Fresno State Close Out Season With A New Mexico Bowl Win

The Bulldogs played their final game of the season Saturday afternoon against New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl game. Fresno State came into the game on a three game losing streak and without their head coach Jeff Tedford who is away from the …

The Bulldogs played their final game of the season Saturday afternoon against New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl game. Fresno State came into the game on a three game losing streak and without their head coach Jeff Tedford who is away from the team due to medical reasons.  Linebackers coach Tim Skipper was the interim Head Coach for the bowl game.

On the flip side, New Mexico State is having one of their best season in recent history and came into the game winning their last eight out of nine with their only loss coming in the Conference USA championship game. Now the Aggies looked for their second straight bowl victory and looked to make it 5-0 in their bowl game history.

Fresno State looking to give New Mexico State its first bowl loss in school history and they would in dominating fashion. The Bulldogs got off to a strong start and never looked back as they defeated the Aggies 37-10. This is the first time the Bulldogs scored more than 20 points since, November 4th when the Bulldogs beat Boise State at home which happens to be the last time the Dogs won a game.

 

Keys to The Victory:

Mikey Keene

Have yourself a game Mikey Keene!!! The sophomore QB threw for a career-high 380 yards, 3 total touchdowns, two in the air and one on the ground, and completed 79% of his passes which is a Fresno State bowl game  record. Keene looked like reenergized and healthy quarterback. Made a lot of accurate  throws and was much smarter with his decision-making. Giving Bulldogs fans a glimpse of what version of Mikey Keene they will be seeing in 2024. But to cap off the 2023 Keene finished with a career day and was named offensive MVP.

Refocused Defense:

Where was this defense in the last three weeks of the season? This group seemed much more focused looking to prove a point and man they did. The Bulldogs defense recorded four sacks and one interception. Only gave up 58 yards through the air and didn’t let the Aggies convert a single fourth down. In his last game as a Bulldog Senior Linebacker, Levelle Bailey led the way with eight tackles, four solo tackles, and one sack. Bailey was also named the New Mexico Bowl defensive MVP.

Malik Sherrod:

What a game Sherrod had! Doing it both on the ground and in the receiving game. Sherrod finished with 90 rushing yards on 20 carries and 81 receiving  yards a career high with eight receptions, Malik was doing it all for the Bulldogs and was really big factor on third down helping keep drives alive. Sherrod finished the season 34 yards short of a thousand rushing yards but put together some great performance down the late stretch of the season, Malik is expected to return as the Bulldogs starting running back next season.

 

A much needed win for the Bulldogs after losing its last three game, losing its shot to play in the Mountain West championship and having Head Coach Jeff Tedford away from the team. The team looked much more energized and played with a lot more swag to them. Interim Head Coach Tim Skipper gets his first career win as a coach and the Bulldogs head back to the valley with the New Mexico Bowl trophy.

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Isleta New Mexico Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Fresno State looks to spoil New Mexico State’s breakthrough season in the New Mexico Bowl. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Isleta New Mexico Bowl: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


Fresno State will look to end 2023 with a victory over New Mexico State. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Can the ‘Dogs recapture a little magic in the Land of Enchantment?

ISLETA NEW MEXICO BOWL: New Mexico State Aggies (10-4, 7-1 Conference USA) vs. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4, 4-4 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, December 16 — 2:45 PM PT/3:45 PM MT

WHERE: University Stadium; Albuquerque, NM

WEATHER: Mostly sunny, high of 48 degrees

TV: ESPN

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes ESPN, by following this link.

RADIO: The New Mexico State broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Aggie Radio Network, including flagship 99.5 FM (KXPZ) in Las Cruces. The Fresno State broadcast can be found in and around the Central Valley on the affiliates of the Bulldog Sports network, including flagship 1340 AM (KCBL) in Fresno.

SERIES RECORD: Fresno State leads the all-time series, 18-1. In the last meeting on September 28, 2019, the Bulldogs defeated the Aggies, 30-17, in Las Cruces.

LAST GAME: New Mexico State lost to Liberty in the Conference USA football championship game, 49-35, while Fresno State lost to San Diego State on the road, 33-18.

WEBSITES: NMStateSports.com, the official New Mexico State athletics website | GoBulldogs.com, the official Fresno State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): New Mexico State | Fresno State

ODDS: New Mexico State -3.5

SP+ PROJECTION: New Mexico State by 0.6

FEI PROJECTION: Fresno State by 1.0

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: New Mexico State 51.27% win probability (28.80-27.39)

Mountain West football’s seven-game bowl slate kicks off in Albuquerque on Saturday afternoon, when the Fresno State Bulldogs will take on the New Mexico State Aggies.

The Aggies will be plenty motivated to send one of the program’s best teams ever into the off-season with one last win, and the chances are they’ll get to benefit from a friendly crowd in the stands since the game will take place just three-plus hours from Las Cruces. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, enter the game with far more uncertainty than they had a month ago, in the midst of a three-game losing streak that they’ll look to break without head coach Jeff Tedford, who is currently sidelined with health concerns.

Here’s how the Aggies and Bulldogs can find a path to victory to finish 2023.

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Three Keys to a New Mexico State Victory

1. Don’t lose the turnover battle.

Generally speaking, New Mexico State has done a pretty good job of taking care of the football when playing on offense. The Aggies have just 14 giveaways in 14 games, the fewest in Conference USA, but there’s little doubt that when they’ve been off their game, turnovers have played a big role since eight of those 14 giveaways came in NMSU’s four losses.

By contrast, Fresno State’s defense was one of the most active in the Mountain West at generating takeaways, collecting 22 in 12 games. However, the Bulldogs faltered on that front in their recent losing streak, coming up empty in two of their last three games, so the Aggies might have an advantage simply by avoiding killer mistakes one last time.

2. Get a big performance from the ground game.

NMSU has tended toward balance in their run-pass ratio throughout the season, but they may find it useful to resist Fresno State’s resistance to the run. While the Bulldogs are sixth in the Mountain West by allowing 4.35 yards per carry, they’ve struggled mightily since the calendar turned to November, coughing up 5.86 YPC and eight rushing touchdowns in the last four games.

This could be good news for the Aggies, who don’t have a heavy-lifting RB1 but do have three different players — quarterback Diego Pavia and running backs Star Thomas and Monte Watkins — who have recorded at least 50 rushing attempts and averaged at least 5.39 YPC. That trio has also accounted for a gain of at least ten yards on 20.9% of their combined carries, which is something they’ll almost certainly look to exploit.

3. Win on as many third downs as possible.

One area of the game where New Mexico State and Fresno State have been similarly productive is in moving the chains and keeping opponents from doing the same. The Bulldogs own a slight advantage on offense (46.55% for Fresno State, 43.95% for NMSU), but the Aggies could have an upper hand on defense (35.43% for NMSU, 39.88% for Fresno State).

This might be especially true if the Aggies can force Fresno State into passing downs more often than not. According to CollegeFootballData.com, NMSU allowed a 28% success rate when opponents faced a second down with seven-plus yards to go or a third or fourth down with five-plus yards to go, as well as a 54.8% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks.

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Three Keys to a Fresno State Victory

1. Get better pass protection from the offensive line.

One way or another, the Bulldogs are likely to lead with the pass when they attack the Aggies defense. Parker Fleming’s advanced statistics preview notes that Fresno State comes into the bowl game with a rush rate over expected percentage of -11.6%, which means that Pat McCann’s offense run the ball less frequently than all but five other FBS teams.

It isn’t a bad idea when you consider that New Mexico State’s pass rush is more the sum of its parts than one built on individual standouts: Five different Aggies have between three and 4.5 sacks this season. However, Fresno State’s offensive line has struggled badly down the stretch. According to Pro Football Focus, guard Osmar Velez and tackles Toreon Penright and Braylen Nelson each gave up multiple sacks between Weeks 10 and 13; the only other Mountain West offensive line to do that was Nevada.

2. Keep Jonathan Brady’s contributions to a minimum.

Four different Fresno State pass catchers have seen more than the 58 targets that Brady has received in 2023, but you could make a decent case that none of them have done as much as the sophomore from Las Vegas with their share. Brady hasn’t dropped a single pass, for starters, but his team-high 37 receptions and 613 receiving yards will be even more important in the bowl game with his primary running mate, Trent Hudson, gone through the transfer portal.

Whether he lines up opposite Carlton Johnson or Al’zillion Hamilton
more frequently remains to be seen, but it will be a big opportunity for both. Between Weeks 10 and 13, they combined to allow 15 catches and 12.3 yards per reception on 28 targets, so while Brady has averaged 16.6 YPC on the year, his more recent performances have been modest. If the secondary can keep him from stretching the field, it could make for a significant advantage.

3. Ride or die (one more time) with Mikey Keene.

Because it’s no secret the Bulldogs are pass-first, Keene’s presence as the presumably healthy QB1 will be a major factor in whether the offense can overcome its recent sputtering. There’s no doubt his health concerns played a role in the team’s ongoing losing streak, as his 60% completion rate in November was the lowest of any calendar month this year, as were the 5.9 yards he averaged per attempt and the 110.03 passer rating he mustered.

One potential obstacle is NMSU cornerback Andre Seldon, who is arguably the team’s top overall defender. The redshirt sophomore has allowed a catch rate of 42.6% on 61 targets, though he also spends the vast majority of his playing time outside of the numbers. It could mean that Erik Brooks and Jaelen Gill, both of whom have had at least 79% of their snaps out of the slot (per PFF), might be key to softening up the Aggies underneath.

Prediction

They say that time heals all wounds, which is something that Fresno State must hope is true since quarterback health is going to be crucial to their bounce-back efforts in this contest. However, that was less of an excuse for the defense’s recent woes, and that might be an even bigger X-factor. New Mexico State has as many weapons as the Bulldogs do, and there are just enough uncertainties to expect that this will be a close game no matter what, but home cooking and a balanced offensive attack will make a difference in the end for the Aggies to gut out a win.

New Mexico State 31, Fresno State 27

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out And Transfer Tracker

The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out and Transfer Tracker


The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Not all the stars will be out in December.

December marks perhaps the busiest time of college football season. Between the upcoming slate of bowl games, the official opening of the transfer portal, and buzz surrounding the game’s brightest stars and their standing in next year’s NFL Draft, players have plenty on their minds when deciding how to finish their season.

Not everyone will choose to stay on the field, though. Check back here throughout the month as we watch which athletes opt out of bowl season, both among the Mountain West’s seven bowl teams and their opponents.

Note: Significant contributors among opponents will be noted in italics.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Air Force

  • Aidan Behymer, TE
  • Caden Blum, DL
  • Mason Carlan, OL
  • John Lee Eldridge III, RB
  • Jonah Jensen, QB
  • Brady Phillips, DL
  • Caleb Rillos, TE
  • Jarius Stewart, QB
  • Anthony Wenson, WR

James Madison

  • Brent Austin, DB
  • Kaelon Black, RB — team-high 594 rushing yards, 23 catches, 220 receiving yards in 2023
  • James Carpenter, DL — FCS Freshman All-American in 2021; two-time all-Sun Belt
  • Aiden Fisher, LB — third-team all-Sun Belt, 91 tackles, seven passes defended, six tackles for loss in 2023
  • Desmond Green, WR
  • Zach Horton, TE — first-team all-Sun Belt, 26 catches, 266 yards, six touchdowns in 2023
  • Taurus Jones, LB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 82 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss in 2022
  • Mikail Kamara, DL — second-team all-Sun Belt, 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks in 2023
  • Wayne Knight, RB
  • Ty Son Lawton, RB — 742 all-purpose yards, six total touchdowns in 2023
  • Chauncey Logan, DB — 42 tackles, four tackles for loss, six passes defended in 2023
  • Carter Miller, OL — redshirt freshman, nine starts, 639 snaps at left guard in 2023
  • Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji, DL
  • Tyler Stephens, OL — 30 career starts; four starts each at left guard, right tackle, left tackle in 2023
  • Jailin Walker, LB — 30 career starts; 55 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended in 2023
  • Tyshawn Wyatt, OL

Starco Brands LA Bowl, Hosted By Gronk

Boise State 

  • Taylen Green, QB
  • Eric McAlister, WR
  • Keenan McCaddy, DB
  • Kivon Wright, DL

UCLA

  • Kam Brown, WR
  • Keegan Jones, WR
  • Laiatu Latu, DL — Ted Hendricks Award winner, Lombardi Award winner, Pac-12 defensive player of the year in 2023
  • Dante Moore, QB — five-star true freshman, five starts in 2023
  • William Nimmo Jr., DB
  • Kamari Ramsey, DB — redshirt freshman safety, 11 starts in 2023
  • Carsen Ryan, TE
  • Jake Wiley, OL

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State

  • Tanner Blount, LB
  • Logan Fife, QB
  • Chrishawn Gordon, DB
  • Abraham Montaño, K
  • Hayden Pulis, OL
  • Raymond Scott, LB

New Mexico State

  • Reggie Akles, WR
  • Ta’ir Brooks, WR
  • Jamari Buddin, LB
  • Tyler Devera, TE
  • Trent Hudson, WR — 36 catches, 571 yards, team-high ten touchdowns in 2023
  • PJ Johnson, WR
  • Malachi McLean, DB
  • Jordin Parker, WR
  • Tyriece Thomas, DL

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

San Jose State

  • Branden Alvarez, WR
  • Fernando Carmona Jr., OL
  • Blake Davis, DB
  • Charlie Leota, DL
  • Anthony Madrigal, OL
  • Dominick Mazotti, TE
  • Elijah Wood, LB

Coastal Carolina

  • CJ Beasley, RB — team-high 717 rushing yards in 2022; 262 rushing yards, two touchdowns in 2023
  • Mason Bowers, OL
  • Jahmar Brown, DB
  • Jared Brown, WR — 2022 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year; 108 career receptions, 1,534 career receiving yards, 11 career touchdowns
  • Bailey Carraway, LB
  • Evan Crenshaw, P — sophomore; 83 career punts, 39.7 career yards per punt
  • Aaron Diggs, DB
  • Jarrett Guest, QB — two starts in 2023 following injury to Grayson McCall
  • Eli Hillman, DB
  • Kaleb Hutchinson, DB
  • Tavyn Jackson, DB
  • JT Killen, LB — 25 career starts; 65 tackles, three tackles for loss in 2023
  • Derrick Maxey, DB
  • Grayson McCall, QB — three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year
  • Tyson Mobley, WR
  • Tre Pinkney, LB
  • Jacob Proche, DB
  • Chris Rhone, WR
  • Braylon Ryan, DL — 38 career games, 21 career starts; 24 tackles, two tackles for loss in 2023
  • Laurence Sullivan, DB
  • Bryson Summers, OL
  • Dami’on Thompson, WR
  • Donnell Wilson, OL

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

UNLV

  • Jordan Jakes, WR
  • Jordyn Morgan, DB

Kansas

  • Will Huggins, TE
  • Reece Thomas, WR

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Utah State

  • William Testa, K
  • Josh Williams, LB

Georgia State

  • KZ Adams, RB
  • Rico Arnold, WR
  • Bryquice Brown, DB — 42 career games; 35 tackles, six passes defended in nine games
  • Marcus Carroll, RB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 1,350 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns
  • Montavious Cunningham, OL — redshirt sophomore, 15 career starts, 737 snaps at right tackle in 2023
  • Jaquon Dixon, RB
  • Cameron Dye, OL
  • Evan Graham, LB
  • JayT Jackson, DB
  • Jordan Jones, LB
  • Robert Lewis, WR — led team with 70 catches, 877 yards, five receiving touchdowns
  • Tony McCray, DB
  • Jalen Tate, DB

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Wyoming

  • DQ James, RB
  • Kolbey Taylor, DB

Toledo

  • Dequan Finn, QB — three-time all-MAC, 2023 MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award winner (conference MVP)
  • Jaret Frantz, WR
  • Micah Kelly, RB
  • Brad Ling, K
  • Vinny Sciury, OL — first-team all-MAC in 2023, 836 snaps at left guard
  • Ty Thomas, DL

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New Mexico Bowl: First Look At The New Mexico State Aggies

This year’s New Mexico Bowl features two teams from the old WAC, but Fresno State won’t want to take these revitalized Aggies lightly.

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New Mexico Bowl: First Look At The New Mexico State Aggies


This year’s New Mexico Bowl features two teams from the old WAC, but Fresno State won’t want to take these revitalized Aggies lightly.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Las Cruces has been magic all year.

New Mexico State has often been one of the toughest places to win anywhere in the country, so winning as many games as they did this fall, the same number that the Aggies won between 2020 and 2022, makes you sit up and take notice.

Everyone loves an underdog, though, and those same Aggies could have a significant home-field advantage when they face off with the Fresno State Bulldogs in this year’s Isleta New Mexico Bowl, three hours from Las Cruces. After 50 or 60 years in the wilderness, you can’t say they haven’t earned it, but how did NMSU get here?

Here’s what Bulldogs fans need to know about their bowl game opponent.

2023 New Mexico State Aggies — Team Profile

Conference: Conference USA

2023 Record: 10-4 (7-2 Conference USA)

SP+ ranking: 62nd

FEI ranking: 73rd

Sagarin rating: 82nd

Head coach: Jerry Kill (second year at New Mexico State, 25th year overall; 17-10 with Aggies, 175-114 overall)

2023 in a nutshell: After clinching the program’s third winning season and second bowl victory since 2000 last year, the Aggies set about proving this fall that was no fluke. They stumbled out of the gate with a 2-3 record, beating rival New Mexico but dropping road games at Liberty and Hawaii, but righted the ship in time to win eight consecutive contests and earn a rematch against Liberty in the Conference USA championship.

Though they again fell short against the Flames, the Aggies will be comfortable playing up the 25 from Las Cruces since their winning streak included four road wins, including at Western Kentucky and Auburn. In all, the 10-4 record marked the program’s first season with double-digit wins since going 11-0 as part of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1960.

Best wins: vs. Jacksonville State (8-4), at Auburn (6-6), at Western Kentucky (7-5)

Key Players

Diego Pavia, QB

It took a while for Pavia to settle into the starting job last season, but he picked up right where he left off and accounted for an average of 269 yards of total offense per game and 7.55 yards per play in 2023. Both figures rank in the top 35 among all FBS players, but it also obscures that he’s more than capable of doing damage with his arm (61.6% completion rate, 8.5 yards per attempt, 24 touchdowns, 2.3% interception rate) and his legs (851 rushing yards, fourth among quarterbacks; six TDs).

While it remains to be seen if Pavia suit up for the bowl game after playing through various aches and pains, he could be a headache for the Bulldogs if he does.

Keyshaun Elliott, LB

After getting his feet wet with the Aggies in 2022, the sophomore Elliott stepped into the starting lineup after one game and never looked back. He led the Aggies with 101 total tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss, finishing fifth among all Conference USA defenders with 45 stops (per PFF), cementing himself as a young star worth watching in the Group of 5.

Andre Seldon, CB

The former Michigan transfer emerged as the anchor in New Mexico State’s secondary this year, his second full season as a starter. Despite facing 61 targets, tied for third-most in Conference USA, he allowed a 42.6% completion rate, picking up 50 tackles, six passes defended, and an interception.

Star Thomas, RB

While the Aggies often deployed a committee in the running game, Thomas had previously led the team in all-purpose yardage and continued to shine as the lead back and Pavia’s primary complement. Though he only has 111 total carries and managed no more than 12 in any one game, the junior has averaged 5.79 yards per carry and scored six total touchdowns.

Canaan Yarro, C

Yarro brought much-needed stability to the offensive line as one of two players to start every game this season, playing a team-high 882 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. Despite the large workload, he is one of only six FBS centers to have played at least 800 snaps while allowing six or fewer quarterback pressures and zero sacks.

Overview:

Offense

With veterans back at just about every key position, the Aggies had one of their most prolific offensive seasons in recent memory. According to Brian Fremeau, New Mexico State earned 2.63 points per drive (37th in FBS) and 56.5% of available yards per drive (17th), both of which were far and away the team’s best figures dating back to 2007. They also had just 14 giveaways in 14 games, the fewest in Conference USA, so they’re an offense not usually inclined to beat themselves.

In the offensive backfield, Pavia and Thomas typically lead the way with periodic contributions from running backs Monte Watkins and Jamoni Jones (6.46 combined yards per carry, five touchdowns). Yarro and left tackle Shiyazh Pete provide seasoned leadership on the offensive line, supplemented by youngsters like sophomore AJ Vaipulu and redshirt freshman Louie Canepa.

NMSU’s passing game is a fairly balanced one that saw six different players receive at least 20 targets, but the lead pass-catcher is sophomore Jonathan Brady, who led the team with 37 catches for 613 yards, scoring four touchdowns. Junior Trent Hudson paced the Aggies with ten touchdown receptions, averaging 15.9 yards per catch, while Eli Stowers made a transition from quarterback to pitch in with 32 receptions and two scores.

Defense

Compared to the offense, the Aggies defense seems very much a bend-but-don’t-break unit, ranking 101st by available yards percentage allowed (52.0%) per drive but 56th in points per drive allowed (2.12). That they managed to force only 11 takeaways would seem to reinforce this, but NMSU also had a knack for making timely plays when it counts most, finishing second in Conference USA by collecting 31 sacks and holding opponents to a 35.4% third-down conversion rate. They also allowed a 50% touchdown rate on 56 trips into the red zone, one of just 21 FBS defenses to reach that mark.

Up front, sophomores Gabe Peterson and Sterling Webb, the latter of whom was recently named a first-team all-conference performer, lead the charge after combining for 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Collectively, the front seven knows how to get after the ball, though, as PFF notes six different Aggies had at least a dozen quarterback hurries (for comparison, Fresno State had one).

Peterson, Webb, Elliott, and Seldon make up a formidable nucleus, but they’re far from the only young athletes on this side of the ball. Defensive linemen Buddha Peleti and Gabriel Iniguez, safety Myles Rowser, and linebacker Sone Aupiu are all sophomores who played at least 400 snaps.

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Fresno State Football: Bulldogs To Face New Mexico State In Isleta New Mexico Bowl

The Bulldogs will end the 2023 season with a tough test against the New Mexico State Aggies in the Land of Enchantment.

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Fresno State Football: Bulldogs To Face New Mexico State In Isleta New Mexico Bowl


The Bulldogs will end the 2023 season with a tough test against the Aggies in the Land of Enchantment.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

The ‘Dogs look to end the year with a win.

The Fresno State Bulldogs didn’t end their regular season as hoped, but the team was rewarded with a bid in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, where they will face the New Mexico State Aggies, in a matchup first reported by Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

Jeff Tedford’s Bulldogs had a 8-1 record after the first week of November, a stretch through which the team defeated both UNLV and Boise State, but they stumbled in the last few weeks of the season and lost three straight games to fall out of the championship race. To compound matters, the program announced last week that Tedford would temporarily step back from his duties because of health concerns. Despite the unexpected development, Fresno State’s last New Mexico Bowl trip was a fruitful one, defeating UTEP back in 2021.

As for New Mexico State, the Aggies proved that last year’s surge under second-year head coach Jerry Kill was no fluke, joining Conference USA and posting a 10-4 record, the program’s first season with double-digit wins since 1960, while earning a spot in the conference championship game. Though they lost the title to Liberty, NMSU proved its mettle in November with consecutive wins over Western Kentucky, Auburn, and Jacksonville State.

This year’s New Mexico Bowl is set for Saturday, December 16. It will be broadcast on ESPN, kicking off at 2:45 PM Pacific/3:45 PM Mountain.

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Final Mountain West Bowl Projections

Final Mountain West Bowl Projections Seven teams in a bowl game Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Two bowl teams know their destination The complete regular season is in the books and there will be seven Mountain West teams going bowling. The …

Final Mountain West Bowl Projections


Seven teams in a bowl game


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Two bowl teams know their destination

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The complete regular season is in the books and there will be seven Mountain West teams going bowling. The Hawaii Bowl is confirmed with San Jose State taking on Coastal Carolina and with Boise State’s win over UNLV in the Mountain West title game they are going to the newly named Gronk LA Bowl.

As for the rest, this info will trick out later on Sunday as bowl teams get to pick their teams as the Mountain West doesn’t go in order of finish but bowls pick in order.

While there are bowl lineups tied with the Mountain West, but with ESPN owning a lot of bowl games there likely will be some switching going on.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

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Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Seven teams in a bowl game Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Regular season is in the books The Mountain West regular season is in the books and there are going to be seven bowl eligible teams. It …

Week 13 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Seven teams in a bowl game


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Regular season is in the books

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The Mountain West regular season is in the books and there are going to be seven bowl eligible teams. It was close to being eight had Colorado State been able to defeat Hawaii on the road late Saturday night.

Now, it must be said that the conference has five bowl tie-ins, but every Mountain West team that is bowl eligible will get to the post season.

Now where is still up for question with championship weekend upcoming this Saturday.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Eight teams in a bowl game Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire A few more can be bowl eligible There are currently six teams that are bowl eligible but it could be up to eight if Colorado State can …

Week 12 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Eight teams in a bowl game


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

A few more can be bowl eligible

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There are currently six teams that are bowl eligible but it could be up to eight if Colorado State can defeat Hawaii on the islands and if Utah State can defeat New Mexico they are going to the post season.

Both teams are favored and have a real good chance to become bowl eligible. While the Mountain West has five bowl tie-ins, there are other bowl games that have at-large options.

If the Utah State and Colorado State win there is a very good chance they will make it to the post season.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11

Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Highly unlikely there is a NY6 bowl team Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Can anyone surprise with two games left? There could be as many as eight Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible. …

Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Highly unlikely there is a NY6 bowl team


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Can anyone surprise with two games left?

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There could be as many as eight Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible. Currently, there are four teams that have six wins to get to a bowl game, and then three others that seem all but locked up with five wins.

Those teams are Boise State, Utah State, and San Jose State. Then there is Colorado State with four wins, however, the Rams get to play Nevada at home and then Hawaii on the road. Those seem like winnable games but ESPN’s Football Power Index give Colorado State just a 28.5% chance to win out.

If all eight teams do get to six wins, they will be bowling. The big question is if the Rams can join the other teams.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10

There is no New Year’s Six bowl bid and that likely will stick. The only team ever to get to a big time bowl game from the non-power conference was Boise State back in 2014.

In the pursuit of bowl eligibility, the Mountain West teams closely eye DraftKings Sportsbook insights. With eight potential qualifiers, attention turns to critical games for Colorado State. As the bowl lineup takes shape, the Mountain West’s affiliation adds intrigue to matchups like the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, creating anticipation for diverse postseason scenarios.

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
5:45 pm ET, ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Matchup: Air Force vs. New Mexico State

LA Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
7:30 pm ET, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Matchup: UNLV vs. UCLA

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
9:00 pm ET, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Matchup: Wyoming vs. SMU

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Boise State vs. Bowling Green

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Mountain West
Matchup: Utah State vs. Rice

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
5:30 pm ET, ESPN
Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Bowl Ties: AAC vs Pool
Matchup: 
San Jose State vs. Texas State

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
4:30 pm ET, Barstool
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Fresno State vs. Miami (OH)

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Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Falcons loss stings Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire How many bowl teams this week? With Air Force falling from the ranks of the undefeated, they are falling from the perch of a New Year’s Six …

Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Falcons loss stings


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

How many bowl teams this week?

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With Air Force falling from the ranks of the undefeated, they are falling from the perch of a New Year’s Six bowl game. That loss to Army was bad and it doesn’t help that Zac Larrier is hurt with his knee injury and wearing a giant brace.

Falcons can get back into the G5 race but they must win out. So, for this week they are dropping quite a bit from the New Year’s Six bowl game.

There is one new team in the mix this week for bowl games but you will need to click through to find out who that is.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9