New Mexico adds Idaho State to 2025 football schedule

By Kevin Kelley -

The New Mexico Lobos have added the Idaho State Bengals to their 2025 football schedule, the school announced on Thursday.

New Mexico will host Idaho State at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. The Lobos will pay the Bengals a $375,000 guarantee for the game, according to a copy of the contract obtained from the University of New Mexico.

The two schools were scheduled to meet last season in Albuquerque on Sept. 5, but the game was canceled due to the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The contract for the 2025 contest supersedes the contract for the 2020 game, which has been mutually terminated.

New Mexico and Idaho State have met three times on the gridiron. In their most recent meeting in 1998, the Lobos defeated the Bengals 38-9 to extend their lead in the overall series to 3-0.

Idaho State is a member of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Bengals are scheduled to play their postponed fall 2020 season this spring beginning on Saturday, Feb. 27 at home against Weber State.

With the addition of Idaho State, New Mexico now has three non-conference opponents scheduled for the 2025 season. The Lobos are also scheduled to travel to take on the UCLA Bruins on Sept. 13 and will host the in-state rival New Mexico State Aggies on a date to be determined.

Idaho State now has two scheduled non-conference opponents in 2025. One week after playing at New Mexico, the Bengals are slated to face the Dixie State Trailblazers on the road on Sept. 13.

New Mexico Lobos