From faithful tailgaters to first-time fans, here's what you need to know if you're going to a UNM Lobo football game

It started more than two decades ago with the tailgating basics.

Burgers. Brats. Hot dogs. Beverage of your choice.

As the players and coaches came and went, and many fellow fans in recent years started to fade off, one rather visible group of Lobo football diehards always present in the north end zone for player celebrations and opposing team taunting has stuck it out in the stadium — not to mention tailgating outside the stadium for every home game since 2001.

The group formerly known as The Red Menace — recently they’ve had a rebrand of sorts to the North End Zone Howlers — arrives at 6 a.m. on game days and has expanded the tailgating menu to breakfast burritos cooked on multiple discadas, and maybe smoking a pork butt. The days of burgers and hot dogs were left behind a good five years ago.

“Over the course of the years, good and bad, we have really become a family,” said Louis Trujillo, known by sight and on social media by his familiar moniker “Red Sombrero.”

He says the current iteration of diehards has been going strong since 2018 and without question plan to be there early Saturday, maybe as long as 12 hours before kickoff, for another season of Lobo football as UNM hosts Tennessee Tech at 6 p.m.

But the return on emotional investment hasn’t always been there in recent years for Lobo football fans, not in terms of wins or losses, anyway.

The simple question is this: Why?

“It’s a great day when we are all able to get together. Eat, drink, be merry with our Lobo family,” Trujillo said. “... We honestly do it because we all love the Lobos and want to see them succeed so bad.”

Maybe this is the year?

Regardless, Trujillo and his crew will be there at each game, win or lose, and that includes Saturday when UNM is expecting roughly around 17,000 for their home opener against an FCS opponent (next week’s in-state rivalry showdown with New Mexico State could double that).

And when they do, they’ll have to follow these game day policies you may or may not know about, which can be reviewed in full at GoLobos.com/gameday-central.

I see you

As is the case with large sporting events almost everywhere in the country, UNM has a clear bag policy. That means purses larger than a 6.5-inch by 4.5-inch clutch-style purse are prohibited, including backpacks, normal sized purses, diaper bags, camera bags and fanny packs.

Security needs to see in your bag to get into University Stadium.

Getting in

Speaking of security, fans are asked to account for time getting into the stadium to include going through metal detectors at all entrances where you’ll be asked to empty pockets of phones, cameras, keys, coins and all other metal objects.

Weapons are, of course, prohibited at all university events.

Tickets

UNM says more than 80% of their ticketing is paperless — all done online.

On game day, fans can still purchase tickets at the Lobo ticket office on the northeast side of the Pit (across the parking lot from the football stadium) four hours before kickoff and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m; at the ticket office at the main campus bookstore on Saturdays; or at ticket windows at the stadium’s northwest and northeast entrance near gates 4 and 7 off Avenida Cesar Chavez or online/mobile at GoLobos.com/tickets.

Cheers

Alcohol is sold at University Stadium to those of legal age, but you must get your ID checked at a designated spot near Gates 1, 4, 8 or 9 where those of legal age will get a wristband required for any purchase or consumption of alcohol.

Beer and wine is located at concession stands throughout the stadium and require both the wristband and another showing of your ID.

Alcohol sales are cut off at the end of the third quarter.

Parking

Think of it as the anti-NASCAR rule of thumb.

With the heavy foot and vehicle traffic around the stadium fans can enter parking lots only with right turns. That means no turning into a parking lot with a left-handed turn that would require crossing an oncoming lane of traffic.

Plan accordingly.

Check out UNM’s parking map for where you can pay to park or where you can park if you have a pass. UNM students can park for free in designated lots (Stadium East, Pit West and STP North).

Tailgating

There are no food sales or vendors allowed in the tailgating areas (you can cook ‘em and you can share ‘em, just don’t try to sell those burgers or carnitas).

There are designated areas for RV parking, no motorized vehicles or drones are allowed, take only one parking spot (if you paid for only one) and don’t block other vehicles with your grills, lawn chairs or cornhole games.

The official pregame Albertsons HowlZone is next to the Stadium East Parking Lot and opens three and a half hours prior to kickoff. It has food for purchase, music, games for kids, Lobo merchandise for sale and is where fans can see the “Lobo Walk,” where the team walks into the stadium two and a half hours before kickoff.