Mexico’s ONEFA – Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Futbol Americano (National Student Organization of American Football) and CONADEIP, Comisión Nacional Deportiva Estudiantil de Instituciones Privadas, A.C. (private university league), finished their preseason campaigns and are set to kick off the 2019 season this weekend.
The ONEFA is the a league in Mexico made up of most of the public university American football teams in the nation while the CONADEIP is a scholarship league.
Th ONEFA is composed of 19 teams divided between the Conferencia Jacinto Licea and Conferencia Nacional conferences, each with its own champion. The CONADEIP has 11 teams in two conferences, the Libertado and the Independence.
In 2017, a bowl of champions was played, between the champions of the ONEFA, the UNAM Pumas CU and the CONADEIP champion, BORREGOS Toluca, with Toluca capturing their first ever Mexican college title beating the Pumas 16-15.
ONEFA/CONADEIP Preseason
Both the ONEFA and CONADEIP have shown off exciting football in inter-league preseason games, which have left fans happy starting with the Monterrey City Classic.
The ITESM Borregos (CONADEIP) opened their new stadium by beating the Tigers UANL (ONEFA) 49-16. The Águilas Blancas (ONEFA) defeated the reigning CONADEIP champions the Borregos ITESM Toluca 21-20, the Pumas UNAM (ONEFA) downed the Borregos ITESM CEM (CONADEIP) 42-20 while the Aztecas UDLA (CONADEIP) beat the Burros Blancos IPN (ONEFA) 40-30.
In addition to the inter-league, there were three international games, in which three Mexican teams faced NCAA DIII teams including national champions the University of Mary Hardin Baylor Crusaders.
The ITESM Monterrey Borregos fell to the Crusaders 19-17 while the UANL Tigres defeated Mary Hardin Baylor 13-10. Finally, the UNAM Pumas and the Crusaders squared off. The Crusaders took a 24-6 lead into the fourth quarter but closed to within 24-21 with 20 seconds left. A bad snap on the last second field goal ended the day for the Pumas.
The Zorros of the CETYS Mexicali, hosted the LaVerne University Leopards. The Zorros fell behind in the first half, trailing 13-7 but rallied to defeat the Leopards 34-13.
At the border, the UABC Cimarrones faced the South Bay Inferno team, and won easily 56-0.
