Nov. 22, 2005
The University of New Mexico has received a conditional invitation to play in the Fort Worth Bowl, which is scheduled for Dec. 23 at Amon Carter Stadium on the campus of TCU. The Lobos will participate in their fourth consecutive bowl if the Big 12 Conference or Conference USA does not have enough bowl eligible teams following this weekend’s games.
“Should the Fort Worth Bowl have an opening from one of its conference partners, the bowl will extend an invitation to the University of New Mexico to participate in the third annual game on Friday, Dec. 23 at Amon Carter Stadium,” said Tom Starr, Executive Director of the Fort Worth Bowl.
ESPN will televise the Fort Worth Bowl at 6 p.m. Mountain Time on Dec. 23.
New Mexico finished the regular season 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Mountain West Conference, tying Utah for fourth place. The Lobos are seeking their unprecedented fourth straight bowl appearance. UNM is the only team in the MWC to play in a bowl game each of the past three seasons (2002-04).
“Craig Thompson (Mountain West Conference Commissioner) did a great job to potentially place five conference teams in bowl games,” said UNM athletics director Rudy Davalos. “Obviously, we certainly look forward to playing in the Fort Worth Bowl should the opportunity present itself.”
The Lobos have a 2-6-1 record in bowl games, having lost four straight. UNM’s last bowl win was 28-12 over Western Michigan in the 1961 Aviation Bowl in Dayton, Ohio.
“We’re thrilled about the prospects of playing in the Fort Worth Bowl,” said New Mexico head coach Rocky Long. “Participating in a fourth straight postseason game would be a great reward for our coaches and players – especially our 22 seniors – who have worked so hard. We have several players from Texas and a lot of alums in and around the Metroplex, so playing in Fort Worth would be exciting for the Lobos.”