The New Mexico Lobos have added the Mercyhurst Lakers to their 2026 football schedule, the school announced Monday.
New Mexico will host Mercyhurst at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. The Lobos will pay the Lakers a $350,000 guarantee for the contest, according to a copy of the contract obtained from the University of New Mexico (UNM).
The contract also contains a stipulation that says if the Mountain West Conference schedules New Mexico to play an away game outside the continental United States in 2026, UNM has the sole authority to reschedule the game for Week Zero. That likely involves the possibility of New Mexico playing at Hawaii that season.
Mercyhurst is a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC) in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Lakers moved up to the FCS in 2024 and played four conference opponents, but the games did not count in the official conference standings for the Lakers.
New Mexico now has three of its four non-conference opponents lined up for 2026 with the addition of Mercyhurst. The Lobos are also scheduled to visit the Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 19 and the New Mexico State Aggies on a date to be determined.
Mountain West opponents for New Mexico in 2026 will include Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern Illinois, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP, and Wyoming.
The Lobos are the first announced non-conference opponent for Mercyhurst for the 2026 season.
New Mexico is also Mercyhurst’s first scheduled contest against an opponent from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Football Schedules
Is this the beginning of scheduling many FBS opponents for Mercyhurst like how LIU is doing?
If so, sign me up for Mercyhurst vs TCU or Mercyhurst vs Arizona lol
If so, sign me up for Mercyhurst vs Northwestern or Mercyhurst vs Illinois would not mind.
Mercyhurst vs. Pitt! The Battle of I-79!
What a joke!!