Rio Grande Rivalry

Comparison of the two universities
School	University of New Mexico	New Mexico State University
Logo
Ownership	State of New Mexico (PED)	State of New Mexico (PED)
Location	Albuquerque, NM	Las Cruces, NM
Conference	Mountain West	Western Athletic/Sun Belt(football)
Students	35,211	18,497
School Colors	Cherry & Silver	Crimson & White
Nickname	Lobos	Aggies
Mascot(s)	Lobo Louie	Pistol Pete
Football Stadium	Branch Field	Aggie Memorial Stadium
Basketball Arena	The Pit	Pan American Center
National Championships	2	0

University of New Mexico

New Mexico State University

Locations in New Mexico

The Rio Grande Rivalry is an intercollegiate rivalry between The University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University. The rivalry began in 1894. In comparison, New Mexico was a United States Territory from Sept 1850 to January 1912, when it became a member of the United States of America and the Union.

For many years the rivalry was often referred to as the "Battle of I-25" in recognition of the campuses both being located along that interstate highway.

Traditions

The University of New Mexico students in collaboration with their student government, ASUNM, celebrates the rivalry with the Red Rally, an annual event which takes place the Thursday evening before that year's rivalry football game, in which an effigy of an Aggie is set on fire.

New Mexico–NM State Rivalry (Football)

Sport	Football
Teams	New Mexico Lobos New Mexico State Aggies
First meeting	January 1, 1894 New Mexico 25, NM State 5
Latest meeting	October 3, 2015 New Mexico 38, NM State 29
Trophy	Rio Grande Rivalry
Statistics
Meetings total	106
All-time series	New Mexico leads, 70–31–5
Largest victory	NM State, 110–3 (1917)
Longest win streak	New Mexico, 18 (1938–1958)
Current win streak	New Mexico, 4 (2012–present)

Sports

Football

The rivalry between New Mexico's only two NCAA Division I institutions dates back to Jan. 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. Beginning in 1993, the two universities played for the Maloof Trophy, but it was short-lived; the trophy was retired in 2000. Until 1937 the series was competitive with the Aggies holding a 15–12–4 lead over the Lobos. Since 1938 the Lobos have dominated the series 54–16–1 except during 1959–1968 when the Aggies won 7 of 10 meetings. The Lobos all-time advantage is 70–31–5, however the rivalry remains spirited. Most recently the Lobos defeated the Aggies 27–14 on September 22, 2012 in Las Cruces. The September 26, 2009 game when the Aggies won 20–17 in Albuquerque was the 100th time the teams had played each other.

Series

New Mexico victories are shaded ██ silver. New Mexico State victories shaded in ██ crimson.

Date Winner Score Location Series 1894 New Mexico 25–5 Albuquerque UNM 1–0 1905 NM State 40–0 Albuquerque Tied 1–1 1906 NM State 25–5 Albuquerque NMSU 2–1 1908 New Mexico 10–6 Albuquerque Tied 2–2 1909 New Mexico 51–0 Albuquerque UNM 3–2 1911 NM State 10–6 Albuquerque Tied 3–3 1912 NM State 27–0 Albuquerque NMSU 4–3 1913 NM State 13–0 Albuquerque NMSU 5–3 1914 Tie 7–7 Albuquerque NMSU 5–3–1 1915 New Mexico 13–0 Albuquerque NMSU 5–4–1 1916 New Mexico 51–0 Albuquerque Tied 5–5–1 1917 NM State 110–3 Albuquerque NMSU 6–5–1 1919 New Mexico 24–2 Albuquerque Tied 6–6–1 1920 NM State 14–7 Albuquerque NMSU 7–6–1 1921 New Mexico 6–0 Albuquerque Tied 7–7–1 1922 NM State 7–0 Albuquerque NMSU 8–7–1 1923 NM State 6–0 Albuquerque NMSU 9–7–1 1924 NM State 6–0 Albuquerque NMSU 10–7–1 1925 New Mexico 20–9 Albuquerque NMSU 10–8–1 1926 Tie 6–6 Albuquerque NMSU 10–8–2 1927 New Mexico 26–9 Albuquerque NMSU 10–9–2 1928 New Mexico 14–13 Albuquerque Tied 10–10–2 1929 Tie 7–7 Albuquerque Tied 10–10–3 1930 NM State 14–6 Albuquerque NMSU 11–10–3 1931 NM State 13–6 Albuquerque NMSU 12–10–3 1932 Tie 0–0 Albuquerque NMSU 12–10–4 1933 New Mexico 14–7 Albuquerque NMSU 12–11–4 1934 New Mexico 12–6 Albuquerque Tied 12–12–4 1935 NM State 32–0 Albuquerque NMSU 13–12–4 1936 NM State 7–6 Albuquerque NMSU 14–12–4 1937 NM State 5–0 Albuquerque NMSU 15–12–4 1938 New Mexico 6–2 Albuquerque NMSU 15–13–4 1939 New Mexico 9–6 Albuquerque NMSU 15–14–4 1940 New Mexico 39–6 Albuquerque Tied 15–15–4 1941 New Mexico 28–0 Albuquerque UNM 16–15–4 1942 New Mexico 32–0 Albuquerque UNM 17–15–4 1946 New Mexico 7–6 Las Cruces UNM 18–15–4 1947 New Mexico 20–0 Albuquerque UNM 19–15–4 1948 New Mexico 61–0 Las Cruces UNM 20–15–4 1949 New Mexico 14–13 Albuquerque UNM 21–15–4 1950 New Mexico 26–13 Las Cruces UNM 22–15–4 1951 New Mexico 21–0 Albuquerque UNM 23–15–4 1952 New Mexico 23–0 Las Cruces UNM 24–15–4 1953 New Mexico 28–6 Albuquerque UNM 25–15–4 1954 New Mexico 39–27 Las Cruces UNM 26–15–4 1955 New Mexico 14–7 Albuquerque UNM 27–15–4 1956 New Mexico 14–6 Las Cruces UNM 28–15–4 1957 New Mexico 25–7 Albuquerque UNM 29–15–4 1958 New Mexico 16–7 Las Cruces UNM 30–15–4 1959 NM State 29–12 Albuquerque UNM 30–16–4 1960 NM State 34–0 Las Cruces UNM 30–17–4 1961 New Mexico 41–7 Albuquerque UNM 31–17–4 1962 New Mexico 28–17 Las Cruces UNM 32–17–4

1963 NM State 13–12 Albuquerque UNM 32–18–4 1964 New Mexico 18–14 Las Cruces UNM 33–18–4 1965 NM State 20–6 Albuquerque UNM 33–19–4 1966 NM State 47–12 Las Cruces UNM 33–20–4 1967 NM State 54–7 Albuquerque UNM 33–21–4 1968 NM State 33–6 Las Cruces UNM 33–22–4 1969 New Mexico 24–21 Albuquerque UNM 34–22–4 1970 New Mexico 24–17 Las Cruces UNM 35–22–4 1971 Tie 35–35 Albuquerque UNM 35–22–5 1972 New Mexico 55–20 Las Cruces UNM 36–22–5 1973 New Mexico 48–6 Albuquerque UNM 37–22–5 1974 New Mexico 26–24 Las Cruces UNM 38–22–5 1975 New Mexico 52–28 Albuquerque UNM 39–22–5 1976 NM State 16–7 Las Cruces UNM 39–23–5 1977 New Mexico 35–13 Albuquerque UNM 40–23–5 1978 New Mexico 35–20 Las Cruces UNM 41–23–5 1979 New Mexico 30–16 Albuquerque UNM 42–23–5 1980 New Mexico 52–19 Las Cruces UNM 43–23–5 1981 New Mexico 17–13 Albuquerque UNM 44–23–5 1982 New Mexico 66–14 Las Cruces UNM 45–23–5 1983 New Mexico 31–10 Albuquerque UNM 46–23–5 1984 New Mexico 61–21 Las Cruces UNM 47–23–5 1985 New Mexico 34–27 Albuquerque UNM 48–23–5 1986 New Mexico 45–14 Las Cruces UNM 49–23–5 1987 NM State 17–14 Albuquerque UNM 49–24–5 1988 New Mexico 36–34 Las Cruces UNM 50–24–5 1989 New Mexico 45–3 Albuquerque UNM 51–24–5 1990 New Mexico 29–12 Las Cruces UNM 52–24–5 1991 New Mexico 17–10 Albuquerque UNM 53–24–5 1992 NM State 42–39 Las Cruces UNM 53–25–5 1993 New Mexico 42–7 Albuquerque UNM 54–25–5 1994 New Mexico 56–31 Las Cruces UNM 55–25–5 1995 New Mexico 36–24 Albuquerque UNM 56–25–5 1996 New Mexico 28–7 Las Cruces UNM 57–25–5 1997 New Mexico 61–24 Albuquerque UNM 58–25–5 1998 NM State 28–27 Las Cruces UNM 58–26–5 1999 NM State 35–28 Albuquerque UNM 58–27–5 2000 New Mexico 16–13 Las Cruces UNM 59–27–5 2001 New Mexico 53–0 Albuquerque UNM 60–27–5 2002 NM State 24–13 Las Cruces UNM 60–28–5 2003 New Mexico 24–17 Albuquerque UNM 61–28–5 2004 New Mexico 38–3 Las Cruces UNM 62–28–5 2005 New Mexico 38–21 Albuquerque UNM 63–28–5 2006 New Mexico 34–28 Las Cruces UNM 64–28–5 2007 New Mexico 44–34 Albuquerque UNM 65–28–5 2008 New Mexico 35–24 Las Cruces UNM 66–28–5 2009 NM State 20–17 Albuquerque UNM 66–29–5 2010 NM State 16–14 Las Cruces UNM 66–30–5 2011 NM State 42–28 Albuquerque UNM 66–31–5 2012 New Mexico 27–14 Las Cruces UNM 67–31–5 2013 New Mexico 66–17 Albuquerque UNM 68–31–5 2014 New Mexico 38–35 Las Cruces UNM 69–31–5 2015 New Mexico 38–29 Albuquerque UNM 70–31–5

Men's Basketball

New Mexico–NM State Rivalry
(Men's Basketball)

New Mexico Lobos New Mexico State Aggies
Sport	Men's Basketball
First meeting	1894 New Mexico 67, NM State 38
Latest meeting	December 16, 2015
Trophy	Rio Grande Rivalry
Statistics
Meetings total	212
All-time series	New Mexico leads, 120–96
Current win streak	New Mexico, 4 (2014–present)

The men's basketball series between the schools has been more competitive than football, although UNM holds the all-time advantage in that series as well. Currently the Lobos hold a 118–96 advantage all-time over the Aggies. The most recent meeting in the series was a 69–67 Lobos victory at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces^[1] on December 20, 2014, the second of two meetings for the 2014–15 season. The December 19, 2007 contest was the 200th all-time meeting between the schools.

The UNM–NMSU series is somewhat unique among non-conference rivalries in that the schools traditionally play a two-game home-and-home series each season (another example of such a rivalry is the Nashville mid-major matchup between Belmont and Lipscomb). Most other rivalries in which the schools are not members of the same conference usually only meet once per season. Although a few individuals have proposed cutting the series back to a more conventional single annual meeting, fan sentiment at both schools remains strong for preserving the traditional two meetings per season format.

Women's Basketball

The women's basketball series between UNM and NMSU has been defined by extended streaks of dominance by one program over the other. Prior to the mid-1990s the Roadrunners (as NMSU's women's programs were known prior to 2000) were dominant, winning the first meeting by a 57–53 tally on February 1, 1974 and proceeding to win 24 of the first 35 meetings between the schools. Between 1985 and 1995 NMSU ran off a streak of 16 consecutive wins over their in-state rivals. This stretch also covered a two-year period in which UNM did not field a women's basketball team. However on November 24, 1996 UNM turned the tables on NMSU in a big way. The Lobos' 48–47 win on that day in Las Cruces started a 22-game winning streak by UNM over NMSU that continued unbroken, despite a few close calls, through the 2006–07 season. But on December 2, 2007 the Lady Aggies ended 11 years of frustration against their instate rivals by knocking off the Lady Lobos 58–42 at the Pan Am Center. The all-time series now stands at 47–22 in favor of UNM, after the Lady Lobos beat NMSU 65–60 on December 30, 2010, at The Pit in Albuquerque. Like the men's teams, the UNM and NMSU women also traditionally play two games per year against each other, one game in each city.

Rio Grande Rivalry Championship

The Rio Grande Rivalry is a series between New Mexico and New Mexico State.^[2][3]

Rio Grande Rivalry

New Mexico (6)	New Mexico State (0)
2007–2008 2008–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013

Season Year	Champion	Final Score	Total Points
2007–2008	UNM	16.25–6.75	23
2008–2009	UNM	17.25–6.75	24
2009–2010	UNM	16.50–10.50	27
2010–2011	UNM	18.75–9.75	28.5
2011–2012	UNM	15.00–13.50	28.5
2012–2013	UNM*	ongoing	27

(*)=while the competition is still ongoing, the University of New Mexico has an insurmountable lead, thus winning the 2012–2013 Rio Grande Rivalry.

Scoreboard 2007–2008

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	NMSU	UNM
Setp.4	Volleyball	1.50	NMSU	1.50	0.00
Sept. 8	Football	3.0	UNM	1.50	3.00
Sept.14–15	Men's Golf	1.50	UNM	1.50	4.50
Dec.2	Women's Basketball	1.50	NMSU	3.00	4.50
Dec.4	Men's Basketball	1.50	NMSU	4.50	4.50
Dec. 19	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	6.00
Dec. 21	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	7.50
Jan. 21	Women's Swimming	1.50	NMSU	6.00	7.50
Feb. 3	Women's Tennis	1.50	UNM	6.00	9.00
Feb. 22	Men's Tennis	1.50	UNM	6.00	10.50
March 18	Baseball	0.75	UNM	6.00	11.25
March 18	Baseball	0.75	UNM	6.00	12.00
March 25	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	6.75	12.00
March 26	Baseball	0.75	UNM	6.75	12.75
April 8	Softball	0.75	UNM	6.75	13.50
April 22	Softball	0.75	UNM	6.75	14.75
May 3–4	Don Kirby Invitational – Women's Track & Field	1.50	UNM	6.75	16.25

Scoreboard 2008–2009

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	NMSU	UNM
Sept. 18–20	Women's Golf	1.50	UNM	0	1.50
Sept. 27	Football	3.00	UNM	0	4.50
Nov. 15	Men's Cross Country NCAA Men's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	0	6.00
Nov.15	Women's Cross Country NCAA Women's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	0	7.50
Nov. 28	Volleyball	3.00	NMSU	3.00	7.50
Dec. 4	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	9.00
Dec. 20	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	10.50
Dec 23	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	12.00
Dec 30	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	13.50
Jan. 28	Women's Swimming	1.50	NMSU	4.50	13.50
March 3	Baseball	0.75	UNM	4.50	14.25
March 8	Women's Tennis	1.50	UNM	4.50	15.75
March 10	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	5.25	15.75
March 15	Men's Tennis	1.50	UNM	5.25	17.25
March 24	Softball	0.75	NMSU	6.00	17.25
April 28	Softball	0.75	NMSU	6.75	17.25

Scoreboard 2009–2010

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	NMSU	UNM
Sept.11–12	Men's Golf	1.50	UNM	0	1.50
Sept. 14–15	Women's Golf Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic, Ft. Collins, CO	1.50	UNM	0	3.00
Sept. 26	Football	3.00	NMSU	3.00	3.00
Oct. 13	Volleyball	3.00	UNM	3.00	6.00
Nov. 14	Men's Cross Country NCAA Men's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	3.00	7.50
Nov. 14	Women's Cross Country NCAA Women's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	3.00	9.00
Nov. 14	Women's Swimming & Diving	1.50	NMSU	4.50	9.00
Nov 17	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	10.50
Dec. 2	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	12.00
Dec. 5	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	13.50
Dec. 20	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	4.50	15.00
Feb. 19	Men's Tennis	1.50	NMSU	6.00	15.00
March 2	Baseball	0.75	UNM	6.00	15.75
March 3	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	6.75	15.75
March 9	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	7.50	15.75
March 10	Baseball	0.75	UNM	7.50	16.50
March 13	Women's Tennis	1.50	NMSU	9.00	16.50
April 6	Softball	0.75	NMSU	9.75	16.50
April 20	Softball	0.75	NMSU	10.50	16.50

Scoreboard 2010–2011

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	NMSU	UNM
Sept. 3	Women's Soccer	1.50	UNM	0	1.50
Sept. 13–14	Women's Golf Ptarmigan Intercollegiate, Ft. Collins, CO	1.50	UNM	0	3.00
Sept. 14	Volleyball	3.00	UNM	0	6.00
Oct.1–2	Men's Golf	1.50	UNM	0	7.50
Oct. 9	Football	3.00	NMSU	3.00	7.50
Nov. 13	Men's Cross Country NCAA Men's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	3.00	9.00
Nov. 13	Women's Cross Country NCAA Women's Mountain Region Championship	1.50	UNM	3.00	10.50
Dec. 1	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	12.00
Dec. 4	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	13.50
Dec. 11	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	15.00
Dec. 30	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	3.00	16.50
Jan. 29	Men's Tennis	1.50	UNM	3.00	18.00
Feb. 5	Women's Swimming & Diving	1.50	NMSU	4.50	18.00
Feb. 11	Women's Tennis	1.50	NMSU	6.00	18.00
Feb. 22	Baseball	1.5	NMSU	7.50	18.00
March 8	Baseball	1.5	NMSU	9.00	18.00
April 4	Softball	0.75	UNM	9.00	18.75
April 19	Softball	0.75	NMSU	9.75	18.75

Scoreboard 2011–2012

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	NMSU	UNM
Sept. 12–13	Men's Golf Simpson Invitational, Erie, CO	1.50	UNM	0	1.50
Sept. 25	Women's Soccer	1.50	UNM	0	3.00
Oct. 1	Football	3.00	NMSU	3.00	3.00
Oct. 4	Women's Volleyball	3.00	NMSU	6.00	3.00
Nov. 12	Men's Cross Country NCAA Mountain Region Championships, Provo, UT	1.50	UNM	6.00	4.50
Nov. 12	Women's Cross Country NCAA Mountain Region Championships, Provo, UT	1.50	UNM	6.00	6.00
Nov. 16	Men's Basketball	1.50	NMSU	7.50	6.00
Dec. 4	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	7.50	7.50
Dec. 28	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	7.50	9.00
Dec. 30	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	7.50	10.50
Feb. 4	Swimming & Diving	1.50	Tie	8.25	11.25
Feb. 5–7	Women's Golf Wildcat Invitational, Tucson, AZ	1.50	UNM	8.25	12.75
Feb. 8	Men's Tennis	1.50	UNM	8.25	14.25
Mar. 6	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	9.00	14.25
Mar. 13	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	9.75	14.25
Mar. 14	Softball	0.75	NMSU	10.50	14.25
Apr.3	Baseball	0.75	NMSU	11.25	14.25
Apr. 10	Softball	0.75	NMSU	12.00	14.25
Apr. 21	Women's Tennis	1.50	NMSU	13.50	14.25
May 15	Baseball	0.75	UNM	13.50	15.00

Scoreboard 2012–2013

DATE	EVENT	Point	Win	UNM	NMSU
Sept. 10–11	Women's Golf	1.50	UNM	1.50	0.00
Sept. 16	Women's Soccer	1.50	UNM	3.00	0.00
Sept. 22	Football	3.00	UNM	6.00	0.00
Sept. 28–29	Men's Golf	1.50	UNM	7.50	0.00
Oct. 23	Volleyball	3.00	NMSU	7.50	3.00
Nov. 9	Women's Cross Country	1.50	UNM	9.00	3.00
Nov. 9	Men's Cross Country	1.50	UNM	10.50	3.00
Nov. 20	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	12.00	3.00
Dec. 15	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	13.50	3.00
Dec. 18	Women's Basketball	1.50	UNM	15.00	3.00
Dec. 19	Men's Basketball	1.50	UNM	16.50	3.00
Feb. 2	Swimming & Diving	0.75
Feb. 22	Men's Tennis	1.50
March 30	Women's Tennis	1.50
April 1	Baseball	0.75
April 16	Baseball	0.75
TBA	Softball	0.75
TBA	Softball	0.75

See also

• Most-played rivalries in NCAA Division I FBS

References

1. "New Mexico holds on to beat New Mexico State 69-67". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
2. http://www.golobos.com/ot/rg-rivalry.html
3. http://www.golobos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=26000&ATCLID=209098268