What Is 2010 New Mexico Lobos football team

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2010 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS season, finishing with a 3–9 overall record under head coach Mike Locksley. The team played its home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque and competed in the Mountain West Conference.

Key Facts

The 2010 New Mexico Lobos finished the season with a 3–9 overall record.
Head coach Mike Locksley was fired after the season following a 2–26 record over three years.
The team played home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
They competed in the Mountain West Conference and went 2–5 in conference play.
Quarterback D.J. Ware started most games and threw for 1,716 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Overview

The 2010 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico during the NCAA Division I FBS football season. Competing in the Mountain West Conference, the Lobos struggled to find consistency under head coach Mike Locksley, who was in his third and final season.

Playing their home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, the team finished with a 3–9 overall record and a 2–5 mark in conference play. Despite flashes of potential, particularly on offense, the Lobos failed to build momentum and were outscored in most of their games.

Record: The Lobos finished the 2010 season with a 3–9 overall record and 2–5 in Mountain West Conference play, placing them near the bottom of the conference standings.
Head coach:Mike Locksley served as head coach for the third consecutive year and was dismissed after the season due to poor performance and a 2–26 record over three seasons.
Home stadium: The team played its home games at University Stadium, a 39,531-seat venue located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Offensive leader: Quarterback D.J. Ware started most games, throwing for 1,716 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on the season.
Defensive struggles: The Lobos' defense allowed an average of 35.3 points per game, one of the worst in the FBS, contributing heavily to their losing record.

Season Performance and Key Games

The 2010 campaign was marked by close losses and missed opportunities, with the Lobos losing five games by a touchdown or less. Their offensive inefficiency and defensive vulnerabilities were evident throughout the season.

Season opener: The Lobos opened with a 31–28 loss to Sam Houston State, a FCS team, which immediately raised concerns about their competitiveness.
First win: New Mexico secured its first victory on September 18 with a 35–34 win over Louisiana, a game decided by a last-second field goal.
Conference play: In Mountain West action, the Lobos defeated San Diego State 34–31 in October, one of only two conference wins during Locksley’s tenure.
Blowout loss: The team suffered a 52–14 defeat to BYU in November, highlighting the gap between them and the conference’s top teams.
Final game: The season ended with a 38–31 loss to Colorado State, marking the third consecutive year the Lobos failed to reach a bowl game.

Comparison at a Glance

The 2010 Lobos are compared below to the previous and following seasons to illustrate performance trends and coaching transitions.

Season	Overall Record	Conference Record	Head Coach	Key Statistic
2008	5–7	3–5	Mike Locksley	First season under Locksley; 5 wins
2009	3–9	1–7	Mike Locksley	Averaged 23.8 points per game
2010	3–9	2–5	Mike Locksley	Allowed 35.3 PPG
2011	4–8	3–5	Mike Locksley (fired), then interim staff	Paul Weir served as interim for final games
2012	4–8	3–5	Bob Davie	Davie hired in December 2011

This table shows a consistent lack of improvement during Locksley’s tenure, culminating in his dismissal after 2010. While the 2010 team improved slightly in conference play compared to 2009, the overall performance remained subpar, and fan frustration peaked. The hiring of Bob Davie in 2012 marked a new era for the program after years of instability.

Why It Matters

The 2010 season was a turning point for New Mexico football, symbolizing the end of a disappointing coaching era and the beginning of a rebuilding phase. Despite on-field struggles, it set the stage for future changes in leadership and program direction.

Coaching change: Mike Locksley’s firing after a 2–26 record over three years led to a search for a new head coach, ultimately resulting in Bob Davie’s hiring in 2012.
Recruiting impact: The poor performance affected recruiting, with fewer top New Mexico and regional prospects committing to the program in subsequent years.
Fan engagement: Attendance at University Stadium declined due to losing seasons, with the 2010 average below 25,000 per game.
Conference competitiveness: The Lobos’ struggles highlighted the challenges of competing in the Mountain West, especially against powerhouses like TCU and BYU.
Program evaluation: The athletic department conducted a review of football operations, leading to changes in support staff and player development resources.
Historical context: The 2010 season is remembered as one of the low points in modern Lobos history, preceding a slow but eventual rebuild under new leadership.

The 2010 New Mexico Lobos football team, while not successful on the scoreboard, played a crucial role in prompting necessary changes within the program. Their struggles underscored the importance of leadership stability and investment in college football, ultimately shaping the path forward for Lobos football in the 2010s.