The Lobos won nine games for the first time since 2016.
Jason Eck claimed Mountain West and SuperWest Coach of the Year honors. And his son, Jaxton Eck, was named co-Defensive Player of the Year, the program’s first-ever player to claim the award.
A win on Friday against Minnesota would give UNM its first 10-win season in 40+ years.
As for the Gophers, well, you can say what you want to about PJ Fleck—and trust me, I’d probably be nodding my head in agreement the entire time—but he has at least met expectations at Minnesota.
Sure, the Gophers have not fully taken that next step. But setting aside the COVID-shortened season, Fleck’s Gophers have gone bowling in seven of his eight seasons.
Heading into this one, he is 6-0 in those bowl games. Something is working.
I preview the MW-Big Ten Rate Bowl matchup between New Mexico and Minnesota here, providing my picks, straight-up, against the spread, and over/under.
New Mexico Lobos vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
Friday, December 26
6:00 PM PT, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, and Dawn Davenport
Line: Minnesota –2.5
Points Total: 47.5
New Mexico enters with more momentum, having won six in a row, while the Gophers have dropped three of their last five.
Both teams are outstanding against the run.
The Gophers rank 31st nationally, allowing just 121.5 yards on the ground per game, while the Lobos are limiting opponents to 113.4 per contest, the 25th-best mark in the country.
Both teams have also struggled mightily to move the ball on the ground.
Minnesota is averaging just 103 rushing yards per game, and in the last nine games, that has fallen to just 77.3 yards per outing.
A big part of that dip has been Darius Taylor being less than 100% with a hamstring issue. In the regular season finale against Wisconsin, his workload was way up, and he gained 100 yards on 19 totes.
A healthy and effective Taylor could be the difference-maker in this one.
Neither team is really great when it comes to throwing the football, and both have had some issues defending the pass at times.
If New Mexico is to get the win in this one, they will need a productive game out of Jack Layne.
And it starts and ends with not turning it over. In the Lobos’ nine wins this season, the QB has only thrown one interception and tossed 11 TDs. In the three games UNM dropped, Layne was picked off eight times.
For the Gophers, the results are eerily similar as the defense has intercepted eight passes in their seven wins and recorded zero picks in the five losses.
While Drake Lindsey has not been great this season, he has shown it at times, and I think he gives Minnesota more to work with in the passing game.
This game stays close and it stays low scoring, but the Gophers run their bowl game win streak to nine in a row.
Outright winner: Minnesota
Against the Spread: Minnesota
Total: Under
