The New Mexico State Aggies have added the Mercyhurst Lakers to their 2026 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the football game contract with Mercyhurst University was obtained from New Mexico State University via a state public records request.
New Mexico State will host Mercyhurst at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. The Aggies will pay the Lakers a $360,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.
New Mexico State, a member of Conference USA in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), has never squared off with Mercyhurst on the gridiron. The Lakers moved up from Division II to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) last season and now compete in the Northeast Conference (NEC).
New Mexico State was previously scheduled to host the Central Michigan Chippewas on Sept. 5, 2026, but that game was canceled last year in cooperation with the University of New Mexico. Central Michigan will now play at the New Mexico Lobos on that same date instead.
With the addition of Mercyhurst, New Mexico State now has three of its four non-conference opponents set for the 2026 season. The Aggies are scheduled to visit the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Sept. 12 and will also host the in-state rival New Mexico Lobos on a date to be announced.
Mercyhurst now has two games on its non-conference docket in 2026 with the addition of the cross-country trip to face New Mexico State. One week after traveling to Las Cruces, the Lakers will return to the state of New Mexico to play the New Mexico Lobos in Albuquerque on Sept. 12.
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