# 2023 Borregos Salvajes Monterrey football team

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.
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. It was the program's second consecutive national championship under Altamirano.
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). They were led on offense by quarterback Fernando Sarabia, 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).

## 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 | |
| 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.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| 8 September | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Auténticos Tigres UANL | NRG StadiumHouston, Texas (Clásico regio estudiantil, Mexican College Football Showcase) | L 13–10 | >8,000 |
| 22 September | 7:30 p.m. | Borregos Salvajes Puebla [es] | Estadio BorregosMonterrey | W 23–20 | |
| 29 September | 5:00 p.m. | at Borregos Salvajes CCM [es] | Estadio Disney CCMMexico City | W 31–7 | |
| 6 October | 5:00 p.m. | at Borregos Salvajes Guadalajara [es] | La Fortaleza AzulGuadalajara | W 33–0 | |
| 13 October | 7:30 p.m. | Burros Blancos [es] | Estadio BorregosMonterrey | W 37–0 | |
| 20 October | 7:30 p.m. | Pumas CU | Estadio BorregosMonterrey | W 41–21 | |
| 28 October | 1:00 p.m. | at Aztecas UDLAP | Estadio Templo del DolorSan Andrés Cholula | W 42–14 | |
| 3 November | 7:00 p.m. | at Borregos Salvajes CEM | Corral de PlásticoMonterrey | W 37–20 | |
| 10 November | 7:30 p.m. | Borregos Salvajes CCM | Estadio BorregosMonterrey (ONEFA 14 Grandes quarterfinal) | W 49–18 | |
| 18 November | 7:30 p.m. | Leones Anáhuac Norte [es] | Estadio BorregosMonterrey (ONEFA 14 Grandes semifinal) | W 59–7 | |
| 24 November | 7:00 p.m. | at Auténticos Tigres UANL | Estadio Gaspar MassSan Nicolás de los Garza (ONEFA 14 Grandes championship game, Clásico regio estudiantil) | W 31–27 | >15,000 |

## Awards and honors

Annual Awards :
| Player | Award | Ceremony | Date Awarded |
| Fernando Sarabia | Eduardo "Pocho" Herrera Player of the Year | Cascos de Oro | 2 March 2024 |
| Leonardo Guajardo | José Guzmán Veracomo Specialist of the Year | Cascos de Oro | 2 March 2024 |
| Carlos Altamirano | Roberto "Tapatío" Méndez Coach of the Year | Cascos de Oro | 2 March 2024 |
| Carlos Altamirano | Coach of the Year | ONEFA 2024 Kickoff Awards | 27 August 2024 |
Equipo Ideal All-México :
| Player | Position | Team |
| Mauricio Santos | WR | First Team |
| Eduardo Ortega | WR | First Team |
| Steven Zambrano | OL | First Team |
| Pedro García | OL | First Team |
| Rodrigo Aceves | Edge | First Team |
| Marco Antillón | DL | First Team |
| Mauricio Martínez | LB | First Team |
| Fabrizzio Mejía | LB | First Team |
| Alonso Gaxiola | DB | First Team |
| Patricio Santisteban | DB | First Team |
| Iván Covarrubias | CB | First Team |
| Leonardo Guajardo | PK | First Team |
| Miguel Salazar | OL | Second Team |
| Manuel Canales | OL | Second Team |
| Source: |||

### Aztec Bowl

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

## 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 |
| 1 | 1 | Alonso Gaxiola | DB | Jefes de Ciudad Juárez |
| 1 | 9 | Elías Richo | DL | Dinos de Saltillo |
| 1 | 10 | Héctor Ramírez | WR | Jefes de Ciudad Juárez |
| 2 | 20 | Héctor Zepeda | 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 | QB | Galgos de Tijuana |