The Gildan New Mexico Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at University Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico since 2006. Clothing manufacturer Gildan became the first title sponsor for the game. Since its founding, the bowl has been typically scheduled as one of the earliest such contests, played before Christmas since its inception.
As of 2011, the New Mexico Bowl features a team from the Mountain West Conference vs. a team from the Pacific-12 Conference, provided both conferences have enough bowl eligible teams. If they do not, the selection committee will choose an at-large team.[2] ESPN, whose ESPN Regional Television division (also known as ESPN Plus) supervises the bowl activities as one of the six bowl games they run, is the television home for the game. The game is the only annually nationally televised sporting event in the state of New Mexico. The 2006 contest was the first bowl game played in New Mexico, pitting the MWC's New Mexico Lobos and the WAC's San Jose State Spartans, a game which the Spartans won 20-12. The current champions of the New Mexico Bowl are the Temple Owls who beat Wyoming 37-15 in the 2011 game.
The game trophy is a 20-inch 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 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.[3]
The New Mexico Bowl stays active in the offseason among the nation and the local community. The bowl co-sponsors the Presbyterian Ear Institutes' Run To Break The Silence, a 5K, 10K and 20K fun run at Sandia Resort and Casino. They also team with NCAA Football to put on a free clinic for area youth coached by both New Mexico and New Mexico State coaches.[4]
The 2010 New Mexico Bowl included UTEP from Conference USA, the first time a team from outside the WAC or MWC had played in the game. On November 10, 2010, it was announced that the Pac-12 Conference would provide a team for the 2012 and 2013 New Mexico Bowls, who will face an opponent from the Mountain West Conference.[5] The Pac-12 and New Mexico Bowl pushed up their deal to include the 2011 edition of the game as well. [6] The Pac-12 was not able to provide a bowl-eligible team for the game, so the bowl chose Mid-American Conference team Temple to take on the Mountain West's Wyoming.
[edit] Game results
[edit] Most appearances
[edit] Wins by conference
[edit] Game records
| Team |
Performance vs. Opponent |
Year |
| Most points scored |
52, BYU vs. UTEP |
2010 |
| Fewest points allowed |
0, New Mexico vs. Nevada |
2007 |
| Margin of victory |
28, BYU vs. UTEP |
2010 |
| First downs |
28, BYU vs. UTEP |
2010 |
| Rushing yards |
362, Colorado State vs. Fresno State |
2008 |
| Passing yards |
354, New Mexico vs. Fresno State |
2007 |
| Total yards |
619, Colorado State vs. Fresno State |
2008 |
| Individual |
Player, Team |
Year |
| Points scored |
18, Cody Hoffman, BYU |
2010 |
| Passing touchdowns |
4, Jake Heaps, BYU |
2010 |
| Rushing yards |
285, Gartrell Johnson, Colorado State |
2008 |
| Passing yards |
354, Donovan Porterie, New Mexico |
2007 |
| Receiving yards |
137, Cody Hoffman, BYU |
2010 |
[edit] Attendance
| Year |
Attendance |
Teams |
| 2006 |
34,111 |
New Mexico vs. San Jose State |
| 2007 |
30,223 |
New Mexico vs. Nevada |
| 2008 |
24,735 |
Colorado State vs. Fresno State |
| 2009 |
24,898 |
Wyoming vs. Fresno State |
| 2010 |
32,424 |
BYU vs. UTEP |
| 2011 |
25,762 |
Temple vs. Wyoming |
[edit] Television coverage
[edit] Former logos
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5th Anniversary logo used in 2010
[edit] References
[edit] External links
