The University of New Mexico's football team is ranked for the first time in its history, and tonight they are set to play their first game as a ranked member against Nevada. A proud basketball program, reaching the Sweet Sixteen in 1968 and 1974, New Mexico football has been mediocre at best throughout most of its history, despite producing legendary linebacker Brian Urlacher. They won the Western Athletic Conference 3 times in a row in the 1960s, but in their 30 years in the Mountain West Conference, they have never won it. But after a 9-win season last year and a 7-1 start this year, things are looking up for them in the first two years under Jason Eck, who nearly quit coaching around 13 years ago. He was fired from Western Illinois, and applied to a job selling artificial turf. He did not get that job and thought about quitting football. He stayed, and after bouncing around schools being a position coach, he was hired as the head coach of Idaho University in 2022, and led them to 3 straight FCS playoff appearances. In 2025 he was hired by New Mexico, and the rest is history. Now he is leading the Lobos to their first ever AP ranking. How long will it last?
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