NMSU travels to Albuquerque for 115th playing of Rio Grande Rivalry

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Following a week off, NM State continues its 2025 campaign with a road bout against in-state rival New Mexico on Saturday afternoon.

The meeting between the Aggies and Lobos will serve as the 115th installment of the Rio Grande Rivalry, with the Aggies looking to secure their second consecutive win in Albuquerque for the first time in nearly 15 years.

WEEK FOUR

Who: NM State at New Mexico

Where: Albuquerque, N.M. – University Stadium (39,224)

When: Saturday, September 27, 2025 – 2 p.m. MT

PICK SIX                               

115 – Saturday’s contest will mark the 115th all-time meeting between NM State and New Mexico.

157 – With 157 receiving yards against LA Tech, PJ Johnson III became the first Aggie receiver with over 150 receiving yards since 2017.

16 – Saturday represents just the 16th time in the history of the Rio Grande Rivalry that the two teams will enter the game with a winning record, including being just the second time since 1964.

10 – With another interception in its last outing, the Aggie defense has now recorded 10 interceptions across the last seven games, dating back to last season.

1999 – NM State is seeking its first 3-1 start since the 1999 season.

2 – The Aggies are looking to win back-to-back road games against New Mexico since the 2009 and 2011 seasons.

THE STATE AT STAKE                                  

The Aggies and Lobos will meet on Saturday in what will mark the 115th all-time meeting between the rivals from the Land of Enchantment. The contest colloquially known as the Rio Grande Rivalry was first played on New Year’s Day in 1894, and since 1905, the two sides have met in all but seven years (1907, 1910, 1918, 1943, 1944, 1945, 2020).

This year’s collision carries a little extra weight, as it marks the first time since 1992 that both programs will enter the game with a winning record. Across the history of the rivalry, this has only happened 15 times prior to Saturday, with 14 of these occurrences coming before 1965.

In the case of NM State, this will mark the 41st time that the Aggies enter the Battle of I-25 hoisting a winning record.

In the last 15 meetings between the two programs, New Mexico holds a slight edge, winning eight times. However, the Aggies have come away with a victory in two of the last three run-ins, including winning by a score of 27-17 the last time that the game was held at University Stadium (2023).

Saturday’s game will also represent the 60th time that the game will take place in Albuquerque, with the Aggies holding a 14-42-3 in road games against the Lobos.