ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- The Mountain West has released the 2026 football schedule, and the Lobos will host rivals UNLV, Air Force, and UTEP, along with conference newcomer North Dakota State, to highlight the schedule.
This marks Phase 1 of the rollout of the 2026 football schedule. In the next phase, MW national television partners CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and CW Sports will begin selecting games, including potential Friday game shifts. This will be followed by assigning network outlets and kick times. We anticipate releasing Phase 2 of the schedule by the end of May.
The Lobos will have two home games in September, October, and November in an evenly spaced-out schedule. After opening the schedule with home games against Central Michigan and Mercyhurst on September 5 and September 12, UNM travels for road games at Oklahoma on September 19 and New Mexico State on September 26.
The Lobos will open Mountain West play at home for the front end of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, hosting regional rival UTEP in the newcomer’s Mountain West debut. The Lobos won 27-10 in their last meeting in Albuquerque in 2022, forcing seven turnovers. The Lobos own the all-time series, 44-33-3, as the teams meet for the 81st time.
UNM will have its lone bye week the weekend of October 10 before traveling to Hawai’i on October 17 for a second-straight game against the Rainbow Warriors in Hawai’i. UNM was denied a bowl bid in 2024 when UNM lost 38-31 on the Island.
After that, the Lobos will host another conference newcomer in North Dakota State on October 24 in its first FBS season after moving up from the FCS level when it won 11 of the last 15 national titles. It will be the first meeting between the two programs. UNM’s fourth conference matchup is a Halloween game at San José State. It marks the third opponent in which UNM is doubling up, either being home or away, and it’s the fourth time in the last five meetings that UNM and San José State are playing in San José, and it’s the second time playing on Halloween (the other time was the 2020 COVID opener).
The back-half of conference play starts with a second straight road game, this one at Nevada on November 7. Last year, UNM edged the Wolf Pack 24-22. UNM returns home to host UNLV on November 14, a rematch of the two programs that tied for first in the Mountain West last year, both 6-2. UNM beat the Rebels in a wild affair 40-35 in Las Vegas, highlighted by two 80-yard touchdown passes for UNM in the second quarter, a first in program history.
UNM’s last road game will most likely be a chilly affair in Laramie, Wyoming, as UNM plays the Cowboys for the first time since 2024. UNM’s final game is Thanksgiving weekend, hosting the U.S. Air Force Academy. Last year, UNM beat Air Force 20-3 for its first win at the Academy since 2000.
Season tickets for Lobo Football are already moving at a brisk pace. Fans can purchase 2026 season tickets right here, and UNM’s “Kids Free” promotion is not only in play for 2026; now, fans can use it for season tickets as well. The Lobos feature the returning Mountain West Coach of the Year in Jason Eck, and the returning Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Phil Steele Third Team All-America in Jaxton Eck.
UNM boasts a large array of returning players, and the Lobos have a highly ranked incoming class. UNM returns plenty of offense, including quarterback Jack Layne, tight end Cade Keith, and running backs Scottre Humphrey and Deshaun Buchanan, along with four starters on the offensive line.
Defensively, along with Eck, the Lobos return safety Tavian Combs and linebacker Mercury Swaim, along with Brian Booker, Jalen McIver, and Darren Agu on the defensive line.