LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Some college football games are simply another matchup on the schedule. Others carry the weight of generations, rivalries, pride and an entire state. For New Mexico State and the University of New Mexico, Saturday’s matchup is all of those things.
The Aggies and Lobos will meet in the 116th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry, bringing one of the oldest rivalries in college football back to Aggie Memorial Stadium. With kickoff scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, the latest chapter of this rivalry will feature two programs entering the game with something to prove.
New Mexico State enters the matchup at 1-2 after opening its season against Florida State, Mercyhurst and Hawaii. New Mexico enters at 2-1 after defeating Central Michigan and Mercyhurst before traveling to Norman, Okla., and pushing No. 24/21 Oklahoma to the final minutes of a 14-6 loss. On paper, the Lobos enter with the better record, but the history of this rivalry has repeatedly demonstrated that records can become almost meaningless once the Aggies and Lobos step onto the field.
NMSU’s 1-2 record also does not fully capture the level of competition the Aggies have faced during the opening weeks of the season. New Mexico State began the year against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium, falling 34-17 against the Seminoles. The Aggies responded the next week, exploding for a 51-14 home victory over Mercyhurst before traveling nearly 4,000 miles to Hawaii, where they fell 29-19. The Aggies have already experienced a wide range of environments, from a hostile Power Four stadium to a dominant home victory and then one of the longest road trips in college football.
At the center of NMSU’s offense is quarterback Trey Hedden, who has completed 56 of 97 passes for 781 yards and five touchdowns through three games. Hedden has already thrown for more than 250 yards in a game twice, and has shown the ability to push the football downfield when given time in the pocket. His development will be one of the biggest storylines entering Saturday because New Mexico’s defense has demonstrated it can create problems for opposing quarterbacks.
One of Hedden’s most important targets has been wide receiver TK King. King leads the Aggies with 14 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 17.1 yards per catch. His ability to create explosive plays gives NMSU another weapon against a New Mexico defense that has been one of the strongest parts of the Lobos’ team early this season. If the Aggies can establish King downfield, it could force New Mexico’s defense to adjust and open opportunities underneath.
NMSU enters the rivalry game with a legitimate rushing threat in James Jones. Through three games, Jones has rushed for 243 yards on 43 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt while scoring two touchdowns. His performance against Mercyhurst showed exactly what he can bring to the Aggie offense. Jones carried the ball 19 times for 137 yards and a touchdown, including a 46-yard run that demonstrated his big-play ability. His presence gives the Aggies an important balance between its passing game and rushing attack.
One of the most significant statistics entering Saturday’s game is NMSU’s success on third down. The Aggies are converting 52.5 percent of their third-down opportunities, which ranks first in Conference USA and 17th nationally. That statistic could become extremely important against New Mexico because the Lobos will need to find ways to get NMSU’s offense off the field. Allowing Hedden and the Aggies to consistently extend drives could give NMSU additional possessions and put pressure on the New Mexico defense throughout the afternoon.
The Aggies have also demonstrated how their defense can change a game. NMSU has recorded two defensive touchdowns this season, with Nick Session returning an interception for a touchdown against Mercyhurst and De’Marcus Peters returning a fumble 84 yards for a score against Hawaii. Those plays have given the Aggies an additional source of offense and demonstrated the potential for the Aggie defense to create points without relying on its offense to drive the entire field.
New Mexico, however, brings its own set of strengths into Las Cruces. The Lobos are averaging 38 points per game while allowing only 9.3 points per game through their first three contests. Their defense received its biggest test of the season last week against Oklahoma, and it responded with one of its strongest performances. New Mexico held the Sooners to 299 total yards and just 61 rushing yards while forcing two interceptions and recovering a fumble on special teams.
The Lobos remained within one possession throughout much of the game and entered the fourth quarter trailing only 14-6. Late in the game, New Mexico put together a 12-play, 47-yard drive that consumed more than seven minutes and gave the Lobos an opportunity to tie the game. The drive ultimately ended when Oklahoma stopped Scottre Humphrey on fourth-and-two with 3:02 remaining. Although New Mexico did not leave Norman with the victory, the performance showed that the Lobos’ defense can keep them competitive against high-level opponents.
Humphrey is also one of the most important players NMSU will have to account for Saturday. He leads the New Mexico rushing attack with 181 yards through three games and has scored three touchdowns. As a team, the Lobos are averaging 187 rushing yards per game compared with 149.3 passing yards per game. That run-heavy approach creates an interesting matchup against an NMSU defense that is allowing 118 rushing yards per game.
New Mexico’s passing game will also provide a challenge. Lobo quarterback Luke Moga has thrown for 235 yards through three games, while wide receiver Cade Keith leads the Lobos with 169 receiving yards. Against Oklahoma, Keith caught five passes for 78 yards, including a 40-yard reception. If New Mexico can establish its rushing attack while creating explosive plays through the air, the Lobos could force NMSU’s defense to defend the entire field.
Special teams could also become important if Saturday’s game develops into another close rivalry contest. New Mexico kicker Grant Glasgow has made five of six field-goal attempts this season and is four-for-four from 40-49 yards. Against Oklahoma, Glasgow connected on field goals from 24 and 42 yards, accounting for all six of New Mexico’s points. In a rivalry where momentum can change with one play, the ability to turn a stalled drive into points could become critical.
For NMSU, the goal is clear: Protect home field, create explosive plays and reclaim the momentum of a rivalry that has recently shifted toward Albuquerque. For New Mexico, the objective is equally straightforward: Continue the defensive success it showed against Oklahoma, control the ground game and leave Las Cruces with another victory over its in-state rival.
Ultimately, Saturday’s matchup will come down to more than statistics. The Aggies have an offense capable of moving the football, a quarterback gaining experience and a defense with an ability to create turnovers. The Lobos enter with a powerful rushing attack, a defense allowing fewer than 10 points per game and the confidence that comes from taking a ranked Oklahoma team to the final minutes.
But rivalry games have a way of making everything else disappear.
Records disappear. Statistics disappear. Preseason expectations disappear.
What remains is 60 minutes of football between two programs separated by roughly 220 miles but connected by more than a century of history.
And during a month dedicated to recognizing Hispanic heritage and the communities that have helped shape New Mexico, the Rio Grande Rivalry becomes another reflection of the state itself: its history, its families, its traditions and its fiercely divided college football loyalties.
When the Aggies and Lobos take the field at Aggie Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon, they will not simply be playing for another win. They will be playing for bragging rights, state pride and another chapter in one of college football’s longest-running rivalries.
The Rio Grande Rivalry is back in Las Cruces.
And once the ball is kicked off, the next chapter belongs to whoever can seize it.
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