The 2023 Sul Ross State football season kicks off at Saturday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. MST in Silver City, N.M. against Western New Mexico University.

It will be a preview of things to come when the Lobos join NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference in 2024.

>> SERIES HISTORY:

The Lobos and Mustangs have met 26 times since the series began in 1926. The Lobos won the first meeting by a score of 26-0 over New Mexico State Teachers College, which later became known as Western New Mexico University in 1963.

Sul Ross State won the first nine meetings. Both teams met off and on after the 1926 contest with games being played from 1934-1935, 1947-1949 and 1960-1962.

The series then took a 21-year hiatus as it was rekindled in 1984.

Since both teams reconnected in 1984, the Mustangs are 13-3 against Sul Ross State. Western New Mexico has won the last 12 meetings, averaging 41.7 points during the span.

Sul Ross State hasn't defeated the Mustangs since 1987.

This will be the first meeting between both programs since 2012 when the Lobos and the Mustangs combined for 1,050 yards of total offense at Jackson Field.

 >> THE MUSTANGS:

Western New Mexico is coming off a successful 2022 campaign where it finished 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the Lone Star Conference.

It marked the programs best finish since going 5-5 overall in 2006.

The Mustangs also finished in a four-way tie for third place in the conference.

Last season, the Mustangs won three of their last four games which included victories over in-state rival Eastern New Mexico University and West Texas A&M.

Western New Mexico ranked sixth in the conference in total offense with 3,819 yards last fall. The Mustangs also sported the conference's best passing game as they ranked second with 2,880 yards.

>> THE LOBOS:

Sul Ross State is seeking to build off last season's 4-6 overall record, which doubled the win total from the 2021 season's 2-7 overall mark.

Last season was a step in the right direction after going 4-4 in American Southwest Conference play as Sul Ross State finished in a two-way tie for fourth place.

The Lobos had not gone .500 or better in conference play since 2016.

Sul Ross State ended the 2021 campaign winning two of its last three contests which included a victory over rival McMurry.

The Lobos sported the conference's fourth-best total offense while the passing offense was ranked third overall with 3,003 yards.

>> TRANSITION:

This will be the last season competing in NCAA Division III and the American Southwest Conference.

As a result of the reclassification, the Lobos are ineligible for the conference and NCAA championships, and Sul Ross State will not count in the 2023 conference standings.

>> TEXAS VS. NEW MEXICO:

Sul Ross State is 38-32-1 versus schools from the state of New Mexico.

The last time Sul Ross State played a school from New Mexico occurred 10 years ago when the Lobos met Eastern New Mexico University at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sul Ross State's first meeting against a New Mexico school was in 1925 against the former New Mexico A&M, which is now referred to as New Mexico State University.

GAME INFO

>> WHO: Sul Ross State at Western New Mexico University

>> WHEN: 6 p.m. MST (Saturday, Sept. 2)

>> WHERE: Ben Altamirano Field | Silver City, N.M.| Address: 1000 W. College Ave.

>> LIVE STATS: https://wnmumustangs.com/sidearmstats/football/summary

>> LIVESTREAM: https://lonestarconferencenetwork.com/wnmu/

>> RADIO: (WNMU feed) https://wnmumustangs.mixlr.com/