BYU to Play SMU in New Mexico Bowl

The New Mexico Bowl will feature a pair of 7-5 teams as BYU-SMU will play each other Saturday, December 17.

Both teams have good offenses and suspect defenses. SMU is 13th nationally averaging 38.4 ppg, but is 123rd nationally in scoring defense giving up 34.7 ppg. QB Tanner Mordecai has thrown for 3306 yards, 31 TDs, and 9 interceptions this year.

BYU ended the MWC era with a New Mexico Bowl appearance versus UTEP, and the Cougars will end the Independence era the same way. BYU-SMU, of course, was also the matchup for BYU’s famous “Miracle Bowl” comeback in the 1980 Miracle Bowl.

The New Mexico Bowl is currently scheduled to kickoff at 12:15 pm MT on ESPN, but there is a good chance it gets flexed to primetime at 5:30 pm MT on ABC, This would be a swap with the Las Vegas bowl and would accommodate the Las Vegas Raiders if their primetime game on the 18th gets moved to earlier in the day.