Rio Grande Rivalry (football)

American college football rivalry From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

SportFootball

FirstmeetingJanuary 1, 1894
New Mexico 18, New Mexico A&M 6

LatestmeetingSeptember 27, 2025
New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 20

NextmeetingSeptember 26, 2026 in Las Cruces

Quick facts Sport, First meeting ...

Rio Grande Rivalry
Statistics

New Mexico Lobos New Mexico State Aggies
Sport	Football
First meeting	January 1, 1894 New Mexico 18, New Mexico A&M 6
Latest meeting	September 27, 2025 New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 20
Next meeting	September 26, 2026 in Las Cruces
Stadiums	University Stadium Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Aggie Memorial Stadium Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.
Trophy	None (1894–1992 and 2001–2025) Maloof Trophy (1993–2000) The Roaster (2025–present)
Total meetings	114
All-time series	New Mexico leads, 75–35–5 (.674)^[1]
Largest victory	New Mexico A&M, 110–3 (1917)
Longest win streak	New Mexico, 18 (1938–1958)
Current win streak	New Mexico, 2 (2024–present)

120km
75miles

New Mexico State

New Mexico

Locations of New Mexico and New Mexico State

Series history

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 74–35–5, 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 Lobos defeated the Aggies 50–40 on September 28, 2024.

In August 2020, New Mexico State postponed football and fall sports due to COVID-19 with consideration for a spring football season.^[3] 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.^[4]^[5] The 2020 season was the first since 1945 without the rivalry game.

During a press conference on the Tuesday before the 2025 edition, UNM head coach Jason Eck good-naturedly bemoaned the lack of a traveling trophy, telling reporters "We need a trophy for this game, too . . . Truly a missed opportunity we don’t have a trophy for this game. It’s a shame. Traveling trophies are one of the best things. So, I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t have one for next year. Let’s get that fixed." Students at the two schools stepped in to create "The Roaster", a tabletop chile roaster trophy with wooden stands on each side, including branding of the two programs. The new trophy was ready in time for the 2025 game.^[6]

Game results

New Mexico victories	New Mexico State victories	Tie games

More information No., Date ...

No.	Date	Location	Winning team		Losing team
1	January 1, 1894	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	18	New Mexico A&M	6^[a]
2	November 30, 1905	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	40	New Mexico	0
3	November 29, 1906	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	25	New Mexico	5
4	November 21, 1908	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	10	New Mexico A&M	6
5	December 3, 1909	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	51	New Mexico A&M	0
6	November 12, 1911	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	10	New Mexico	6
7	November 16, 1912	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	27	New Mexico	0
8	November 14, 1913	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	13	New Mexico	0
9	November 26, 1914	Albuquerque, NM	Tie	7	Tie	7
10	November 25, 1915	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	13	New Mexico A&M	0
11	November 30, 1916	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	51	New Mexico A&M	0
12	November 29, 1917	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	110	New Mexico	3
13	November 27, 1919	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	24	New Mexico A&M	2
14	December 4, 1920	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	14	New Mexico	7
15	November 24, 1921	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	6	New Mexico A&M	0
16	November 30, 1922	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	7	New Mexico	0
17	November 17, 1923	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	6	New Mexico	0
18	November 15, 1924	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	6	New Mexico	0
19	November 21, 1925	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	20	New Mexico A&M	9
20	November 13, 1926	Las Cruces, NM	Tie	6	Tie	6
21	November 18, 1927	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	26	New Mexico A&M	9
22	October 27, 1928	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	14	New Mexico A&M	13
23	November 16, 1929	Las Cruces, NM	Tie	7	Tie	7
24	November 8, 1930	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	14	New Mexico	6
25	November 7, 1931	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	13	New Mexico	6
26	October 22, 1932	Albuquerque, NM	Tie	0	Tie	0
27	November 18, 1933	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	14	New Mexico A&M	7
28	November 17, 1934	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	12	New Mexico A&M	6
29	November 11, 1935	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	32	New Mexico	0
30	November 14, 1936	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	7	New Mexico	6
31	October 8, 1937	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico A&M	5	New Mexico	0
32	November 12, 1938	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	6	New Mexico A&M	2
33	November 10, 1939	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	9	New Mexico A&M	6
34	November 9, 1940	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	39	New Mexico A&M	6
35	November 8, 1941	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	28	New Mexico A&M	0
36	October 10, 1942	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	32	New Mexico A&M	0
37	October 12, 1946	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	7	New Mexico A&M	6
38	October 11, 1947	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	20	New Mexico A&M	0
39	October 9, 1948	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	61	New Mexico A&M	0
40	September 30, 1949	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	14	New Mexico A&M	13
41	October 7, 1950	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	26	New Mexico A&M	13
42	October 6, 1951	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	20	New Mexico A&M	0
43	October 4, 1952	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	23	New Mexico A&M	0
44	November 7, 1953	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	28	New Mexico A&M	6
45	November 20, 1954	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	39	New Mexico A&M	27
46	September 17, 1955	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	14	New Mexico A&M	7
47	September 22, 1956	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	14	New Mexico A&M	6
48	September 21, 1957	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	25	New Mexico A&M	7
49	September 20, 1958	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	16	New Mexico A&M	7
50	September 19, 1959	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico A&M	29	New Mexico	12
51	October 8, 1960	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	34	New Mexico	0
52	September 23, 1961	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	41	New Mexico State	7
53	September 15, 1962	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	28	New Mexico State	17
54	October 19, 1963	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	13	New Mexico	12
55	October 24, 1964	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	18	New Mexico State	14
56	November 13, 1965	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	20	New Mexico	6
57	November 12, 1966	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	47	New Mexico	12
58	November 18, 1967	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	54	New Mexico	7
59	November 16, 1968	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	33	New Mexico	6

No.	Date	Location	Winning team		Losing team
60	November 22, 1969	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	24	New Mexico State	21
61	October 17, 1970	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	24	New Mexico State	17
62	October 9, 1971	Albuquerque, NM	Tie	35	Tie	35
63	September 16, 1972	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	55	New Mexico State	20
64	September 15, 1973	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	48	New Mexico State	6
65	November 2, 1974	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	26	New Mexico State	24
66	November 22, 1975	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	52	New Mexico State	28
67	October 30, 1976	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	16	New Mexico	7
68	October 29, 1977	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	35	New Mexico State	13
69	October 21, 1978	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	35	New Mexico State	20
70	September 29, 1979	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	30	New Mexico State	16
71	September 27, 1980	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	52	New Mexico State	19
72	October 24, 1981	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	17	New Mexico State	13
73	October 23, 1982	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	66	New Mexico State	14
74	September 24, 1983	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	31	New Mexico State	10
75	September 8, 1984	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	61	New Mexico State	21
76	September 14, 1985	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	34	New Mexico State	27
77	October 25, 1986	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	45	New Mexico State	14
78	September 12, 1987	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	17	New Mexico	14
79	September 10, 1988	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	36	New Mexico State	34
80	September 9, 1989	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	45	New Mexico State	13
81	September 1, 1990	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	29	New Mexico State	12
82	September 28, 1991	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	17	New Mexico State	10
83	September 12, 1992	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	42	New Mexico	39
84	September 25, 1993	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	42	New Mexico State	7
85	October 22, 1994	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	56	New Mexico State	31
86	September 23, 1995	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	36	New Mexico State	24
87	August 29, 1996	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	28	New Mexico State	7
88	September 6, 1997	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	61	New Mexico State	24
89	September 19, 1998	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	28	New Mexico	27
90	September 11, 1999	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	35	New Mexico	28
91	September 16, 2000	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	16	New Mexico State	13
92	November 24, 2001	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	53	New Mexico State	0
93	September 21, 2002	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	24	New Mexico	13
94	September 27, 2003	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	24	New Mexico State	17
95	September 25, 2004	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	38	New Mexico State	3
96	September 17, 2005	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	38	New Mexico State	21
97	September 9, 2006	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	34	New Mexico State	28
98	September 8, 2007	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	44	New Mexico State	34
99	September 27, 2008	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	35	New Mexico State	24
100	September 26, 2009	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	20	New Mexico	17
101	October 9, 2010	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	16	New Mexico	14
102	October 1, 2011	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	42	New Mexico	28
103	September 22, 2012	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	27	New Mexico State	14
104	October 5, 2013	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	66	New Mexico State	17
105	September 20, 2014	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	38	New Mexico State	35
106	October 3, 2015	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	38	New Mexico State	29
107	September 10, 2016	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	32	New Mexico	31
108	September 9, 2017	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	30	New Mexico	28
109	September 15, 2018	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	42	New Mexico State	25
110	September 21, 2019	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	55	New Mexico State	52
111	September 11, 2021	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	34	New Mexico State	25
112	October 15, 2022	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico State	21	New Mexico	9
113	September 16, 2023	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico State	27	New Mexico	17
114	September 28, 2024	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico	50	New Mexico State	40
115	September 27, 2025	Albuquerque, NM	New Mexico	38	New Mexico State	20
116	September 26, 2026	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico		New Mexico State
Series: New Mexico leads 75–35–5^[1]

Non-conference games (98: 1894–1930 and 1951–present)
Not played in 17 seasons (1895–1904, 1907, 1910, 1918, 1943–1945 and 2020)

Coaching records

Since first game on January 1, 1894

New Mexico

More information Head Coach, Team ...

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	2020–2023	1	2		.333
Bronco Mendenhall	New Mexico	1	2024	1	0		1.000
Jason Eck	New Mexico	1	2025–present	1	0		1.000

New Mexico State

More information Head Coach, Team ...

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	2022–2023	2	0		1.000
Tony Sanchez	New Mexico State	2	2024–present	0	2		.000

John O. Miller's overall record in series was 2–0–0 (1.000)

Notes

[a]
New Mexico cites the final score as 25–5, while New Mexico State cites the final as 18–6.

Rio Grande Rivalry (football)

Series history

Game results

Coaching records

New Mexico

New Mexico State

See also

Notes

References

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