We're going to new mexico baby!!!
SJSU heads to New Mexico Bowl
By Laurence Miedema
Mercury News
For the first time in 16 years, San Jose State has a bowl destination.
SJSU accepted an invitation today to play in the inaugural New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 23 in Albuquerque. The Spartans will play New Mexico.
``We're thrilled to death about it,'' Coach Dick Tomey said.
This will be SJSU's first bowl appearance since it defeated Central Michigan in the 1990 California Raisin Bowl. The Spartans are 4-3 in bowl games, but this will be their first appearance in a bowl outside of the state.
The Spartans (7-4, 4-3 Western Athletic Conference) conclude the regular season Saturday at home against Fresno State. SJSU clinched a spot in one of the conference's two remaining tie-in bowls by beating Idaho this past Saturday.
Conference officials, as expected, sent Nevada to the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Boise State has clinched a spot in a BCS bowl, almost certainly the Fiesta, and Hawaii is staying home for the Hawaii Bowl.
``We're going somewhere, that's the biggest thing,'' quarterback Adam Tafralis said. ``I'd go to Alaska and play a bowl game if it meant I didn't have to sit at home and watch everyone else play.''
SJSU has made an improbable transformation from a 3-8 team a year ago to bowl qualifier. New Mexico also has made an impressive turnaround.
Seven weeks ago, the Lobos were 2-4, including an embarrassing home loss to Division I-AA Portland State in the opener. But they won four of their past six, rallying from double-digit deficits twice -- including against Utah -- and finished tied for fourth place in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-4 record.
``To lose to a Division II team, then strap it up and win three or four really close games, then finish it off like this, that's a really good deal,'' Coach Rocky Long said after the Lobos clinched the bowl berth last Saturday with a 41-14 rout of San Diego State. ``We've had better teams around here than this one, but this team is more competitive than any we've had.''
New Mexico is making its fourth bowl appearance in five seasons.
SJSU is 10-4-1 all-time against New Mexico in a series that started in 1956. All but one of the games was a non-conference matchup. The last time the teams met was in 1998, when SJSU beat New Mexico 37-20 at home in a WAC game. The Lobos bolted for the Mountain West Conference the next season. SJSU hasn't played at New Mexico since 1976.
Tickets for the bowl are $30. They are available online at newmexicombowl.com.
