Fresno State heading to familiar turf to face New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford leads his players on to the field before the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Laramie, Wyo. Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford is stepping away from the program because of personal health concerns. The school's athletic director, Terry Tumey, announced Tedford's status on Friday, Dec. 1. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Fresno State (8-4, Mountain West) vs. New Mexico State (10-4, Conference USA), Dec. 16, 5:45 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Albuquerque, N.M.
TOP PLAYERS
Fresno State: QB Mikey Keene, 2,596 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, nine interceptions.
New Mexico State: QB Diego Pavia, 2,915 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, team-high 853 rushing yards, six touchdowns.
NOTABLE
Fresno State: Coach Jeff Tedford has temporarily stepped away from the program to focus on personal health concerns and assistant head coach and linebackers coach Tim Skipper will serve as the lead coach for the game.
New Mexico State's Blaze Berlowitz looks downfield during the second half of the team's Conference USA championship NCAA college football game against Liberty, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Lynchburg, Va. Credit: AP/Robert Simmons
New Mexico State: The Aggies are appearing in a bowl for the second time in as many seasons under coach Jerry Kill and for the the second time in program history; the first was in 1959 and 1960.
LAST TIME
Fresno State won 34-17 at New Mexico State in 2019 and leads 18-1 overall.
BOWL HISTORY
New Mexico State's Jonathan Brady runs for a touchdown past Liberty's Quinton Reese, right, and Preston Hodge during the second half of the Conference USA championship NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Lynchburg, Va. Credit: AP/Robert Simmons
Fresno State: Fourth New Mexico Bowl and 31st bowl appearance.
New Mexico State: First New Mexico Bowl and sixth bowl appearance overall. The Aggies are 4-0-1 in prior bowl games.
