NCAA football: Fresno State to play New Mexico Bowl

Staff and wire reports |

12/4/2008 - 12/5/08

ALBUQUERQUE — Fresno State accepted a bid Thursday to play in the third annual New Mexico Bowl.

It will be the seventh postseason game in the past eight years for the Bulldogs (7-5 overall, 4-4 Western Athletic Conference).

Fresno State, which tied Hawaii, Louisiana Tech and Nevada for second place in the WAC, will meet a Mountain West Conference team Dec. 20 at 12:30 p.m. MST at University Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

It will be the first time in the short history of the bowl where The University of New Mexico is not a participant.

New Mexico Bowl executive director Jeff Siembieda called Fresno State "an exciting team with a fantastic history."

It will be the Bulldogs' first appearance in the New Mexico Bowl and their second consecutive bowl game.

"I've long been impressed with Pat Hill's program at Fresno State and have the utmost respect for everything having to do with Bulldog Football," Siembieda said.

Who the Bulldogs play won't be determined until Sunday at 3 p.m., following the picks for the Bowl Championship Series.

Undefeated and seventh-ranked Mountain West champion Utah is expected to receive a BCS bid, thus clearing the way for the rest of the bowls affiliated with the MWC to make their selections.