The UTEP-New Mexico State football Battle of I-10 is scheduled to take a break in 2026, according to sources in the UTEP athletic department.
Both schools have made clear their commitment to keeping the rivalry in the future. UTEP coach Scotty Walden has expressed a desire to play on Thanksgiving weekend every year, but when UTEP announced its move to the Mountain West last fall, the Miners’ 2026 non-conference schedule was largely set.
The schools are working on hosting the event in 2027, but the date hasn’t been set yet.
UTEP and NMSU first played in 1914 and have played 104 times. The last time they didn’t play was in 2020 when NMSU suspended its program because of COVID. Before that, the schools didn’t play each other in football in 2003.
So far, UTEP has confirmed 2026 games at Oklahoma (Sept. 5), at home against Texas Southern (Sept. 12), and at Michigan (Sept. 19), which likely leaves them looking for one more game, depending on their first Mountain West schedule.
In 2026, New Mexico State has a game at Hawaii (Sept. 12) and a TBA game against the University of New Mexico, an annual rivalry game for the Aggies.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP-NMSU football Battle of I-10 to take hiatus in 2026 because of scheduling conflicts
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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