New Mexico Bowl should serve up a fun afternoon
Albuquerque will be in the spotlight tomorrow when the college football bowl season kicks off.
The city will be showcased with the New Mexico Bowl, which will feature two teams with high-powered offenses in a noon telecast on ESPN.
The bowl has had its share of high-scoring games during its previous 12 years. Five times, the two teams on the field have combined for 75 points or more, topped by the 97 points Arizona and Nevada put up in 2012.
But this year’s matchup of Utah State-North Texas in New Mexico Bowl No. 13 at Dreamstyle Stadium promises to rival them all.
After all, the Aggies (10-2) of the Mountain West Conference and the Mean Green (9-3) of Conference USA averaged a combined 83 points per game – 47 for Utah State, 36 for North Texas — during the regular season.
Both teams are led by quarterbacks with impressive statistics. Utah State quarterback Jordan Love completed 247 of 374 passes during the regular season for 3,208 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. North Texas can counter with junior quarterback Mason Fine, who completed 295 of 437 passes for 3,734 yards, with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions.
The teams have combined for 19 victories, a record for the New Mexico Bowl. Their combined winning percentage is the most for a non-New Year Six Bowl.
It should be a very entertaining game, providing plenty of action for all who attend. The game has been listed among the top 10 bowl games not to be missed in a story by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
For the Utah State and North Texas fans in town — congratulations on such successful seasons. We hope you get a chance to savor some of our cooking, sights and hospitality while you’re here.
For local fans, it’s an opportunity to take a break from holiday preparations and join in the fun of experiencing the kickoff of this year’s bowl season. The game starts at noon, and the gates open at 9 a.m., with lots of family-friendly activities.
We hope to see you there.