LAS CRUCES – According to Stadium reporter Brett McMurphy, the Mountain West Conference will be the second Group of 5 football conference to cancel fall football. 

“Mountain West cancels fall football season because of COVID player health & safety concerns, sources told @Stadium. League will consider playing in spring” McMurphy posted on Twitter. 

The Mountain West made an official announcement on Monday. 

“The Mountain West will begin to explore the feasibility of rescheduling fall sports competition, including the possibility of those sports competing in the spring, and develop options for consideration,” according to a statement released by the league. 

The New Mexico State football team will lose three games as a result, with the rest of fall sports to be determined when the Western Athletic Conferences makes an announcement regarding fall sports. 

The Aggies would appear to be down to five games after losing a home game against rival New Mexico on Sept. 19 and road games at Hawaii (Oct. 10) and Fresno State (October 17). 

It will be the first time the Aggies and Lobos have not played in football since 1945.

The Aggies were believed to be considered in the league schedule plus two announced by the Mountain West. 

NM State was in talks with additional Mountain West programs to replace previously cancelled games.

The Aggies currently have five games scheduled with a September 3 season opener against Conference USA opponent Alabama Birmingham. The Aggies have home games against Texas State and Louisiana from the Sun Belt and road games at UTEP and fellow independent UMass remaining on the schedule. 

The Mountain West’s announcement would also cancel likely New Mexico State competitions in the sports of women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, cross country and volleyball.