The University of New Mexico Lobos football team will have at least eight games broadcast on national television during the upcoming 2026 season, following the Mountain West Conference’s announcement of its television schedule on May 27. The schedule includes three nationally televised non-conference games and at least five conference matchups, with a possible ninth game still to be confirmed.
Seven game times have already been announced, including three home contests. The remaining three UNM home game times are expected to be released soon. Among the non-conference games selected for national coverage are the season opener against Central Michigan at home, as well as road games against Oklahoma and New Mexico State.
The Lobos will open their season against Central Michigan on FS1 with an 8 p.m. kickoff in Albuquerque. This marks UNM’s first home opener against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since facing UTEP in 2014. Their matchup with Oklahoma, which is also their first-ever meeting with the Sooners, will air on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Last year, Oklahoma finished No. 10 nationally and participated in the College Football Playoff.
UNM’s annual rivalry game against New Mexico State—the Rio Grande Rivalry—will take place on September 26 in Las Cruces and air nationally on CBS Sports Network at 1:30 p.m. It is noted as the first time this rivalry has originated from a national network broadcast since it was last shown nationally in 2011.
Home conference games set for national TV include matchups against UNLV on November 14 and Air Force on November 27 (the day after Thanksgiving), both airing on The CW network. There is also potential for Homecoming versus North Dakota State to be picked up by The CW; details are pending.
Three of four conference road games will appear nationally: October 17 at Hawai’i (on Fox or one of its affiliates), November 6 at Nevada (CBS Sports Network), and November 20 at Wyoming (FS1). Games not chosen for national broadcasts—including those hosting Mercyhurst and UTEP or visiting San Jose State—will stream via MW+, a new subscription platform set to launch in July.
