JT Keith
The 2026 football schedule is out for the defending Class 5A state champions, and the schedule gods did not do Artesia any favors. If the Bulldogs want to bring home state title No. 34, they are going to have to earn it the hard way — with long road trips, tough turnarounds, and only four home games on the regular-season slate.
A road-heavy path
Artesia opens the season Aug. 21 at home against Carlsbad in the Eddy County War, before hitting the road in back-to-back weeks against Hobbs and Centennial. The Bulldogs return home for consecutive games against Deming on Sept. 11 and Gadsden on Sept. 18, with the Gadsden matchup set to serve as homecoming.
That two-game homestand is about the only extended comfort the Bulldogs will see. After that, Artesia returns to the road for games at Alamogordo and Chaparral before an open date on Oct. 9.
District play closes with Roswell at home, followed by road trips to Goddard and Mayfield to finish the regular season.
That makes for a brutal travel itinerary. Artesia will be on the road for consecutive weeks three different times, starting with Hobbs on Aug. 28 and Centennial on Sept. 3. The Bulldogs hit another two-game road swing with Alamogordo on Sept. 25 and Chaparral on Oct. 2, then end the regular season away from home at Goddard and Mayfield.
For a defending champion, it is the kind of schedule that can harden a team early — but it also leaves very little room to coast.
The Bulldogs celebrate after the last play of the game.
Realignment impact
Bulldogs coach Jeremy Maupin said the latest football realignment did not drastically change Artesia’s path in southeastern New Mexico, even if it shuffled a couple of names on the schedule.
“We just plugged Alamogordo into Lovington’s spot,” Maupin said. “Also, Chaparral into Santa Teresa’s spot. The north gets a lot more competitive with Cibola, Los Lunas and Piedra Vista coming in.”
“Those are three teams that made the 6A playoffs,” he said. “I think it will make the northern district a lot more competitive when you add in Highlands and Los Alamos and those guys.”
What it means for Artesia
For Artesia, the focus will stay local and immediate. The Bulldogs know every week will bring a target on their back after winning the 5A title, and this schedule gives them plenty of chances to prove they can handle that pressure away from Bulldog Bowl. If they navigate the mileage and come out healthy, the road-tested version of Artesia could be even more dangerous by November.
Artesia fans cheer and throw confetti after the football team’s win against Roswell.
2026 Artesia Bulldogs football schedule:
Aug. 21 — Carlsbad, 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 — at Hobbs, 7 p.m.
Sept. 3 — at Centennial, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 — Deming, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 — Gadsden (homecoming), 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 — at Alamogordo, 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 — at Chaparral, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 — Open
Oct. 16 — Roswell, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 — at Goddard, 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 — at Mayfield, 1 p.m.
jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1.