2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football team

2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football
ONEFA national champion
Conferencia 14 Grandes championship game, W 31–27 vs. Auténticos Tigres UANL
Conference	Conferencia 14 Grandes
Record	10–1 (7–1 14 Grandes)
Head coach	Carlos Altamirano (6th full, 7th overall season)
Captain	Mauricio Martínez [1]
Home stadium	Estadio Borregos
Seasons ← 2022 2024  →

2023 Conferencia 14 Grandes standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Grupo A
Borregos Salvajes MTY xy$^		7	–	1					10	–	1
Borregos Salvajes PUE  [ es ] ^		6	–	2					6	–	3
Pumas CU ^		4	–	4					5	–	5
Borregos Salvajes CCM  [ es ] ^		4	–	4					4	–	5
Burros Blancos IPN  [ es ]		3	–	5					3	–	5
Borregos Salvajes GDL  [ es ]		1	–	7					1	–	7
Aztecas UDLAP		1	–	7					1	–	7
Grupo B
Auténticos Tigres UANL football xy^		7	–	1					9	–	2
Águilas Blancas IPN ^		7	–	1					7	–	2
Leones Anáhuac Norte  [ es ] ^		5	–	3					6	–	4
Pumas Acatlán  [ es ] ^		4	–	4					4	–	5
Borregos Salvajes CEM		4	–	4					4	–	4
Linces UVM  [ es ]		3	–	5					3	–	5
Potros Salvajes UAEM  [ es ]		0	–	8					0	–	8
Championship: Borregos Salvajes Monterrey 31, Auténticos Tigres UANL 27
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – Playoff participant

The 2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football team represented the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) in the 2023 ONEFA Liga Mayor season. The Borregos Salvajes competed in the top-tier Conferencia 14 Grandes and played their home games at the Estadio Borregos in Monterrey. They were led by head coach Carlos Altamirano in his sixth full season and seventh overall since taking over midway through the 2016 season. ^{[2] [a]}

The Borregos Salvajes compiled a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference games) and won the ONEFA Liga Mayor national championship by defeating the Auténticos Tigres UANL in the Conferencia 14 Grandes championship game. ^[4] It was the program's second consecutive national championship under Altamirano. ^[5]

The Borregos Salvajes led the Conferencia 14 Grandes during the regular season in both total offense (427.8 yards per game) and total defense (235.8 yards per game). The team tallied a conference-best 3,422 yards in the regular season (2,551 passing, 871 rushing). ^[6] They were led on offense by quarterback Fernando Sarabia, ^[7] who completed 151 of 250 pass attempts for 1,955 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season. Additionally, defensive back Patricio Santisteban led the conference with six interceptions while kicker Leonardo Guajardo won the scoring title with 80 points scored (29 extra points, 17 field goals). ^[6]

Offseason

2023 LFA draft

The 2023 Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) draft was held on 7 January 2023. The following Borregos Salvajes Monterrey players were selected.

Round	Pick	Team	Player	Position	Ref.
1	2	Dinos de Saltillo	Julio Covarrubias	RB	[8]
1	5	Fundidores de Monterrey	Isaac Cuevas	OL

Schedule

The Borregos Salvajes' 2023 schedule consisted of four home games, three away games, and one neutral site game in the regular season. They also hosted two of their three postseason games, with the national championship game being hosted by the Auténticos Tigres UANL.

The team opened their season with a matchup against rivals Auténticos Tigres UANL at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game, presented as the inaugural Mexican College Football Showcase, was jointly organized by the Houston Texans and NFL México, and commemorated the 80th and 90th anniversaries of ITESM and UANL, respectively. It was the first-ever ONEFA regular season game held in the United States, as well as the first time the Clásico regio estudiantil rivalry game was played outside of the Monterrey metropolitan area. ^{[9] [10]}

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
8 September	7:00 p.m.	vs. Auténticos Tigres UANL	NRG Stadium Houston, Texas (Clásico regio estudiantil, Mexican College Football Showcase)	L 13–10	>8,000	[11] [12]
22 September	7:30 p.m.	Borregos Salvajes Puebla  [ es ]	Estadio Borregos Monterrey	W 23–20		[13]
29 September	5:00 p.m.	at Borregos Salvajes CCM  [ es ]	Estadio Disney CCM Mexico City	W 31–7		[14] [15]
6 October	5:00 p.m.	at Borregos Salvajes Guadalajara  [ es ]	La Fortaleza Azul Guadalajara	W 33–0		[16] [17]
13 October	7:30 p.m.	Burros Blancos  [ es ]	Estadio Borregos Monterrey	W 37–0		[18] [19]
20 October	7:30 p.m.	Pumas CU	Estadio Borregos Monterrey	W 41–21		[20]
28 October	1:00 p.m.	at Aztecas UDLAP	Estadio Templo del Dolor San Andrés Cholula	W 42–14		[21] [22]
3 November	7:00 p.m.	at Borregos Salvajes CEM	Corral de Plástico Monterrey	W 37–20		[23]
10 November	7:30 p.m.	Borregos Salvajes CCM	Estadio Borregos Monterrey (ONEFA 14 Grandes quarterfinal)	W 49–18		[24] [25]
18 November	7:30 p.m.	Leones Anáhuac Norte  [ es ]	Estadio Borregos Monterrey (ONEFA 14 Grandes semifinal)	W 59–7		[26] [27]
24 November	7:00 p.m.	at Auténticos Tigres UANL	Estadio Gaspar Mass San Nicolás de los Garza (ONEFA 14 Grandes championship game, Clásico regio estudiantil)	W 31–27	>15,000	[28] [29]

^{[4] [30]}

Roster

2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 6 Mauro Cavallarí WR 11 Héctor Ramírez QB 13 Daniel de Alba QB 15 Fernando Sarabia WR 16 Miguel Lozano QB 17 Cristian Corral WR 18 Derek Flores QB 19 Víctor Palacios RB 21 Alí Flores RB 26 Nicolás Villagómez RB 31 José Hugo González RB 32 Alejandro Cruz RB 34 Carlos Emiliano Martínez RB 35 Rocco Villarreal OL 51 Jorge Ignacio Martínez Cairo OL 56 Steven Zambrano OL 58 Manuel Canales OL 70 Sebastián Díaz OL 72 Fernando García OL 74 Miguel Salazar OL 75 Pedro García OL 77 Mariano Bautista OL 78 Víctor Tiburcio Pérez OL 79 Diogo Fernández WR 80 Erick Landeros WR 81 Jorge Alberto Casian WR 82 Mauricio Santos WR 83 Daniel Santos WR 84 Rolando Cueva WR 85 Luis Pulido WR 86 Sergio Patricio Fernández WR 87 Fabio Palmero WR 88 Eduardo Ortega	Defense Pos. # Name Class LB 0 Fernando Contreras DL 1 Marco Antillón LB 2 Mauricio Martínez (C) SS 3 Fabrizzio Mejía FS 4 Santiago Castañeda CB 5 Iván Covarrubias DL 7 Mikel Delgado DL 9 Diego Sánchez LB 10 Rodrigo Aceves DL 12 Eugenio Pedraza FS 14 Joel Ceseña CB 20 Juan Antonio Saint André CB 22 Salvador Andrade SS 23 Alonso Gaxiola SS 25 Ovidio Varela CB 27 Renzo Bibiano SS 28 Juan Pablo Santisteban SS 29 Patricio Santisteban CB 30 Eduardo Castillo DL 33 Adrián Patricio Flores CB 36 Helaman González CB 37 Pablo Islas CB 38 Paulo Aranalde FS 39 Gabriel Rivera LB 42 Rodrigo Fernández CB 43 Alejandro Cabello DL 44 José Francisco López LB 45 Rubén Rodríguez DL 46 Elías Richo LB 52 Emilio Carrillo DL 54 Ángel Díaz LB 55 Eduardo Emilio Roiz LB 57 Pablo Fabrizio Rodríguez DL 97 Óscar Soto DL 99 Eduardo Scully	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 8 Jesús Aguirre PK 24 Leonardo Guajardo	Head coach Carlos Altamirano Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster

Awards and honors

Annual Awards

Player	Award	Ceremony	Date Awarded	Ref.
Fernando Sarabia	Eduardo "Pocho" Herrera Player of the Year	Cascos de Oro	2 March 2024	[31] [32]
Leonardo Guajardo	José Guzmán Veracomo Specialist of the Year
Carlos Altamirano	Roberto "Tapatío" Méndez Coach of the Year
	Coach of the Year	ONEFA 2024 Kickoff Awards	27 August 2024	[33]

Equipo Ideal All-México

Player	Position	Team
Mauricio Santos	WR	First Team
Eduardo Ortega	WR
Steven Zambrano	OL
Pedro García	OL
Rodrigo Aceves	Edge
Marco Antillón	DL
Mauricio Martínez	LB
Fabrizzio Mejía	LB [b]
Alonso Gaxiola	DB
Patricio Santisteban	DB
Iván Covarrubias	CB
Leonardo Guajardo	PK
Miguel Salazar	OL	Second Team
Manuel Canales	OL
Source: [34]

Aztec Bowl

The following players were selected to represent the ONEFA All-Stars in the 48th Aztec Bowl on 1 December. ^[35]

Rodrigo Aceves (LB) Jesús Aguirre (P) Marco Antillón (DL) Renzo Bibiano (CB) Manuel Canales (OL) Santiago Castañeda (FS) Mauro Cavallari (RB) Fernando Contreras (LB) Iván Covarrubias (CB) Alejandro Cruz (RB) Mikel Delgado (DL) Fernando García (OL) Pedro García (OL) Alonso Gaxiola (SS) Leonardo Guajardo (PK)

José Francisco López (DL) Miguel Lozano (WR) Mauricio Martínez (LB) Fabrizzio Mejía (SS) Eduardo Ortega (WR) Eugenio Pedraza (DL) Luis Pulido (WR) Miguel Salazar (OL) Diego Sánchez (DL) Daniel Santos (WR) Mauricio Santos (WR) Fernando Sarabia (QB) Óscar Soto (DL) Steven Zambrano (OL)

Players drafted into the LFA

The 2024 LFA draft was held on 13 January 2024. The following Borregos Salvajes Monterrey players were selected.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	LFA team	Ref.
1	1	Alonso Gaxiola	DB	Jefes de Ciudad Juárez	[36]
1	9	Elías Richo	DL	Dinos de Saltillo
1	10	Héctor Ramírez	WR	Jefes de Ciudad Juárez
2	20	Héctor Zepeda [c]	OL	Galgos de Tijuana
3	21	Luis Pulido	WR	Fundidores de Monterrey
4	40	Jorge Alberto Casian	WR	Caudillos de Chihuahua
5	47	Manuel Canales	OL	Fundidores de Monterrey
6	55	Emilio Elizondo [d]	QB	Galgos de Tijuana

Notes

1. The 2020 ONEFA season was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. ^[3]
2. Hybrid
3. Zepeda last played for the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey in 2022.
4. Elizondo last played for the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey in 2022.

References

1. Mancilla, Alfonso (29 September 2023). "Mauricio Martínez: capitán y líder en Borregos Monterrey". ESPN Deportes.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
2. Gomez, Eric (15 November 2016). "How Monterrey Tech became heart of Mexican college football". ESPN . Retrieved 9 December 2024. When Altamirano took over midseason, he became the team's third head coach in the post-Gonzalez era.
3. "Oficial, se cancela la temporada 2020 en la ONEFA". El Porvenir (in Spanish). 16 July 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
4. "Calendario 14 Grandes Liga Mayor ONEFA 2023". Receptor.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
5. Carvajal, Jesús (24 November 2023). "Voy a festejar como loco.- Altamirano". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
6. "Estadísticas Liga Mayor ONEFA 2023". Receptor.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2024.
7. Moreno, José (30 November 2023). "Fernando Sarabia, QB campeón con Borregos, que se refleja en Patrick Mahomes". Mediotiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2024.
8. "Mexico: Liga de Futbol Americano Draft a rousing success". American Football International. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
9. "Houston Texans announce first ever Mexican College Football Showcase". Houston Texans. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
10. "Autenticos Tigres make their mark at NRG Stadium". Autonomous University of Nuevo León. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
11. "Auténticos Tigres vence a Borregos Monterrey en el estadio NRG". ESPN Deportes.com (in Spanish). 8 September 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
12. Cota, Ulises (8 September 2023). "¡Sacaron la garra! Auténticos Tigres vencieron a los Borregos Salvajes en el Clásico Regio". Récord (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 December 2024.
13. Mar Salazar, Jaime Javier (22 September 2023). "Logran Borregos remontada y primer triunfo de la campaña". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
14. Mar Salazar, Jaime Javier (29 September 2023). "Ligan Borregos de Monterrey segunda victoria". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
15. "Borregos MTY gana con contundencia y le recuerda quién manda a los Borregos CCM". beIN Sports (in Spanish). 29 September 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
16. Reyna, Juan (6 October 2023). "Ligan Borregos tercer triunfo". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
17. "Borregos MTY aplastó a Borregos GDL en la Semana 5". beIN Sports (in Spanish). 6 October 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
18. Mar Salazar, Jaime Javier (13 October 2023). "Apalean Borregos de Monterrey a Burros Blancos". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
19. "Jugador de Burros Blancos lesiona a propósito a rival de Borregos Monterrey". Marca (in Spanish). 17 October 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
20. Cantú, Alberto (21 October 2023). "Borregos ya están en la postemporada". El Porvenir (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
21. Zambrano, Jaime (29 October 2023). "Caen Aztecas Udlap 12-42 ante Borregos Monterrey y suman sexta derrota". Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
22. Fernández, Katia (29 October 2023). "Borregos aplasta a Los Aztecas UDLAP". El Sol de Puebla  [ es ] (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2024– via PressReader.
23. Carvajal, Jesús (3 November 2023). "Cierran Borregos Monterrey temporada con triunfo". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2024.(registration required)
24. Jiménez, Juan Carlos (10 November 2023). "Aplastan Borregos a Campus Ciudad de México y van a Semis". El Norte (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2024.(registration required)
25. "Borregos Monterrey y Auténticos Tigres avanzan a semifinales". ESPN Deportes.com (in Spanish). 10 November 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
26. Reyna, Juan (18 November 2023). "Se arma Final Regia de ONEFA". Cancha (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
27. "Borregos Monterrey avanza a la Final tras aplastar a Leones Anáhuac". Récord (in Spanish). 19 November 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
28. Álvarez, Víctor (24 November 2023). "Borregos campeones de manera dramática con remontada ante Auténticos Tigres". ESPN Deportes.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2024.
29. "Borregos Monterrey se coronan bicampeón de la Liga Mayor de la ONEFA". El Heraldo de Saltillo (in Spanish). 27 November 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
30. Pacheco, Gabriel. "Calendario de Liga Mayor de ONEFA 2023; Conferencia 14 Grandes". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
31. Fernández, Domingo (2 March 2024). "Entregaron los Cascos de Oro". El Sol de Toluca  [ es ] (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
32. Pérez, Arturo (3 March 2024). "Jugadores de futbol americano recibieron cascos de oro por temporada mayor 2023". AsiSucede.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
33. Pacheco, Gabriel (27 August 2024). "ONEFA premia a lo mejor del 2023, a los pioneros y abre pista para el 2024". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
34. "Selección All-Mexico 14 Grandes 2023 🇲🇽🏈" (in Spanish). Receptor.com.mx. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024– via Facebook.
35. Pacheco, Gabriel (28 November 2023). "Roster para el Tazón Azteca 2023; destacadas ausencias y sin jugadores de Linces y la Nacional". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 December 2024.
36. "Draft 2024" (PDF). Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 December 2024.