Las Vegas, New Mexico - The Cowboys play their first home RMAC game of the season Saturday, hosting Black Hills State in a 12:00 p.m. contest.
New Mexico Highlands enters Saturday's game with a 2-1 record after dropping a 31-28 overtime decision at Fort Lewis College last week.
The NMHU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will host a clothing drive benefiting Locker 505 during Saturday's game. Members of SAAC will be stationed at the north and south entrances to collect donations.
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
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Defeated both Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 2012.
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Six wins were the most for the program since 2012.
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Finished No. 5 nationally in rushing offense.
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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.
The Yellow Jackets were tabbed for an eighth pace finish in the poll just behind South Dakota Mines.
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS: Black Hills State, among the teams receiving votes in this week's AFCA Division II poll, comes to historic Las Vegas with an overall 3-0 record and a 1-0 mark in the RMAC. The Yellow Jackets defeated Adams State 44-8 in Spearfish last Saturday to open conference play.
Coach Josh Breske is in his seventh season at Black Hills State.
YELLOW JACKETS/COWBOYS SERIES NOTES:
Black Hills State leads the series 5-8
Last Yellow Jackets win November 15, 2025, 55-28 in Spearfish
Last Cowboys win October 8, 2022, 30-28 in Las Vegas
New Mexico Highlands won the first meeting 46-31 in 2012
BY THE NUMBERS: Through three games NMHU Ranks
Points per game: 39.3 game 2nd RMAC/21st NCAA
Total Offense: 484.0 yards 2nd RMAC/14th NCAA
Rushing Yards: 337.0 yards 1st RMAC/2nd NCAA
Kickoff Returns 31.9 yards 1st RMAC/6th 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 make their longest road trip of the season travelling to Rapid City, South Dakota, to face South Dakota Mines next Saturday in a 1:00 pm game.
RMAC NETWORK: All eight 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.
