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In the fall of 1989, amid the stench of a 2-11 football season, UNM went to The Swamp to face Florida.

Back then it was notable because the Lobos gave Florida a respectable game, losing 27-21, despite the fact that Emmitt Smith ran for a school record 316 yards. Florida wasn't the elite program we recognize today. The Gators finished 7-5 that year.

It's notable now because the Lobos are tentatively scheduled to play at Arkansas in 2011. That would be the first time UNM ventures back to the SEC since the Gator game.

In 2012 there are plans in the works for UNM to play at Texas. Yes, the Longhorns.

Certainly it's early, but these have the feel of body bag games -- essentially UNM gets paid to be a pinata. Worse for 2011: it looks like the Lobos will have seven home games that season.

This trend should worry Lobos fans. What is the message here?

Is the Lobos football program at a point where this type of sacrificial scheduling is the only way to guarantee revenue?

At this point it doesn't appear that UNM is in a dire financial spot like NMSU has been within the past decade, in which the Aggies played two body bag games -- athletic director McKinley Boston termed it that way. NMSU still has to play those, but not as many. The Aggies won't this year but they are scheduled to go to Georgia for $925,000.

But, don't kid yourself either. What UNM is doing isn't anything close to what Fresno State did in recent years with its "anyone, any time, any place" motto. UNM isn't anywhere near being national player in a non-BCS conference, trying to get respect.

This practice might not be a bad idea if UNM was contending for MWC titles. It might represent the final hurdle in that case. But the Lobos are not there. Back when NMSU had multiple body bag games a year, then-coach Tony Samuel was staunchly against it. That practice placed multiple BCS-level obstacles in front of the fragile and slowly building program, obstacles that it couldn't clear.

The odds are not good that UNM will compete at a level that would allow them to win SEC road games or -- gulp -- Texas. In its history the Lobos are 0-5 against the SEC, losing by an average of 17 points. Against Texas the Lobos have been blown out twice, losing 47-0 both times.

So why is this being done?

I could dust off my cherry-and-silver colored glasses and say this was planned purposely with a dash of brashness. It would coincide with the emergence of the UNM football program and put them on the map. In other words, it's an ultra-aggressive, high-risk/high-reward plot from UNM. The Lobos wanted to play Texas in 2012 because they think they will compete at that level by then.

Or I could be cynical and say this Texas games was planned, because UNM knows it will need to buyout Locksley's contract by then and that game can help pay for it.

Ultimately both those extreme theories are probably wrong. Simply, it's got to be about money. Unfortunately that's the best way for UNM football to get it.