Robert Maler

UNM football prepares to renew Aggie rivalry

“It all probably starts this Saturday, right — for both teams. That is why it is such a big game.” That was the question and answer the University of New Mexico head football coach Bob Davie set up for himself during Tuesday’s press conference regarding the Lobo’s weekend matchup against the New Mexico State Aggies. Both schools have played their toughest opponents of the season already — with each facing a participant from last year’s College Football Playoff and losing by the same 52-point margin. UNM collected a $1.1M paycheck but suffered a 66-14 defeat at the hands of No. 7 Notre Dame. The Aggies got routed by No. 2 Alabama the previous weekend to the tune of 62-10.

UNM football handed heavy loss in South Bend

Notre Dame, the No. 7 football team in the country, hung 66 points on the Lobos Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium. Nevertheless, the final score probably isn’t indicative of how the game unfolded – especially early on. The University of New Mexico football team hung with the Fighting Irish for the better part of a quarter and a half. Saga Tuitele, who filled the role of UNM head coach in Bob Davie’s absence, said turnovers, bad angles on tackles, penalties and other miscues allowed the Fighting Irish to pull away for a lopsided 66-14 victory.

UNM prepares for Notre Dame without Davie

University of New Mexico head football coach Bob Davie won’t be making the trip to South Bend, Indiana to see the first-ever meeting between the Lobos and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, Davie made himself available to the media during Tuesday’s press conference to voice his confidence in the coaching staff and thank the first responders, nurses and doctors whom he credited for saving his life — something he and his family will always be grateful for. "I think I absolutely saw the very best of UNM," Davie said. "I think we should be so grateful — I know I am — to have a hospital like that and the kind of care I received."

Football: Bearkat aerial not enough as Lobos hang on to win opener

The University of New Mexico football team withstood a late rally to hold off Sam Houston State in its season opener on Saturday evening — leaving Dreamstyle Stadium with a 39-31 victory. Sam Houston State racked up over 550 yards of total offense — including 443 through the air — but fell short of pulling off an improbable comeback after the defense came up with a stop late in the game. The school traded punts on its opening possessions, but the Lobos got the offense going and made up for lost time — amassing 195 yards on the way to scoring 13 points in the opening quarter. New Mexico scored the first points of the season off the foot of Andrew Shelley when he booted through a 44-yard field goal on the team’s second possession. Lobo running back Ahmari Davis helped set things up after he leaked out of the backfield and caught a pass from starting quarterback Brandt Hughes, weaving his way in and out of traffic for a gain of 51 yards. UNM got into scoring range shortly thereafter when Sam Houston State was flagged for pass interference and Shelley later delivered for an early 3-0 lead.

UNM Football prepares to open season against Sam Houston State

Head football coach Bob Davie had plenty of compliments for Sam Houston State when he spoke at Tuesday's press conference in advance of Saturday's 2019 season opener. Davie, who is entering his eighth year of coaching at UNM, spoke about the Bearkats experience, a great coaching staff and the team's tradition of winning. Sam Houston State has posted a winning record in each of the last nine seasons dating back to 2009. An argument could be made that Sam Houston State has better players — something Davie mentioned on a few occasions during the conference, referencing the skill positions specifically.

Track & Field: 'Remarkable' is the expectation at UNM

As students and faculty prepare for the fall semester to begin, a lot of people might be unaware of the heights the University of New Mexico track and field team climbed to during the break. A group of women — Adva Cohen, Weini Kelati, Ednah Kurgat and Charlotte Prouse combined forces at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships to tally a school-record 27 points. The performances were enough to notch a top-10 finish overall.

Soccer: Saving soccer no longer his fight, Fishbein thankful and ready to move on

Husband. Father. Coach. Jeremy Fishbein has worn a lot of hats in lifetime. And while he will likely continue doing so, the cherry Lobo lid that he wore so prominently on game day and media day as the University of New Mexico men's soccer coach probably won't be one of them. His tenure came to an end without much fanfare. No apparent press release from the university or its athletic department thanking him or recognizing the program for its accomplishments on the way out.

Soccer: NMU standings fall after loss

New Mexico United continued to struggle in regular season play as the team dropped another tight contest on Saturday evening. United is now winless in its last five matches when it hasn't competed in the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup — the most recent defeat, a 1-0 loss to Real Monarchs. Saturday's match saw both squads encounter early scoring chances in the first half, though neither were able to convert. New Mexico missed a good opportunity in the opening minutes, but goalkeeper Cody Mizell was able to patrol the net and keep things scoreless after 45 minutes of play.

MMA: Holm goes down; Jones retains title at UFC 239

Two fighters with New Mexico ties entered the octagon at UFC 239 with aspirations of emerging with a championship belt around their waist. Jon "Bones" Jones successfully defended his Light Heavyweight Championship by earning a split decision over Thiago Santos, but Holly Holm fell short and was knocked out by defending champ Amanda Nunes in the Women's Bantamweight Championship bout. The main card was an historic one.

Sports cuts a done deal

The proposed cuts that were voted on by the University of New Mexico Board of Regents last year may have been the biggest sports story of the year in Albuquerque in 2018. Some members of the community were outraged by the decision to eliminate the four sports, questioning the fairness involved in forcing current student-athletes to make a sacrifice for problems they played no part in creating.

Markel Byrd’s 22 sits painted into the field at University Stadium. Byrd, a former UNM football player, passed away from a motor vehicle accident in late 2015.

A group of Flamenco artists perform at the El Meson restaurant Saturday night in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alisa Alba, a UNM dance instructor, puts the finishing touches on one of the dances as the rest of the ensemble cheers her on.