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NMSU, UTEP football will not meet in 2026
New Mexico State running back Monte Watkins (8) is slowed by UTEP cornerback Trez Moore (9) during an NCAA football game on Oct. 18, 2023 in El Paso, Texas.
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Rivals New Mexico State and UTEP will not play each other in football in 2026, an NMSU spokesperson confirmed to the Journal on Monday night.
The Battle of I-10 is expected to miss at least a year with UTEP leaving Conference USA for the Mountain West at the start of the 2026-27 academic year. It is unclear when the rivalry will return; NMSU's nonconference schedule is already booked in 2027.
In 2025, the rivals play Nov. 22 in El Paso.
The rivalry will not be affected in other sports, like basketball, KTSM 9 News' Sam Guzman reported Monday night.
I want to reiterate that this is just for football.
— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) July 15, 2025
I've been told by university officials that the Battle of I-10 rivalry should still be on in 2026 for other sports. https://t.co/dVkzmix8Nm
The football rivalry between NMSU and UTEP was most recently interrupted in 2003. The Miners lead the Aggies 60-39-2 in a series that dates back to 1914.
