saʴýҳ

UNM FOOTBALL 

UNM announces themes for six home games

Lobos host dozens of prep recruits at prospect camp 

Keanna Fernandez, right, with UNM Athletics marketing, and others work the smoke machine as the UNM football team takes the field ahead of the Nov, 15 game against Colorado State at University Stadium.
Published

Last week, New Mexico received times and broadcast information for all 12 games this fall.

2026 SCHEDULE

Sept. 5: vs. Central Michigan (FS1, 8 p.m.)

Sept. 12: vs. Mercyhurst (MW+, TBA)

Sept. 19: at Oklahoma (ESPN2, 5:30 p.m.)

Sept. 26: at New Mexico State (CBS saʴýҳ Network, 1:30 p.m.)

Oct. 3: vs. UTEP (MW+, TBA)

Oct. 17: at Hawaii (Fox Networks, TBA)

Oct. 24: vs. North Dakota State (The CW or MW+, TBA)

Oct. 31: at San Jose State (MW+, TBA)

Nov. 6: at Nevada (CBS saʴýҳ Network, 7 p.m.)

Nov. 14: vs. UNLV (The CW, 5:30 p.m.)

Nov. 20: at Wyoming (FS1, 7 p.m.)

Nov. 27: vs. Air Force (The CW, 2:30 p.m.)

Monday, it announced themes for each of its home games.

UNM will have themes – including one unique to the program – for all six home games this fall, the program announced Monday via social media.

The home opener against Central Michigan (Sept. 5) will feature a new “Real Ones” theme, a reference to UNM’s campaign announcing returning players in football, men’s basketball and softball. Among other perks, season-ticket holders who bought “Real Ones” packages will receive Jason Eck bobbleheads at this game.

UNM will then hold Hispanic Heritage Night in conjunction with its game against UTEP (Sept. 12). Homecoming is scheduled for the Lobos’ tilt against North Dakota State (Oct. 24).

Indigenous Heritage Night is scheduled for UNM’s pivotal game against UNLV (Nov. 14). Salute to Service and Senior Day (Nov. 21) will be held for the Lobos’ game against Air Force (Nov. 21), their last of the regular season.

Promotions for each game have not been announced yet.

Times and network information were released for UNM’s 12-game slate last week. The Lobos are scheduled to appear on national television eight times in Eck’s second year with the program.

Volcano Vista’s Aurelius Wiley,, shown here during a game against Sandia last fall, is among prep players who participated in a UNM prospect camp on Saturday.

Recruiting updates

UNM held its first prospect camp of the summer Saturday, hosting dozens of prep recruits from across the country to work out with the the Lobos' staff. 

A partial list of players in attendance for Saturday’s camp, sourced through social media:

*indicates player is rated as a three-star prospect by 24/7 saʴýҳ

-ATH Jordan Noel, Sr.* (Kennedy Catholic High School, Burien, Wash.)

-CB Azavier McDaniel, Sr.* (Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas)

-QB Rohan Patel, So. (Los Lunas High School, Los Lunas)

-QB Kingston Lee, So. (Silver City High School, Silver City)

-RB Bryson Bloom, Sr. (Alamogordo High School, Alamogordo)

-WR Aurelius Wiley, Sr. (Volcano Vista High School, saʴýҳ)

-WR Ashton Stych (Notre Dame Prep High School, Scottsdale, Arizona)

-OL Braiden Villalobos, Sr. (Higley High School, Gilbert, Arizona)

-OL Elway Aiono, Sr. (Herriman High School, Herriman, Arizona)

-OL Everett Capehart, Sr. (Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado)

-TE Liam Deater, Sr. (Montrose High School, Montrose, Colorado)

-TE Cash Brewer, Jr. (La Cueva High School, saʴýҳ)

-LB Jeffery Jordan Patino, Sr. (Paraclete High School, Lancaster, Calif.)

-LB Hudson Clarksean, Sr. (Mankato West High School, Mankato, Minn.)

-LB/S Rigden Michael (American Leadership Academy, Queen Creek, Arizona)

-DL Josiah Fayne, Jr. (Eldorado High School, saʴýҳ)

-DL Ezra Epifano, Sr. (Cathedral High School, Los Angeles)

-S Darian Abella, Sr. (Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas)

-K Ryan Zima, Sr. (Chandler High School, Chandler, Arizona)

-K Marshall Carpenter, Sr. (Desert Vista High School, Phoenix)

-P/K Jolon Quintana, Sr. (Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, Colorado)

-LS Brock Brazil, Sr. (Liberty Christian High School, Argyle, Texas)

-LS Max Wiseman, Jr. (Eldorado High School, saʴýҳ)

-LS Eli Bickel, Sr. (Volcano Vista High School, saʴýҳ)

UNM’s second prospect camp of the summer is scheduled for June 12.

Off the roster

Now operating with a 105-player roster cap – not including designated student-athletes – UNM has been tasked with whittling its roster to prepare for a wave of incoming freshmen later this summer.

The list of players who have been removed from the program's roster over the last month, allowing UNM to stay close to or under that cap:

-WR Jered Rennick

-RB Ty Battle

-DB KJ Battle

-WR Miles Johnson

-DT James Marshall V

-WR Xavier Van

-CB Keith Reddix

-DL Grey Smith

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .