New Mexico State set to play Fresno State in New Mexico Bowl

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) – New Mexico State (10-4, 7-1 CUSA) is set to square off against Fresno State (8-4, 4-4 Mountain West) in the 18th annual Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 16 at te University of New Mexico’s University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The announcement was made on Sunday afternoon.

This is the first time New Mexico State will play in in the New Mexico Bowl. This is the sixth bowl appearance in NMSU football program history. The Aggies boast a 4-0-1 all-time record in bowl games. NMSU’s most recent bowl game appearance came just last year when the Aggies traveled to Detroit, Michigan to play in the Quick Lane Bowl and grabbed a 24-19 win over Bowling Green.

New Mexico State will head into the New Mexico Bowl with a 10-4 overall record and 7-1 Conference USA record. The Aggies will look for redemption after suffering a 49-35 loss to CFP No. 24 Liberty in the Conference USA championship game on Dec. 1. New Mexico State will aim to win back-to-back bowl games for the just the second time in program history (1959, 1960).

Fresno State comes into the New Mexico Bowl with a 8-4 overall record and 4-4 Mountain West record. The Bulldogs finished sixth place in the Mountain West Standings. Fresno State will look to grab its first win in over a month in its biggest game of the season. Fresno State ended its regular season on a three-game losing streak with its last winning coming on Nov. 4 against Boise State, 37-30.

The Isleta New Mexico Bowl, one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, will be played at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Dec. 16. It will air nationally on ESPN and ESPN Radio at 3:45 p.m. MST (5:45 p.m. EST).

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