New Mexico, San Diego State Meet With MW Football Championship Ramifications on the Line
New Mexico head coach Jason Eck shouts on the sideline during the UNLV game on Nov. 1, 2025. Photo: Chris Rodarte/Game Pass Media
Welcome to the first Rocky Long Bowl on Black Friday afternoon at University Stadium.
The former football coach at both the University of New Mexico and San Diego State should be in championship utopia as the Lobos (8-3, 5-2 Mountain West) entertain the league-leading Aztecs (9-2, 6-1) in a game that will impact the Dec. 6 MW Championship Game.
Long coached 11 years at New Mexico (1998-2008) and ranks as the winningest coaching in school history with a 65-69 record. He coached nine years at San Diego State (2011-2019), ranking No. 2 to Don Coryell for wins, compiling an 81-38 record.
A win today would give the Aztecs the regular-season crown and make them hosts of next week’s title game and all but eliminate New Mexico. A Lobos victory, however, would open a Pandora's box of possibilities among four schools – UNM, SDSU, Boise State and UNLV.
UNM and Boise State wins Friday (the Broncos are at Utah State) and a UNLV win Saturday at in-state rival Nevada creates a four-way tie among the conference leaders at 6-2. Computer national rankings among the schools would determine the two schools playing next week for the league crown.
The Lobos enter the weekend ranked lowest among the four teams in the composite computer rankings.
1. A UNM win partnered with a UNLV win and a Boise State loss would set the MW Championship game in Albuquerque, and the Lobos would host the better team in the composite computer rankings among the Rebels and Aztecs.
2. A UNM win partnered with a Boise State win and a UNLV loss sends the three-way tie among the Lobos, Broncos and Aztecs to the computers.
3. A UNM win and Boise State and UNLV losses create a rematch between the Lobos and Aztecs for the title next week at University Stadium.
The Lobos look to finish the regular season 6-0 at home for the first time since 1938 and could have a chance to go 7-0 for the first time ever if things fall right for them.
It’s also rumored that if Lobo fans say Rocky Long’s name three times, that third scenario will come true.
“You’re playing for an opportunity to be in the conference championship game,” first-year UNM coach Jason Eck said. “Obviously, there are some things we can’t control. The key for us is we’ve got to win the game to get to 6-2 and be 9-3 (overall), which I think would be a great achievement. Then, however, the chips fall in the games we can’t control.”
The origin of the Aztecs’ rise to MW prominence comes from a seemingly unassuming night at University Stadium on Oct. 18, 2008.
The Long-led Lobos obliterated SDSU 70-7, sealing the fate of then-SDSU coach Chuck Long (no relation).
Ironically, that was also Rocky’s last victory as UNM coach. The Lobos lost their last four games that season, finished 4-8, and behind-the-scenes tensions between Long and then-athletic director Paul Krebs led to the coach’s ouster. Long went to SDSU as defensive coordinator under coach Brady Hoke in 2009.
When Hoke took over at Michigan in 2011, Long assumed reins of the Aztecs and won three titles there. Hoke returned after Long stepped down and won another title.
Sean Lewis is in his second year at SDSU and has kept the same winning formula that has worked the past 15 years.
He’s engineered a six-game improvement from his first year, thanks to a defense that is No. 2 in the nation in scoring (11.64 points per game) and No. 6 in yards allowed (262.91 per game).
“They’re not looking to win games 40-35 like we did against UNLV,” Eck said of the matchup against the Aztecs defense. “They love winning 17-7 against Boise (State) and playing a game like that. We’ve got to find a way to consistently move the ball against them.
“Anytime you have a game like this between two really good defenses, the defense that can set up points for the offense with turnovers – that will be huge in this game. We have to take care of the ball.”
UNM’s defense also has been lights out, especially the last two weeks against Colorado State (17 points and 13 rushing yards allowed, four turnovers forced) and Air Force (three points and 161 total yards allowed, two turnovers forced).
The Lobos are also 3-0this season with a 15.3-point average margin of victory when they turn the ball over one time or less this season.
Making the Rocky Long Bowl as impactful as any game in recent UNM history.
“It's the biggest one in my history (as Lobo coach),” Eck said. “Certainly, you have a chance to be undefeated at home. I envisioned us playing games like this here at University Stadium; I didn’t know how fast it would happen. I credit our players for having the urgency to getting things done that it’s happening here in our first year.”
