The Rio Grande Rivalry

New Mexico vs. New Mexico State

92 of their 116 meetings are on file: they first met in 1894, and the earliest on file is 1931; officially, New Mexico leads 76–⁠35–⁠5; as played, 66–⁠24–⁠2 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s New Mexico 6–⁠4, and New Mexico has won the last 3. The winner takes home the Roaster, played for since 2025. New Mexico has held it since the 2025 game. The official count covers every meeting. Share

Official series: New Mexico leads 76–⁠35–⁠5
New Mexico wins on file: 66
New Mexico State wins on file: 24
Ties: 2
Earliest on file: 1931 first met 1894
Longest streak: 18 New Mexico
Current streak: 3 New Mexico
Last 10 meetings: New Mexico 6–⁠4
Most recent: 2026

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
	’0	’1	’2	’3	’4	’5	’6	’7	’8	’9	W–L
1930s											4–⁠4–⁠1
1940s											7–⁠0
1950s											9–⁠1
1960s											4–⁠6
1970s											8–⁠1–⁠1
1980s											9–⁠1
1990s											7–⁠3
2000s											8–⁠2
2010s											6–⁠4
2020s											4–⁠2

Average margin: 16.4 points; 33 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At New Mexico: 37–⁠12–⁠2 New Mexico’s record at home
At New Mexico State: 12–⁠29 New Mexico State’s record at home
Shutouts: 10

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

The Roaster

Played for since: 2025
Held by: New Mexico since the 2025 game
Games for it on file: 2 New Mexico State 0, New Mexico 2

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting since 2025 (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Roaster.

Games that tell the story

New Mexico’s biggest win1948: New Mexico 61, New Mexico State 0by 61 points
New Mexico State’s biggest win1967: New Mexico State 54, New Mexico 7by 47 points
Upset1976: New Mexico State 16, New Mexico 7New Mexico State had a 18% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
Upset2017: New Mexico State 30, New Mexico 28New Mexico State had a 20% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
Upset1998: New Mexico State 28, New Mexico 27New Mexico State had a 23% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

Years	New Mexico	Series	New Mexico State
1931–⁠1933	Chuck Riley	1–⁠1–⁠1	Gerald Hines
1934–⁠1936	Gwinn Henry	1–⁠2	Gerald Hines
1937–⁠1939	Ted Shipkey	2–⁠1	Gerald Hines
1960–⁠1967	Bill Weeks	3–⁠5	Warren Woodson
1968–⁠1972	Rudy Feldman	3–⁠1–⁠1	Jim Wood
1974–⁠1977	Bill Mondt	3–⁠1	Jim Bradley
1980–⁠1982	Joe Morrison	3–⁠0	Gil Krueger
1983–⁠1985	Joe Lee Dunn	3–⁠0	Fred Zechman
1987–⁠1989	Mike Sheppard	2–⁠1	Mike Knoll
1992–⁠1996	Dennis Franchione	4–⁠1	Jim Hess
1998–⁠2004	Rocky Long	4–⁠3	Tony Samuel
2005–⁠2008	Rocky Long	4–⁠0	Hal Mumme
2013–⁠2019	Bob Davie	5–⁠2	Doug Martin

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from New Mexico’s side (Riley 1–⁠1–⁠1 against Hines). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Chase Holbrook New Mexico State	37 of 56, 472 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT	2006 Passing
Tyler Rogers New Mexico State	34 of 57, 401 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT	2017 Passing
Larry Rose III New Mexico State	21 carries, 260 yards, 3 TD	2015 Rushing
Javahn Fergurson New Mexico State	22 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 for loss	2018 Defense
Marcus Smith New Mexico	5 catches, 179 yards, 3 TD	2006 Receiving

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

Every game

Sep 26, 2026	New Mexico 42, New Mexico State 18	at New Mexico State
Sep 27, 2025	New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 20	at New Mexico
Sep 28, 2024	New Mexico 50, New Mexico State 40	at New Mexico State
Sep 16, 2023	New Mexico State 27, New Mexico 17	at New Mexico
Oct 15, 2022	New Mexico State 21, New Mexico 9	at New Mexico State
Sep 11, 2021	New Mexico 34, New Mexico State 25	at New Mexico
Sep 21, 2019	New Mexico 55, New Mexico State 52	at New Mexico
Sep 15, 2018	New Mexico 42, New Mexico State 25	at New Mexico State
Sep 9, 2017	New Mexico State 30, New Mexico 28	at New Mexico
Sep 10, 2016	New Mexico State 32, New Mexico 31	at New Mexico State
Oct 3, 2015	New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 29	at New Mexico
Sep 20, 2014	New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 35	at New Mexico State
Oct 5, 2013	New Mexico 66, New Mexico State 17	at New Mexico
Sep 22, 2012	New Mexico 27, New Mexico State 14	at New Mexico State
Oct 1, 2011	New Mexico State 42, New Mexico 28	at New Mexico
Oct 9, 2010	New Mexico State 16, New Mexico 14	at New Mexico State
Sep 26, 2009	New Mexico State 20, New Mexico 17	at New Mexico
Sep 27, 2008	New Mexico 35, New Mexico State 24	at New Mexico State
Sep 8, 2007	New Mexico 44, New Mexico State 34	at New Mexico
Sep 9, 2006	New Mexico 34, New Mexico State 28	at New Mexico State
Sep 17, 2005	New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 21	at New Mexico
Sep 25, 2004	New Mexico 38, New Mexico State 3	at New Mexico State
Sep 27, 2003	New Mexico 24, New Mexico State 17	at New Mexico
Sep 21, 2002	New Mexico State 24, New Mexico 13	at New Mexico State
Nov 24, 2001	New Mexico 53, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico
Sep 16, 2000	New Mexico 16, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico State
Sep 11, 1999	New Mexico State 35, New Mexico 28	at New Mexico
Sep 19, 1998	New Mexico State 28, New Mexico 27	at New Mexico State
Sep 6, 1997	New Mexico 61, New Mexico State 24	at New Mexico
Aug 29, 1996	New Mexico 28, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico State
Sep 23, 1995	New Mexico 36, New Mexico State 24	at New Mexico
Oct 22, 1994	New Mexico 56, New Mexico State 31	at New Mexico State
Sep 25, 1993	New Mexico 42, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico
Sep 12, 1992	New Mexico State 42, New Mexico 39	at New Mexico State
Sep 28, 1991	New Mexico 17, New Mexico State 10	at New Mexico
Sep 1, 1990	New Mexico 29, New Mexico State 12	at New Mexico State
Sep 9, 1989	New Mexico 45, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico
Sep 10, 1988	New Mexico 36, New Mexico State 34	at New Mexico State
Sep 12, 1987	New Mexico State 17, New Mexico 14	at New Mexico State
Oct 25, 1986	New Mexico 45, New Mexico State 14	at New Mexico
Sep 14, 1985	New Mexico 34, New Mexico State 27	at New Mexico State
Sep 8, 1984	New Mexico 61, New Mexico State 21	at New Mexico
Sep 24, 1983	New Mexico 31, New Mexico State 10	at New Mexico State
Oct 23, 1982	New Mexico 66, New Mexico State 14	at New Mexico
Oct 24, 1981	New Mexico 17, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico State
Sep 27, 1980	New Mexico 52, New Mexico State 19	at New Mexico
Sep 29, 1979	New Mexico 30, New Mexico State 16	at New Mexico State
Oct 21, 1978	New Mexico 35, New Mexico State 20	at New Mexico
Oct 29, 1977	New Mexico 35, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico State
Oct 30, 1976	New Mexico State 16, New Mexico 7	at New Mexico
Nov 22, 1975	New Mexico 52, New Mexico State 28	at New Mexico State
Nov 2, 1974	New Mexico 26, New Mexico State 24	at New Mexico
Sep 15, 1973	New Mexico 48, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico
Sep 16, 1972	New Mexico 55, New Mexico State 20	at New Mexico
Oct 9, 1971	New Mexico 35, New Mexico State 35	at New Mexico
Oct 17, 1970	New Mexico 24, New Mexico State 17	at New Mexico
Nov 22, 1969	New Mexico 24, New Mexico State 21	at New Mexico State
Nov 16, 1968	New Mexico State 33, New Mexico 6	at New Mexico
Nov 18, 1967	New Mexico State 54, New Mexico 7	at New Mexico
Nov 12, 1966	New Mexico State 47, New Mexico 12	at New Mexico
Nov 13, 1965	New Mexico State 20, New Mexico 6	at New Mexico State
Oct 24, 1964	New Mexico 18, New Mexico State 14	at New Mexico
Oct 19, 1963	New Mexico State 13, New Mexico 12	at New Mexico State
Sep 15, 1962	New Mexico 28, New Mexico State 17	at New Mexico
Sep 23, 1961	New Mexico 41, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico
Oct 8, 1960	New Mexico State 34, New Mexico 0	at New Mexico
Sep 19, 1959	New Mexico State 29, New Mexico 12	at New Mexico
Sep 20, 1958	New Mexico 16, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico State
Sep 21, 1957	New Mexico 25, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico
Sep 22, 1956	New Mexico 14, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico State
Sep 17, 1955	New Mexico 14, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico
Nov 20, 1954	New Mexico 39, New Mexico State 27	at New Mexico
Nov 7, 1953	New Mexico 28, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico State
Oct 4, 1952	New Mexico 23, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico
Oct 6, 1951	New Mexico 20, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico State
Oct 7, 1950	New Mexico 26, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico
Sep 30, 1949	New Mexico 14, New Mexico State 13	at New Mexico State
Oct 9, 1948	New Mexico 61, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico
Oct 11, 1947	New Mexico 20, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico
Oct 12, 1946	New Mexico 7, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico State
Oct 10, 1942	New Mexico 32, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico
Nov 8, 1941	New Mexico 28, New Mexico State 0	at New Mexico State
Nov 9, 1940	New Mexico 39, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico
Nov 10, 1939	New Mexico 9, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico State
Nov 12, 1938	New Mexico 6, New Mexico State 2	at New Mexico
Oct 8, 1937	New Mexico State 5, New Mexico 0	at New Mexico State
Nov 14, 1936	New Mexico State 7, New Mexico 6	at New Mexico
Nov 11, 1935	New Mexico State 32, New Mexico 0	at New Mexico State
Nov 17, 1934	New Mexico 12, New Mexico State 6	at New Mexico
Nov 18, 1933	New Mexico 14, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico State
Oct 22, 1932	New Mexico 7, New Mexico State 7	at New Mexico
Nov 7, 1931	New Mexico State 13, New Mexico 6	at New Mexico State

Every game is listed as played on the field.