Las Vegas, New Mexico - The Cowboys are back in historic Las Vegas for a Homecoming match-up with nationally ranked Western Colorado. Game time on Saturday is at 6:00 pm at Sanchez Family Stadium.
NMHU enters play on Saturday at 3-2 overall and 1-2 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games after dropping a 34-23 decision to South Dakota Mines last week in Rapid City.
COACH KURT TAUFA'ASAU: Kurt Taufa'asau enters his third season as head football coach at New Mexico Highlands University in 2026 after being named to the position on May 29, 2024.
Taufa'asau earned his first victory at New Mexico Highlands on October 12, 2024, guiding the Cowboys to a thrilling 33-30 Homecoming win over Chadron State at Sanchez Family Stadium.
In his second season at the helm, Taufa'asau guided the Cowboys to a 6-5 record, their highest win total since 2012. New Mexico Highlands opened the 2025 season with a 3-0 record, the program's best start since 2011. The Cowboys also defeated in-state rivals Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 2012. Running back Jeffery Jones and safety Trevor Romaldo earned All-America honors following the season, marking the program's first football All-Americans under Taufa'asau.
Prior to his arrival in Las Vegas, Taufa'asau served as head coach at New Mexico Military Institute for three seasons, compiling a 27-10 overall record and a 15-6 mark in Southwest Junior College Football Conference play. He led the Broncos to a 12-1 record and the NJCAA Division I National Championship in 2021.
A native of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Taufa'asau began his collegiate playing career at New Mexico Military Institute, earning First Team All-Western States Football League honors as a defensive lineman in 2009. He later continued his career at the University of Wyoming, where he played during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and earned a degree in sociology. Following his collegiate career, Taufa'asau spent time with the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
Taufa'asau began his coaching career in 2015 as the defensive line coach at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah. He returned to New Mexico Military Institute in 2016 in the same role and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2019 while continuing to coach the defensive line. That season, he helped guide the Broncos to the SWJCFC Championship Game, marking the program's first appearance after just four seasons in the conference.
COACH TAUFA'ASAU NMHU 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
- Defeated both Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 2012.
- Six wins were the most for the program since 2012.
- Finished No. 5 nationally in rushing offense.
- Swept the RMAC Freshman of the Year honors.
- Received a three-year contract extension following the 2025 season.
TURNAROUND: Under Coach Taufa'asau's guidance, NMHU Football improved from two wins in 2024 to six wins in 2025, the eighth-best year-over-year improvement among NCAA Division II football programs.
2026 RMAC PRESEASON POLL: New Mexico Highlands University, 6-5 overall and 4-5 in the RMAC a year ago, was picked to finish sixth in this year's poll with 31 points in voting by the conference's 10 head coaches.
Dawson Chapman and Dontaivious Nelson were named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. Chapman appeared in all 11 games last season for the Cowboys, recording 18 tackles, while Nelson was named the RMAC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
Western Colorado was tabbed for a second place fisnish behind CSU Pueblo
HOMECOMING NOTES: The Cowboys are 5-5 in their last 10 Homecoming games including an overtime win last season over South Dakota Mines.
New Mexico Highlands hosts Western Colorado for Homecoming this year, marking the first time since 2012 that the Mountaineers will provide the opposition for the Cowboys' Homecoming game (a 31-17 NMHU win).
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS: Western Colorado, ranked seventh in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25, enters play Saturday at a perfect 5-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Mountaineers beat Adams State 70-21 last Saturday evening in Alamosa.
Jas Bains is in his sixteenth season leading the Mountaineer program.
MOUNTAINEERS/COWBOYS SERIES NOTES:
Western leads the last ten games the series 8-2
Last Mountaineers win September 27, 2025, 30-3 in Gunnison
Last Cowboys win November 9, 2019, 24-22 in Gunnison
BY THE NUMBERS: Through five games NMHU Ranks
Points per game: 37.0/Game 3rd RMAC/24th NCAA
Total Offense: 448.2 yards 2nd RMAC/15th NCAA
Rushing Yards: 243.4 yards 1st RMAC/14th NCAA
Kickoff Returns 28.5 yards 1st RMAC/7th NCAA
HOMEGROWN COWBOYS: Once again this season Coach Taufa'asau and his staff diligently recruited their home state as the 2026 New Mexico Highlands football roster features over 40 players who played high school football in the state of New Mexico.
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT RIVALS: For the fourth consecutive year, the Cowboys play their two instate rivals in non-conference games.
New Mexico Highlands University announced a four-year scheduling agreement with Western New Mexico University and Eastern New Mexico earlier this year, extending both of those football series between the in-state rivals through the 2029 season.
UP NEXT: The Cowboys have a bye week next Saturday and return to action on October 10th when they travel to nationally-ranked CSU-Pueblo for a 2:00 pm game.
RMAC NETWORK: All six of the remaining games on the schedule will be broadcast on the RMAC Network with New Mexico Broadcaster of the Year Scott Galetti returning as the Voice of the Cowboys for all the games in historic Las Vegas this season. Visit RMACNetwork.com for information on purchasing a subscription so you can follow the Cowboys all season long.
SEASON TICKETS: Season and single game tickets for Cowboy football are on sale now…purchase your tickets at NMHUAthletics.com/Tickets! A limited number of tailgating passes are available for the remaining home games as well.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: NMHU is a cashless campus. All purchases must be made using debit/credit cards or mobile payment.
NMHU has implemented a strict clear bag policy for all on-campus events.
No outside food or drinks are permitted in Sanchez Family Stadium.
No pets are allowed in Sanchez Family Stadium.
