While it gets more credit as a basketball school, the New Mexico Lobos also know how to mix it up on the football field. Since it’s not the most storied program in college football history, it’s a little easier to find cheap New Mexico football tickets than most fans realize. But the Lobos have always tried to put their best foot forward and compete at a high level. In fact, many of the program’s best seasons have come during the 21st century, which is why last-minute New Mexico football tickets are always in demand and why the Lobos are a team to watch closely.

The Opening Act

While the Lobos have been playing football since 1892, New Mexico started its ascent in 1962 when head coach Bill Weeks led them into the Western Athletic Conference. The Lobos immediately won three straight WAC championships after winning just one conference championship in the previous three decades. Despite not being able to sustain that success, being in the WAC did help put New Mexico football on the map among college football programs in the midwest.

Moving Up the Mountain

Starting in the 1990s, the Lobos experienced a renaissance of sorts on the football field. Coaches like Dennis Franchione, Rocky Long, and Bob Davie all contributed to raising the profile of the program. In 1997, Franchione took New Mexico to a bowl game for the first time since 1961. Two years later, Long led the Lobos into the Mountain West Conference, solidifying their standing as an FBS program. Between 2002 and 2016, Long and Davie also combined to lead New Mexico to seven more bowl games, making the Lobos a competitive member of the Mountain West Conference and showing what New Mexico football is capable of achieving.