Mexico: ONEFA Week 2 delivers wild comebacks, rivalry drama and a Puebla thriller
Week 2 of ONEFA’s 14 Grandes Conference made one thing clear: nobody is going to cruise through the 2026 season. Four of six games were decided by eight points or fewer, Borregos Monterrey and Borregos Puebla traded punches in a 44-38 shootout, Águilas Blancas pulled off the weekend’s biggest upset and the UANL Tigres and Pumas CU stayed perfect.
Guadalajara gets off the mark
The Borregos ITESM Guadalajara bounced back from their opening-week loss by edging Linces UVM 17-13 at La Fortaleza.
Guadalajara watched a 10-3 lead disappear before Carlos Santiago Sánchez pushed across from one yard out late in the fourth quarter to put the home team back in front. The defense took care of the rest, forcing a turnover to shut down UVM’s final chance.
Anáhuac survives CEM comeback
The Leones Anáhuac Norte jumped on the Borregos CEM early and held on for a 17-14 victory.
Iram Ayala ran for touchdowns of seven and 10 yards on the first two Anáhuac possessions to build a 14-0 lead. Joel Mateo Scott answered by taking a punt 64 yards to the end zone, and Patricio Macías later broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run that pulled CEM within three. The Anáhuac defense slammed the door from there.
Tigres pull away after slow start
The defending champion UANL Tigres shook off an early deficit and rolled past Borregos Ciudad de México 31-14 on the road.
CCM nearly took the opening kickoff to the house and scored two plays later, but Tigres answered quickly. Mirko Martos then broke the game open after halftime, throwing touchdown passes of 15 yards to Aldo Herrera and 89 yards to Christian Espinosa as UANL moved to 2-0.
Pumas win in front of 40,000
More than 40,000 fans packed Estadio Olímpico Universitario for another chapter in the 90-year rivalry between UNAM and the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, and the Pumas CU gave them plenty to watch in a 35-27 victory over the Burros Blancos.
Leny Garza threw three touchdown passes as Pumas piled up 455 yards of offense, including 348 through the air. Hussein Santillán broke free for a 57-yard touchdown run, while backup quarterback Emiliano Sánchez added a five-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter to help finish off the win.
Mayén powers wild Monterrey comeback
The weekend’s wildest game unfolded in Puebla, where Borregos Monterrey came roaring back to beat Borregos Puebla 44-38.
Fernando Mayén punished his former team with four touchdowns and a two-point conversion, accounting for 26 points. Puebla erased a 24-10 deficit and surged ahead 38-30 in the fourth quarter, but Monterrey wasn’t finished.
Fernando Sarabia found Mauricio Santos for a 14-yard touchdown before the Monterrey defense forced a stop. Mayén then powered in from four yards out and added the two-point conversion to complete the comeback.
Águilas Blancas stun Aztecas
The Águilas Blancas provided Week 2’s biggest surprise, walking into El Templo del Dolor and knocking off the Aztecas UDLAP 28-26.
The Águilas Blancas raced out to a stunning 21-0 advantage before UDLAP came charging back. The Aztecas cut the gap to 21-19, only for the visitors to answer with another touchdown pass.
UDLAP had one final shot with the score 28-26, but a mishandled snap on a 50-yard field-goal attempt ended the comeback and sent the Águilas Blancas home with their first victory.
Zorros fall in Los Angeles
The CETYS Universidad Zorros used their ONEFA bye week to cross the border for an international matchup with Whittier College at Memorial Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Poets raced out to a 42-6 halftime lead and went on to win 56-20. CETYS fought back with 14 points after halftime before Whittier closed the game with two more fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Three teams remain perfect
After two weeks, only the UANL Tigres, Pumas CU and Borregos Monterrey remain unbeaten.
Behind them, Borregos Guadalajara, Leones Anáhuac Norte and Águilas Blancas all picked up important first victories, while Linces UVM and Borregos Ciudad de México are still searching for their first wins.
Two weeks in, the 14 Grandes race already looks wide open — and Week 2 showed just how quickly these games can turn.
