New Mexico Football Game Day: Feel Southwest Culture & Wind In Albuquerque

Experience a New Mexico Lobos game day with Andrew's College Football Tour and Road to CFB! Southwest flavor and intense desert weather highlight this unique sports destination.

University Stadium gazes up at the Sandia Mountains that rest on Albuquerque’s eastern edge. A bustling energy surrounds the perimeter of its walls on a New Mexico game dat. UNM fans populate its bleachers on autumn Saturdays, cheering the Lobos on to victory. It’s a festive and colorful atmosphere that plays well against the blue skies in the Land of Enchantment. 

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The Land Of Enchantment

University Stadium sits in the shadow of the Sandia Mountains. It makes for a breathtaking view sitting in the home stands. / Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

For the last seven years, travel to these games has been smooth. Too smooth, this trip decided. After connecting through Minneapolis, the three-hour flight to Albuquerque was in its final descent when the pilot crew decided to re-route to Colorado Springs due to ongoing storms. When we finally touched down – and by the time I grabbed a rideshare and got to the hotel – it was past 1:00 a.m. MT.

Albuquerque is a terrific city. It sits in the shadow of the Sandia Mountains and square in the middle of the desert Southwest. The city architecture embodies that southwest flavor with a heavy Spanish and Pueblo influence. Visit Old Town Albuquerque for local brews and food, plus an Old West town feel.

Feeling adventurous? Catch a hot air balloon tour of the region. Not a fan of heights like me? Scan the horizon for the balloons from the ground. Albuquerque is famous for the Balloon Fiesta (October), but hot air balloons litter the sky no matter the month. Frontier Restaurant offers a top-notch breakfast. I'd recommend a breakfast burrito and sweet roll (giant cinnamon bun ample for sharing).

To be candid, there's not much worth arriving to campus all that early for. Unless you have a tailgate set up, there's no reason to report more than 90 minutes prior to kickoff. This particular Saturday, UNM was in a bit of a transition. The athletic director left for Houston just weeks before and Bronco Mendenhall was about to coach his first game.

As such, there was no team walk. Pregame security was so relaxed that we were able to walk right onto the field before the gates opened.

A local tailgate participates in Everyone's A Lobo, led by Andrew and joined in by Brett. / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

Tailgating pops up around the stadium as fans emblazoned in cherry and silver rev up for game day. The marching band and spirit squad make its rounds blasting “Hail to Thee New Mexico” with an animated beat. University Stadium saw its first game action in 1960. This classic arena has maintained its vintage charm and Lobo fans make it a rowdy environment.

Everyone's a Lobo!

A rowdy Lobos student section cheers on New Mexico, up 17-0 in the first quarter. / Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

The Lobo is respected for his cunning, feared for his prowess, and is the leader of the pack.

University Stadium is the eighth-largest Group of Five stadium not primarily built for an NFL team. For 2024, UNM replaced its field turf with a colorful layout including a new turquoise accent. That blue really pops against the cherry and silver, both on the field and uniforms. In 2023, UNM debuted the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center. It's a state-of-the-art facility with a gorgeous team tunnel.

You won't find a bad seat in University Stadium. However, you might want to opt for the home stands, which offer reprieve from the desert heat with both limited shade (under the press box) and a cooling breeze. This 2:00 p.m. MT kickoff featured temperatures as high as 94º.

University Stadium / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

Concessions offer your standard stadium pricing. We tasted a local Teller Vodka lemonade, which was delicious, but set us back $38 for two 12 oz. cans and a 20% tip. To compensate, team media guides are free. I didn't have many expectations for University Stadium, but it exceeded all of them.

Pregame, the spirit band marches in its signature NM across the field to the fight song. Stadium chants were a certified mess for two reasons – 1) it was Week 0 with an unprepared and hot crowd and 2) Montana State faithful blew up every chant with their own GO CATS GO!

“Everyone’s A Lobo! Woof! Woof! Woof!” is New Mexico’s battle cry exalted in unison. Blasted from the stands, it offers a powerful message of team unity and loyalty. The Lobo nickname comes from the Spanish word for wolf. Since 1920, this moniker has defined New Mexico because as the student newspaper said at the time, “The Lobo is respected for his cunning, feared for his prowess, and is the leader of the pack.”

Signature Albuquerque Culture & Wind

Andrew and Lobo Louie / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

Since the 1960s, the costumed mascot that represents New Mexico has been Lobo Louie. This wild-eyed creature stalks the sidelines hyping up the crowd. Occasionally accompanied by Lobo Lucy, these two mascots feed the enthusiasm in the stands while instilling university fervor.

Ignited by the desert sun, the southwestern spirit heats up in Albuquerque. One of its cauldrons is University Stadium where Lobo fans howl for their team. Pride soars like the colorful hot air balloons that dot the clear New Mexican skies. Sports embrace the passion and culture of this state where everyone’s a lobo.

Citywide, the desert southwest is a staple in architecture and design. University Stadium is no exception here. This weekend was Indigenous Peoples Day and featured a halftime celebration of the native inhabitants of the area. A local tribe family performed a cultural Eagle Dance – a unique show that embodies New Mexico.

A local tribe family performs a traditional Eagle Dance at halftime / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

But all the above went by the wayside as Mother Nature decided to hijack the afternoon. Passing thunderstorms disrupted the existing heat dome in the desert valley, leading to a chaotic and sudden wind storm. Within a matter of seconds, dust and trash was kicked up and the stadium wind swirled. It was so severe that the national broadcast stopped its coverage to mention it.

Officials tried to power through, needing to call an offsides penalty, to no avail. The winds were so vicious that it blew a camera off the roof of the stadium. Thanks to a heroic cable – made out of Adamantium or something – saved the below crowd from being seriously injured from the tumbling equipment.

A HUGE GUST OF WIND JUST KNOCKED THE CAMERA OFF THE TOP OF THE STADIUM OH MY GOODNESS pic.twitter.com/KgUZw1JWAy

— Brett Gibbons (@roadtocfb) August 24, 2024

According to some New Mexico lifers behind me, the wind storms weren't uncommon in the summer. They did note, however, they appear to be getting more intense and longer in duration.

Montana State 35, New Mexico 31

New Mexico drives with the ball early in the first half. / Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

Montana State closed as the largest FCS-over-FBS favorite in history. The Bobcats kicked the game off as nearly two-touchdown favorites over the rebuilt Lobos. And New Mexico said, in the words of Michael Jordan, "I took that personally."

The Lobos came out swinging, returning a fumble for a touchdown on the opening Montana State drive. Later in the game, an aggressive UNM defense forced another fumble and returned it for a touchdown. After one quarter of play, the Lobos led 17-0 and the Bobcats looked outclassed. New Mexico came out in a new-look Slot T offense (think Wing-T but less option and a quicker tempo) out of the two-minute timeout in the first half. Montana State panicked, leading to a tricky Devon Dampier fake QB keeper for a TD.

New Mexico football helmet and sideline / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

Just before the dust storm hit, New Mexico led 31-14. In fact, they ended the third quarter leading 17 points.

And then Montana State came alive. A 93-yard rushing touchdown from Adam Jones led the Bobcats to a wild 21-point fourth quarter and a comeback victory. Montana State punched in the game-winning touchdown run with 10 seconds left on the clock.

University Stadium from the parking lot / Andrew Bauhs, College Football Tour

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