Bruins when it came to the run game, and the Lobos must look to do the same to NMSU. The Aggies has let its opponents rush for an average of 187 yards per game, a sore spot already. The Lobos themselves have rushed for 188 yards per game, making it a clear place that they must take advantage of to win.
The Aggies have demonstrated skilled passing, with an average of 253 yards per game. The Lobos, on the other hand, have struggled defensively regarding the pass over the last three games, as they have given up 244 passing yards per game.
For the Lobos to shut down their chronic rival, they must put pressure on the ball and stop NMSU quarterback Logan Fife from being able to pass the ball down the field. The Lobos will look for the defense to put up its best fight, and for linebacker Jaxton Eck, safety Tavian Combs, defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby and others to provide that pressure.
As of Thursday, Sept. 18, over 20,000 tickets had been sold, according to a post by UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo. This upcoming game provides the Lobos with a golden opportunity to continue to build on their momentum from their dominant UCLA win and finish the non-conference schedule with a statement going into Mountain West play.
Wyatt S. Padilla is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @wyattspadilla
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
