For college basketball fans in the Land of Enchantment, the Rio Grande Rivalry between New Mexico and New Mexico State will remain a single-game showdown for at least the next two seasons. According to a report from the Albuquerque Journal's Geoff Grammer, the Lobos and Aggies have locked in their annual clash—once per year—through 2027.

The 2026 edition will tip off in Albuquerque, while the 2027 game heads to Las Cruces. Specific dates are still to be announced, but the tradition of this in-state battle continues, even if the frequency has changed.

For nearly all of its history, this non-conference rivalry was a rare two-game affair each season. That longstanding format shifted in 2024 when former athletic directors Eddie Nuñez (UNM) and Mario Moccia (NM State) agreed to a single meeting. The Lobos hosted in 2024, and the Aggies returned the favor in 2025.

There was some hope of restoring the two-game model. Last year, former Aggies acting AD Amber Burdge expressed mutual interest in a doubleheader, especially after discussing it with then-Lobos AD Fernando Lovo. But with both administrators now gone—Burdge didn't land the permanent role, and Lovo left for Colorado—the topic was tabled. The expectation is that both schools will revisit the possibility of a home-and-home series after the 2027-28 season.

One key factor in keeping it a one-game affair? The head coaches. Neither NM State's Jason Hooten nor former UNM coach Richard Pitino pushed for a return to two games when the original agreement was made in 2024. While Hooten prefers the current setup, he's made it clear he'll back whatever the athletic directors decide. "If (Aggies AD Joe Fields) feels like this is something that we need to do twice, then I'm going to be all on board with whatever he wants," Hooten said.

For now, fans will have to savor the single serving of this fierce rivalry. But as college basketball schedules evolve, the door remains open for a future where the Lobos and Aggies face off twice a year once again.