Rio Grande Rivalry: Lobos will face off against the Aggies Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico’s two biggest college football teams are going head-to-head in Albuquerque Saturday night. UNM officials say they are expecting close to 30,000 fans at the UNM vs. NMSU game.

"I’m excited, we all are excited,” said UNM Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez. “The team is ready to get after it. I think they’d play tonight if they could."

Nuñez said last week’s home game was a learning experience. They have made some changes and are now better prepared to accommodate more fans.

"We had to understand things weren’t going to be perfect, so we’ve adjusted certain things,” he said. “We’ve added more individuals to the concession stands.”

Nuñez said the team has also been preparing for the big game by learning what it means to the community and how important it is to New Mexicans cheering on both sides. He added that this popular event is something everyone in our state benefits from.

"We want the economy to be able to build from it, restaurants, hotels,” Nuñez said. “We’re talking about 30,000 potentially here tomorrow. That’s huge for our economy, for our community, and to have us all here supporting New Mexico community. This is what it’s about."

You can buy tickets for Saturday night’s game by clicking here. UNM officials want to remind those who attend that they have a clear bag policy and parking is cashless.