Getting you excited for the Gildan New Mexico Bowl

new mexico bowl

Boy, the NCAA sure knows how to kick off bowl season with a bang, huh? The Nevada Wolfpack taking on the Arizona Wildcats in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. Feature two left coast teams that were on National TV a total of maybe two times all year playing in the college football hotbed of Albuquerque, New Mexico. At least Rich Rodriguez is coaching Arizona, so I can make a few Rich Rod jokes that everybody has already heard/nobody has laughed at.

What this game is going to come down to is whether or not Nevada can move the ball consistently to keep up with their porous defense. Whereas the Arizona defense seems to give up their big point totals in select spots, Nevada’s defense is pretty much a lock to give up at least 30. I feel confident in saying there will be more scoring than Wilt Chamberlain in the Playboy Mansion and I think that favors the Wolf Pack. Arizona struggled mightily trying to stop the “Pistol” offense, including giving up 49 to Oregon and 66 to UCLA (in the worst ATS loss in all of college football season). Coincidentally, Chris Ault, head ball coach of Nevada, is the Tommy Edison of the Pistol so I think they’ll do a great job hanging points on the ‘Cats.

The pick – Nevada Wolf Pack +10

Bowl Blasts From the Past

Nevada – Colin Kaepernick

How about we talk about the toast of the NFL town right now, CK7 himself. As the QB of Nevada, Kaepernick broke a number of records, such as being the only quarterback in NCAA history to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 yards. He is also tied with Eric Crouch for most rushing TDs by a quarterback with 59. Way to go, CK. But the crown jewel of his collegiate career is his MVP award of the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl. Kaepernick threw for 370 yards and accounted for 4 TDs in a losing effort vs the might Golden Eagles of Boston College. I’m sure his MVP award is displayed prominently on his parent’s kitchen table. Kaepernick also owns a big-ass turtle.

I’d be remiss to not mention that Marion Motley is a proud Nevada graduate. The significance of Marion Motley? Motley broke the professional football color barrier, a full year before Jackie Robinson starred for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Why does Robinson get all the acclaim, when most (including me) have no idea about Motley’s accomplishments? Motley needs to get a new PR guy. Can you imagine the NFL if there weren’t any blacks in it? What would be more exciting: a WNBA playoff game or an all-white football game? Answer that honestly. So my thanks to you, Mr. Motley, for being a pioneer and making football much more exciting.

Arizona – Chris Gronkowski (and some stuff about Rob because he’s actually good and he makes me laugh to myself often)

I’m sure most of you are thinking “Jim, you dummy, why would you write anything about Chris Gronkowski”. I am a dummy, but I also mean to highlight Chris as the star of the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl. Chris Gronk caught a 24 yard TD to help extend an Arizona lead in their eventual upset of the #16 BYU Cougars. To say Chris has been living in big brother Rob Gronkowski’s shadow would be an understatement, dating back to their time at U of A. The only reason I mention Chris instead of Rob is this might be the only game in Gronkowski history that Chris had a better game than Rob. This reminds me of the O’Shea rivalry between Kevin and Danny.

But hey, check out this video with three Gronk’s in it. There is no doubt this was the meatiest family in United States history. Cumulative GPA of the Gronk students though was probably a 1.0.