Rams and Spartans head to the road for first-round playoff matchups

Rio Rancho and Bernalillo will both leave home turf this weekend as the 2026 state football playoffs begin. The Rams travel south to face Las Cruces on Friday, while the Spartans head to Albuquerque for a Saturday afternoon contest against Manzano. Cleveland sits out the first round after earning a district title, but they watch closely because a win by either rival could set up a crosstown clash in the quarterfinals.

The Rams, who finished the regular season 5-5 overall and 4-3 in district play, are the ninth seed in Class 6A. They face the eighth-seeded Las Cruces Bulldawgs at 7 p.m. Friday at Field of Dreams Football Stadium in Las Cruces. Las Cruces, which is 7-3 overall and 4-3 in district play, beat Rio Rancho 14-7 in the season opener on Aug. 21. That game featured a dominant rushing attack by the Bulldawgs, who carried the ball 41 times for 179 yards. Junior running back Aldo Gallegos accounted for 107 of those yards and two touchdowns. Rio Rancho’s offense struggled in that meeting, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry and throwing two interceptions.

If the Rams win this round, they will face top-seeded Cleveland next. The Storm defeated Rio Rancho 50-0 on Oct. 30. Rio Rancho’s coaching staff notes that their team performs best when the passing game is effective, citing starting quarterback Micah Takahashi and backup Crew Victor. The Rams will need to control time of possession to keep the game from becoming a low-scoring affair, a strategy that worked against them in August.

In Class 4A, the Bernalillo Spartans (5-5 overall, 4-4 in district play) are the 10th seed. They travel to play the seventh-seeded Manzano Monarchs (6-4 overall, 6-2 in district play) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Wilson Stadium in Albuquerque. This is a rematch of last Friday’s game at Bernalillo High, where Manzano won 44-14. The Spartans’ offense was limited in that loss. Ulisses Castro passed for 116 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for another score. RJ Fleets caught three passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Manzano scored a touchdown in every quarter, applying consistent pressure throughout the game.

The Spartans allowed 44 points last week, their highest total of the season by one point. To win on the road, Bernalillo must improve its defensive performance from Friday. The Monarchs showed they can score at any time, making the 30-point deficit a steep hurdle. Rio Rancho and Bernalillo both have opportunities to make a statement in the first round, though the path to a district title starts with winning on unfamiliar ground this weekend.

Cleveland’s first playoff game has not yet been scheduled. They will host or travel to a third team depending on the results of other first-round matches. The Rams and Spartans kick off their postseason runs Friday and Saturday respectively, with both teams playing away from their home crowds.