Intrastate rivalries come in many forms, and Bronco Mendenhall is well-versed in understanding the differences.
As New Mexico’s first-year head football coach, Mendenhall aims to elevate the rivalry between New Mexico and New Mexico State to the intensity of the Utah-BYU rivalry—without the negative aspects. His approach is simple: improve the Lobos’ performance.
Having served as BYU’s head coach from 2005 to 2015, Mendenhall was asked for his perspective on the BYU-Utah rivalry during his weekly press conference on Monday. While he drew comparisons, he emphasized that he wasn’t downplaying the significance of the New Mexico-New Mexico State rivalry.
So, based largely on Mendenhall’s reflections and insights, I’ll draw a comparison.
When compared to the Utah-BYU “Holy War,” the New Mexico-Lobos rivalry with New Mexico State is much more subdued—a tea party, a casual coffee meet-up, or an ice cream social in comparison.
(Am I aware of the tragic November 2022 incident where a UNM student was fatally shot by an NMSU basketball player following a fight during the Lobos-Aggies football game earlier that season? Yes, I am. But as tragic and horrible as it was, the event was tangential to the rivalry itself. Let’s move forward.)
When asked about the Utah-BYU rivalry, Mendenhall shook his head, rolled his eyes, and remarked, “Oh, crud. That’s a tough one to explain.”
But Mendenhall did his best to explain.
“My family and I,” he recalled, “we’d have a meeting, like a sit-down the Sunday before [the Cougars-Utes] game, and we’d say, ‘OK, here this comes.’
“The kids at school, my wife, Holly, in the grocery store line, getting gas—you’d brace yourself. You’d be outside during that week, mentally prepared, helmet and chin strap on.”
Now, as Mendenhall gears up for his first Lobos-Aggies game as a head coach—having previously served as UNM’s defensive coordinator from 1998-2002—he’s well-versed in the intensity of intrastate rivalries. And, he’s got the scars to show for it.
Despite his impressive 99-43 record at BYU, Mendenhall’s Cougars were just 3-7 against Utah. After BYU, he moved to Virginia, where his Cavaliers went 1-5 against Virginia Tech in his six years there.
Still, it’s important to note that Mendenhall was always battling uphill. Utah leads the all-time series against BYU 49-32 with four ties. If you exclude the Cougars’ dominant 19-2 run from 1972-92 under coach LaVell Edwards, Utah holds a commanding 47-13 edge. Similarly, Virginia Tech has a 61-38-5 advantage over Virginia, bolstered by legendary coach Frank Beamer’s success.
Yes, New Mexico State enters Saturday’s Rio Grande Rivalry with a two-game win streak, but the Lobos have historically dominated, more than doubling the Aggies’ win total (73-35-5).
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Lobos were favored by 10 points heading into the 114th edition of their rivalry on Saturday.
Both fans and alumni of the schools care about the outcome, but their investment doesn’t match that of BYU and Utah fans when their teams clash.
This isn’t basketball, after all.
Mendenhall undoubtedly wishes for more Lobo fans to be passionate and invested, but without any negative consequences. He aims to contribute by improving the Lobos’ performance starting Saturday.
His commitment is evident.
Former UNM coach Rocky Long, who brought Mendenhall to the program in 1998, was a quarterback for the Lobos. He never lost to New Mexico State, finishing with a 2-0-1 record as a player. As head coach, he lost to NMSU in his first two years before turning the tide to win 8 out of 11 matches against the Aggies. His demeanor suggested that losing to them was his least favorite outcome.
Danny Gonzales, another former Lobos player and Albuquerque native, was more outspoken about his disdain for the Aggies before the 2021 matchup.
“I don’t like those guys,” he stated prior to the game.
The Lobos won that contest but lost the next two in the series, which contributed to Gonzales’ dismissal after the 2023 season.
Mendenhall, who is neither a UNM alumnus nor an Albuquerque native, values tradition in college football. He wants to win Saturday’s game for the fans and alumni. More importantly, he wants the Lobos (0-4) to taste victory against New Mexico State.
The rivalry will manage itself.