Bowl preview: New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.
Fresno State vs. Colorado State
Date: Dec. 20
Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Fresno State –3

About Fresno State: Fresno State Pat Hill has a bad-ass fu-man-chu and likes to spout off “anybody, any time, anywhere” about his non-conference schedule. You will notice the word “win” is conspicuously absent from that creed. Being from the general Fresno area, you might assume the Bulldogs roster is full of meth dealers and thugs. Yes. Yes it is.

Intangibles:
Unexplainable green “V” on back of helmet: +2 points
Named “sleeper” team every preseason since 1997: +5 points
Fail to live up to “sleeper” pick every season since 1997: -8 points
Almost beat team from every BCS conference: 0 points

About Colorado State: CSU is not coached by Sonny Lubick anymore which is too bad, cause that’s a cool name. Now, it’s some guy name Steve or Todd or Bob Fairchild. Not as good. The Rams are bowl eligible thanks to a scintillating 23-20 win over Sacramento State and finished the season on a red-hot two-game win streak.

Intangibles:
Located in Colorado: +3
Part of Colorado without mountains: -4
Ram horns on helmet: +2
Had that guy name Bradlee Van Pelt a few years ago: +6

Impact player: Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater. The announcers will tell you what a great NFL prospect is if he just became a little more consistent. Right. And David Carr’s going to the Pro Bowl.

Bowl slogan: “New Mexico; Remember that time you drove through us on the way to the Grand Canyon?”

Little Known Fact: University Stadium seats 42,000 people or 3/4 of New Mexico’s population.

Watchability scale (1-5): 1.5

The Pick: Fresno State 27, Colorado State 12