UNM, New Mexico State to play their 2023 football openers on ESPN
May 31—The world likely doesn't regard the Land of Enchantment as college football country.
But that same world gets to watch the state's two major programs open their 2023 schedules on ESPN.
That's ESPN, the big boy.
Coach Danny Gonzales' New Mexico Lobos open at Texas A&M on ESPN at 5 p.m. on Sept. 2, the first big Saturday of the 2023 season. UNM's Wednesday announcement came on the heels of all the Power Five and Group of Five leagues in concert announcing their TV schedules.
One week earlier, New Mexico State gets its ESPN exposure — a "Week Zero" matchup on Aug. 26 at Aggie Memorial Stadium vs. UMass. Under second-year coach Jerry Kill, it will be will be just the 11th time in program history that a home football game will air nationally on one of the ESPN linear networks. However, it also will be the second consecutive Aggies game airing on ESPN after their Quick Lane Bowl victory over Bowling Green in Detroit last December.
Most of UNM's TV assignments and TV-dictated start times are yet to come. Most notable among them is the Sept. 16 home game against New Mexico State. NMSU has more clarity, with an ESPN2-televised game at UTEP on Oct. 18, three games on CBS Sports Network, and two games to stream on ESPN+ already assigned.
All other games designated for ESPN platforms and Fox Sports platforms (Fox, FS1 or FS2) are subject to a 12-day selection window, meaning their kickoff times are subject to change based upon television placement as late as 12 days before scheduled date.
But the Lobos at least know they'll have two games to air on CBS Sports Network and two on the Fox platform. And their Nov. 24 Black Friday regular season finale here vs. Utah State, airing on CBSSN, will be the lone college football game in that time slot, UNM says.
There will be one major difference between the Lobos' schedule and the Aggies'. UNM's schedule is all Saturdays except the season finale. New Mexico State, entering its first season in Conference USA, will play all midweek games in October, three of which will air on CBSSN and the ESPN2-aired UTEP game.
NEW MEXICO BOWL: Also announced on Wednesday was the date (Saturday, Dec. 16) and kickoff time (3:45 p.m.) for the 18th New Mexico Bowl, also to air on ESPN. It is slated to feature a Mountain West Conference team against an opponent from either Conference USA, the American Athletic, Sun Belt or Mid-American conferences.
(Home games in bold)
NEW MEXICO
Date Opponent TV Time
Sept. 2 at Texas A&M ESPN 5 p.m.
Sept. 9 Tennessee Tech TBA TBA
Sept. 16 New Mexico St. TBA TBA
Sept. 23 at UMass TBA TBA
Sept. 30 at Wyoming * TBA TBA
Oct. 14 San Jose State* TBA TBA
Oct. 21 Hawaii* TBA TBA
Oct. 28 at Nevada* TBA TBA
Nov. 4 UNLV* TBA TBA
Nov. 11 at Boise St.* TBA TBA
Nov. 18 at Fresno St.* Fox platform TBA
Nov. 24 Utah State* CBSSN 1:30 p.m.
* Mountain West games
(Home games in bold)
NEW MEXICO STATE
Date Opponent TV Time
Aug. 26 UMass ESPN 5 p.m.
Sept. 2 Western Illinois ESPN+ 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Liberty* ESPN+ 4 p.m.
Sept. 16 at New Mexico TBA TBA
Sept. 23 at Hawaii TBA TBA
Oct. 4 Florida Int'l.* CBSSN 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 Sam Houston* CBSSN 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 at UTEP* ESPN2 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 at Louisiana Tech* CBSSN 5 p.m.
Nov. 4 Middle Tennessee* ESPN platform 4 p.m.
Nov. 11 at Western Kentucky* ESPN platform 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 18 at Auburn TBA TBA
Nov. 25 Jacksonville St.* ESPN platform 2 p.m.
* Conference USA games
