Rio Grande Rivalry (football)

The New Mexico–New Mexico State football rivalry,[2] known as the Battle of I-25 and the Rio Grande Rivalry in all sports, is an annual football game between the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University. It is called the Battle of I-25 because the two universities are located along Interstate 25 connecting Albuquerque and Las Cruces. In the entire history of the rivalry, the game has never been contested anywhere beside those two cities.

Rio Grande Rivalry
SportFootball
First meetingJanuary 1, 1894
New Mexico 18, New Mexico A&M 6
Latest meetingSeptember 16, 2023
New Mexico State 27, New Mexico 17
Next meetingSeptember 28, 2024, in Las Cruces
StadiumsUniversity Stadium
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Aggie Memorial Stadium
Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.
TrophyNone (1894–1992 and 2001–present)
Maloof Trophy (1993–2000)
Statistics
Meetings total113
All-time seriesNew Mexico leads 73–35–5 (.668)[1]
Largest victoryNew Mexico A&M, 110–3 (1917)
Longest win streakNew Mexico, 18 (1938–1958)
Current win streakNew Mexico State, 2 (2022–present)
Locations of New Mexico and New Mexico State

Series history edit

The rivalry between New Mexico's only two NCAA Division I institutions dates back to January 1, 1894 – eighteen years before New Mexico achieved statehood – when the schools met in a football contest in Albuquerque. While it is clear that New Mexico won that first game, school records seem to disagree on the score. According to New Mexico media guides the final score was 25–5 but according to New Mexico State media guides the score was 18–6. By the time New Mexico entered the union in 1912 UNM and New Mexico A&M (as NMSU was known prior to 1959) had already met on the gridiron six times. Until 1937, the series was competitive with the Aggies holding a 15–12–4 lead over the Lobos. Starting in 1938 the Lobos began to dominate the series, starting with a streak of 18 straight wins over the Aggies from 1938 to 1958 (including a three year stretch during World War II when the game was not played). From 1959 to 1968, however, the Aggies won seven of ten meetings, mostly during the tenure of College Football Hall of Fame head coach Warren B. Woodson. Although the Aggies defeated the Lobos in their first meeting after Woodson's departure in 1968, the Lobos resumed their dominance in the series the following year, winning 16 of the next 18 meetings (including a tie in 1971). Beginning in 1993, the two universities played for the Maloof Trophy, but it was short-lived; the trophy was retired in 2000.

The Lobos all-time advantage is 73–35–5, however the rivalry remains spirited, with the series even at seven wins each over the past 14 games dating back to the 100th meeting between the schools in 2009. Most recently the Aggies defeated the Lobos 27–17 on September 16, 2023.[3]

In August 2020, New Mexico State postponed football and fall sports due to COVID-19 with consideration for a spring football season.[4] The Mountain West Conference initially postponed fall sports for New Mexico and other member schools as well, but New Mexico and other member schools began a conference-only schedule beginning in late October.[5][6] The 2020 season was the first since 1945 without the rivalry game.

Game results edit

New Mexico victoriesNew Mexico State victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1January 1, 1894Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico18–6
2November 30, 1905Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M40–0
3November 29, 1906Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M25–5
4November 21, 1908Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico10–6
5November 25, 1909Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico51–0
6November 12, 1911Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M10–6
7November 16, 1912Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M27–0
8November 8, 1913Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M13–0
9December 5, 1914Albuquerque, NMTie7–7
10November 20, 1915Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico13–0
11November 30, 1916Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico51–0
12November 24, 1917Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M110–3
13November 27, 1919Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico24–2
14December 4, 1920Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M14–7
15November 24, 1921Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico6–0
16November 30, 1922Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M7–0
17November 17, 1923Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M6–0
18November 15, 1924Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M6–0
19November 21, 1925Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico20–9
20November 13, 1926Las Cruces, NMTie6–6
21November 18, 1927Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico26–9
22October 27, 1928Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico14–13
23November 16, 1929Las Cruces, NMTie7–7
24November 8, 1930Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M14–6
25November 7, 1931Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M13–6
26October 22, 1932Albuquerque, NMTie0–0
27November 18, 1933Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico14–7
28November 17, 1934Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico12–6
29November 11, 1935Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M32–0
30November 14, 1936Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M7–6
31October 8, 1937Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico A&M5–0
32November 12, 1938Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico6–2
33November 10, 1939Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico9–6
34November 9, 1940Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico39–6
35November 8, 1941Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico28–0
36October 10, 1942Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico32–0
37October 12, 1946Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico7–6
38October 11, 1947Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico20–0
39October 9, 1948Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico61–0
40September 30, 1949Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico14–13
41October 7, 1950Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico26–13
42October 6, 1951Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico20–0
43October 4, 1952Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico23–0
44November 7, 1953Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico28–6
45November 20, 1954Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico39–27
46September 17, 1955Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico14–7
47September 22, 1956Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico14–6
48September 21, 1957Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico25–7
49September 20, 1958Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico16–7
50September 19, 1959Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico A&M29–12
51October 8, 1960Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State34–0
52September 23, 1961Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico41–7
53September 15, 1962Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico28–17
54October 19, 1963Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State13–12
55October 24, 1964Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico18–14
56November 13, 1965Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State20–6
57November 12, 1966Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State47–12
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
58November 18, 1967Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State54–7
59November 16, 1968Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State33–6
60November 22, 1969Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico24–21
61October 17, 1970Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico24–17
62October 9, 1971Albuquerque, NMTie35–35
63September 16, 1972Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico55–20
64September 15, 1973Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico48–6
65November 2, 1974Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico26–24
66November 22, 1975Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico52–28
67October 30, 1976Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State16–7
68October 29, 1977Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico35–13
69October 21, 1978Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico35–20
70September 29, 1979Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico30–16
71September 27, 1980Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico52–19
72October 24, 1981Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico17–13
73October 23, 1982Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico66–14
74September 24, 1983Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico31–10
75September 8, 1984Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico61–21
76September 14, 1985Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico34–27
77October 25, 1986Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico45–14
78September 12, 1987Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State17–14
79September 10, 1988Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico36–34
80September 9, 1989Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico45–13
81September 1, 1990Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico29–12
82September 28, 1991Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico17–10
83September 12, 1992Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State42–39
84September 25, 1993Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico42–7
85October 22, 1994Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico56–31
86September 23, 1995Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico36–24
87August 29, 1996Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico28–7
88September 6, 1997Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico61–24
89September 19, 1998Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State28–27
90September 11, 1999Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State35–28
91September 16, 2000Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico16–13
92November 24, 2001Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico53–0
93September 21, 2002Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State24–13
94September 27, 2003Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico24–17
95September 25, 2004Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico38–3
96September 17, 2005Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico38–21
97September 9, 2006Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico34–28
98September 8, 2007Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico44–34
99September 27, 2008Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico35–24
100September 26, 2009Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State20–17
101October 9, 2010Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State16–14
102October 1, 2011Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State42–28
103September 22, 2012Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico27–14
104October 5, 2013Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico66–17
105September 20, 2014Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico38–35
106October 3, 2015Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico38–29
107September 10, 2016Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State32–31
108September 9, 2017Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State30–28
109September 15, 2018Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico42–25
110September 21, 2019Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico55–52
111September 11, 2021Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico34–25
112October 15, 2022Las Cruces, NMNew Mexico State21–9
113September 16, 2023Albuquerque, NMNew Mexico State27–17
Series: New Mexico leads 73–35–5[1]
  • Non-conference games (95: 1894–1930 and 1951–present)
  • Not played in 17 seasons (1895–1904, 1907, 1910, 1918, 1943–1945 and 2020)

Coaching records edit

Since first game on January 1, 1894

New Mexico edit

Head Coach Team Games Seasons Wins Losses Ties Pct.
No coach New Mexico 1 1892–1893 1 0 0 1.000
W. A. Zimmer New Mexico 0 1894 0 0 0
No team (1895–1898)
No coach New Mexico 0 1899 0 0 0
No team (1900)
Joe Napier New Mexico 0 1901 0 0 0
No team (1902)
Walter McEwan New Mexico 0 1903–1904 0 0 0
Martin F. Angell New Mexico 2 1905–1907 0 2 0 .000
Hermon H. Conwell New Mexico 1 1908 1 0 0 1.000
Sam P. McBirney New Mexico 1 1909 1 0 0 1.000
Carl Hamilton New Mexico 0 1910 0 0 0
Ralph Hutchinson New Mexico 6 1911–1916 2 3 1 .417
Frank E. Wood New Mexico 1 1917 0 1 0 .000
No team (1918)
John F. McGough New Mexico 1 1919 1 0 0 1.000
Roy W. Johnson New Mexico 11 1920–1930 4 5 2 .455
Chuck Riley New Mexico 3 1931–1933 1 1 1 .500
Gwinn Henry New Mexico 3 1934–1936 1 2 0 .333
Ted Shipkey New Mexico 5 1937–1941 4 1 0 .800
Willis Barnes New Mexico 2 1942–1946 2 0 0 1.000
Berl Huffman New Mexico 3 1947–1949 3 0 0 1.000
Dudley DeGroot New Mexico 3 1950–1952 3 0 0 1.000
Bob Titchenal New Mexico 3 1953–1955 3 0 0 1.000
Dick Clausen New Mexico 2 1956–1957 2 0 0 1.000
Marv Levy New Mexico 2 1958–1959 1 1 0 .500
Bill Weeks New Mexico 8 1960–1967 3 5 0 .375
Rudy Feldman New Mexico 6 1968–1973 4 1 1 .750
Bill Mondt New Mexico 6 1974–1979 5 1 0 .833
Joe Morrison New Mexico 3 1980–1982 3 0 0 1.000
Joe Lee Dunn New Mexico 4 1983–1986 4 0 0 1.000
Mike Sheppard New Mexico 5 1987–1991 4 1 0 .800
Dennis Franchione New Mexico 6 1992–1997 5 1 0 .833
Rocky Long New Mexico 11 1998–2008 8 3   .727
Mike Locksley New Mexico 2 2009–2011 0 2   .000
George Barlow New Mexico 1 2011 0 1   .000
Bob Davie New Mexico 8 2012–2019 6 2   .750
Danny Gonzales New Mexico 3 2020–present 1 2   .333

New Mexico State edit

Head Coach Team Games Seasons Wins Losses Ties Pct.
W. M. Clutte New Mexico A&M 1 1893 0 1 0 .000
Alfred Holt New Mexico A&M 0 1894 0 0 0
No coach New Mexico A&M 0 1895–1896 0 0 0
Charles M. Barber New Mexico A&M 0 1897–1898 0 0 0
John O. Miller (a) New Mexico A&M 0 1899 0 0 0
William A. Sutherland New Mexico A&M 0 1900 0 0 0
John O. Miller (b) New Mexico A&M 2 1901–1907 2 0 0 1.000
William G. Hummell New Mexico A&M 1 1908 0 1 0 .000
J. H. Squires New Mexico A&M 1 1909 0 1 0 .000
Art Badenoch New Mexico A&M 3 1910–1913 3 0 0 1.000
Clarence W. Russell New Mexico A&M 3 1914–1916 0 2 1 .167
John G. Griffith New Mexico A&M 1 1917 1 0 0 1.000
No team (1918)
Anthony Savage New Mexico A&M 1 1919 0 1 0 .000
Dutch Bergman New Mexico A&M 3 1920–1922 2 1 0 .667
R. R. Brown New Mexico A&M 3 1923–1925 2 1 0 .667
Arthur Burkholder New Mexico A&M 1 1926 0 0 1 .500
Ted Coffman New Mexico A&M 2 1927–1928 0 2 0 .000
Jerry Hines New Mexico A&M 11 1929–1939 5 4 2 .545
Julius H. Johnston New Mexico A&M 3 1940–1942 0 3 0 .000
Maurice Moulder New Mexico A&M 0 1943 0 0 0
No team (1944–1945)
Raymond A. Curfman New Mexico A&M 2 1946–1947 0 2 0 .000
Vaughn Corley New Mexico A&M 3 1948–1950 0 3 0 .000
Joseph T. Coleman New Mexico A&M 2 1951–1952 0 2 0 .000
James Patton New Mexico A&M 2 1953–1954 0 2 0 .000
Tony Cavallo New Mexico A&M 3 1955–1957 0 3 0 .000
Warren B. Woodson New Mexico A&M / State 10 1958–1967 6 4 0 .600
Jim Wood New Mexico State 5 1968–1972 1 3 1 .300
Jim Bradley New Mexico State 5 1973–1977 1 4 0 .200
Gil Krueger New Mexico State 5 1978–1982 0 5 0 .000
Fred Zechman New Mexico State 3 1983–1985 0 3 0 .000
Mike Knoll New Mexico State 4 1986–1989 1 3 0 .250
Jim Hess New Mexico State 8 1990–1996 1 7 0 .125
Tony Samuel New Mexico State 8 1997–2004 3 5   .375
Hal Mumme New Mexico State 4 2005–2008 0 4   .000
DeWayne Walker New Mexico State 4 2009–2012 3 1   .750
Doug Martin New Mexico State 8 2013–2021 2 6   .250
Jerry Kill New Mexico State 2 2022–present 2 0   1.000
  • John O. Miller's overall record in series was 2–0–0 (1.000)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Winsipedia – New Mexico Lobos vs. New Mexico State Aggies football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. ^ "New Mexico State looks for second straight rivalry win over New Mexico". Las Cruces Sun News. September 8, 2017. The New Mexico State football team hasn't beaten rival New Mexico in consecutive years since DeWayne Walker beat the Lobos three straight times from 2009–2011.
  3. ^ Reider, Sean (September 16, 2023). "Aggies corral Lobos for second straight win in Rio Grande Rivalry". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Groves, Jason (August 13, 2020). "New Mexico State will not play football in fall due to COVID-19 concerns". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  5. ^ "Lobo Football 2020 Football Schedule Released". University of New Mexico. October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  6. ^ "Mountain West Postpones 2020 Fall Sports". University of New Mexico. August 10, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.