The New Mexico Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 2006 at University Stadium, on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Owned and operated by ESPN Events, it has typically been scheduled as one of the first games of the bowl season. The bowl has tie-ins with Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 New Mexico Bowl was moved to Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
History The New Mexico Bowl trophy is a piece of Zia Pueblo pottery, painted with Pueblo symbols, the New Mexico Bowl logo, football players, and the logos of the competing teams. The Zia sun symbol, a Zia Pueblo symbol that is used in the state flag, is incorporated into the bowl game logo. The most valuable player trophies are crafted from traditional leather shields.
From 2011 to 2017, the bowl was sponsored by clothing manufacturer Gildan and was officially known as the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. In 2019, the bowl announced a sponsorship with DreamHouse Productions, a local film studio. However, in October 2019, the company was quietly dropped as sponsor, coinciding with investigations by a local sports website, EnchantmentSports.com, that alleged DreamHouse Productions was tied to a scam artist and questioned the company's legitimacy.
The 2021 edition of the game was sponsored by PUBG Mobile. In September 2023, the Isleta Pueblo, an operator of resorts and casinos, was named the new title sponsor of the bowl.
Game results Rankings are based on the AP poll prior to the game being played.
DateWinning teamLosing teamAttend.Notes December 23, 2006 San Jose State 20 New Mexico 12 34,111 notes December 22, 2007 New Mexico 23 Nevada 0 30,223 notes December 20, 2008 Colorado State 40 Fresno State 35 24,735 notes December 19, 2009 Wyoming 35 Fresno State 28 (2OT) 24,898 notes December 18, 2010 BYU 52 UTEP 24 32,424 notes December 17, 2011 Temple 37 Wyoming 15 25,762 notes December 15, 2012 Arizona 49 Nevada 48 24,610 notes December 21, 2013 Colorado State 48 Washington State 45 27,104 notes December 20, 2014 Utah State 21 UTEP 6 28,725 notes December 19, 2015 Arizona 45 New Mexico 37 30,289 notes December 17, 2016 New Mexico 23 UTSA 20 29,688 notes December 16, 2017 Marshall 31 Colorado State 28 26,087 notes December 15, 2018 Utah State 52 North Texas 13 25,387 notes December 21, 2019 San Diego State 48 Central Michigan 11 18,823 notes December 24, 2020 Hawaii 28 Houston 14 2,060 notes December 18, 2021 Fresno State 31 UTEP 24 16,422 notes December 17, 2022 BYU 24 SMU 23 22,209 notes December 16, 2023 Fresno State 37 New Mexico State 10 30,822 notes December 28, 2024 TCU 34 Louisiana 3 22,827 notes December 27, 2025 No. 23 North Texas 49 San Diego State 47 18,867 notes Source:
MVPs
Year Offensive MVP Defensive MVPPlayer Team Pos.Player Team Pos.2006 James Jones San José State WR Matt Castelo San José State LB2007 Donovan Porterie New Mexico QB Brett Madsen New Mexico LB 2008 Gartrell Johnson Colorado State RB Tommie Hill Colorado State DE2009 Austyn Carta-Samuels Wyoming QB Mitch Unrein Wyoming DE2010 Jake Heaps BYU QB Andrew Rich BYU FS2011 Chris Coyer Temple QB Tahir Whitehead Temple LB2012 Matt Scott Arizona QB Marquis Flowers Arizona LB2013 Connor Halliday Washington State QB Shaquil Barrett Colorado State DE2014 Kent Myers Utah State QB Zach Vigil Utah State LB2015 Anu Solomon Arizona QB Scooby Wright III Arizona LB2016 Lamar Jordan New Mexico QB Dakota Cox New Mexico LB2017 Tyre Brady Marshall WR Channing Hames Marshall DL2018 Jordan Love Utah State QB DJ Williams Utah State DB2019 Jordan ByrdJesse Matthews San Diego State RBWR Kyahva Tezino San Diego State LB2020 Calvin Turner Hawaii WR Darius Muasau Hawaii LB2021 Jordan Mims Fresno State RB Elijah Gates Fresno State DB2022 Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters BYU QB Ben Bywater BYU LB2023 Mikey Keene Fresno State QB Levelle Bailey Fresno State LB2024 Josh Hoover TCU QB Devean Deal TCU LB2025 Caleb Hawkins North Texas RB Will Jones II North Texas S Source:
Most appearances Updated through the December 2025 edition (20 games, 40 total appearances).
Teams with multiple appearances RankTeamAppearancesWonLostWin pct.1 New Mexico 4 Fresno State 4 3 Colorado State 3 UTEP 3 5 Arizona 2 Utah State 2 BYU 2 North Texas 2 San Diego State 2 Wyoming 2 Nevada 2
Teams with a single appearance Won (5): Hawaii, Marshall, San Jose State, TCU, Temple
Lost (7): Central Michigan, Houston, Louisiana, New Mexico State, SMU, UTSA, Washington State
Air Force, Boise State and UNLV are the only current Mountain West Conference members that have not appeared in the bowl.
Appearances by conference Updated through the December 2025 edition (20 games, 40 total appearances).
ConferenceRecordAppearances by seasonGamesWLWin pct.WonLost Mountain West 18 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2025 CUSA 7 2017 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023WAC 4 2006 2007, 2008, 2009 Pac-12 3 2012, 2015 2013 American 3 2025 2020, 2022 MAC 2 2011 2019 Independents 1 2022 Big 12 1 2024 Sun Belt 1 2024
The WAC no longer sponsors FBS football. Independent appearances: BYU (2022)
Game records TeamPerformance vs. OpponentYearMost points scored (one team)52, shared by:BYU vs. UTEPUtah State vs. North Texas 20102018Most points scored (losing team)48, Nevada vs. Arizona2012Most points scored (both teams)97, Nevada vs. Arizona2012Fewest points allowed 0, New Mexico vs. Nevada 2007Largest margin of victory 39, Utah State vs. North Texas 2018Total yards 659, Nevada vs. Arizona 2012Rushing yards 404, Nevada vs. Arizona 2012Passing yards 410, Washington State vs. Colorado State 2013First downs 39, Nevada vs. Arizona 2012Fewest yards allowed 200, New Mexico State vs. Fresno State2023Fewest rushing yards allowed –12, BYU vs. UTEP2010Fewest passing yards allowed 47, BYU vs. SMU2022IndividualPlayer, TeamYearAll-purpose yards375, Gartrell Johnson (Colorado State)2008Points scored 30, Connor Halliday (Washington State)2013Rushing yards 285, Gartrell Johnson (Colorado State) 2008Rushing touchdowns3, shared by 4 players: Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona) Kapri Bibbs (Colorado State) Jared Baker (Arizona) Lamar Jordan (New Mexico)2012201320152015Passing yards 410, Connor Halliday (Washington State) 2013Passing touchdowns 6, Connor Halliday (Washington State)2013Receiving yards 182, Cayleb Jones (Arizona)2015Receiving touchdowns3, shared by: Kris Adams (UTEP) Cody Hoffman (BYU)20102010Tackles18, Matt Castelo (San Jose State)2006Sacks2, shared by: Brett Madsen (New Mexico) Mitch Unrein (Wyoming) Cory James (Colorado State) Scooby Wright III (Arizona) Tipa Galeai (Utah State) Khoury Bethley (Hawai'i) Jeremiah Pritchard (Hawai'i)2007200920132015201820202020Interceptions2, shared by: Andrew Rich (BYU) D.J. Williams (Utah State)20102018Long PlaysPlayer, TeamYearTouchdown run 90 yds., Tyler King (Marshall)2017Touchdown pass92 yds., Lamar Jordan to Delane Hart–Johnson (New Mexico)2015Kickoff return92 yds., Calvin Turner (Hawaii)2020Punt return63 yds., Nathan Acevedo (San Diego State)2025Interception return76 yds., Ben Bywater (BYU)2022Fumble return56 yds., Damaja Jones (San Jose State)2006Punt67 yds., Ryan Rehkow (BYU)2022Field goal53 yds., John Sullivan (New Mexico)2007 Source:
Media coverage ESPN College Football holds the rights to televise the New Mexico Bowl. In 2006, the inaugural edition of the bowl, the game was carried on ESPN2, from 2007 to 2021 the game was carried on ESPN, In 2022, the game was carried on ABC.
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