BG Football to Play in Quick Lane Bowl Against New Mexico State

So, lots of time ahead to look more into the New Mexico State Aggies.  For now, a couple of factoids.

They were 6-6 this year, but had 2 non-D1 games, so for bowl eligibility purposes, they were 5-6.  However, their game against San Jose State was postponed due to a death in the Spartan program, so the NCAA granted them a waiver to participate in the bowl game.

They beat Hawaii, New Mexico, UMass, and Liberty (by 35) in D1, along with Lamar and Valpo.  They lost to Nevada, Minnesota, UTEP, Wisconsin, and FIU.

They have been out in the wilderness since the WAC dropped football 10 years ago.  They were in the Sun Belt for a while, compete as independents now and will join C-USA next year.  They have played in a bowl more recently than BG--2017, when they beat Utah State in the Arizona Bowl under former Kent coach Doug Martin, who finished his run there after last season, at 2-10 and 8-30 in the last four years.

Their current coach is former NIU Coach Jerry Kill. He reached #24 for them in 2010 (won the West, lost to Miami in title game), went to Minnesota, had some highly visible health issues, and now is back in coaching full time.

It is in Las Cruces.

Chris Jans was their basketball coach before moving to Mississippi State.

Famous Alumni include:

Paul Hale, who identified the Hale-Bopp Comet.

Kevin Johnson, the CEO of Starbucks

Lou Henson, basketball coach

A bunch of NFL players, notably:

Charley Johnson, QB, in the Denver Broncos ring of honor (and full professor of chemical engineering at NMSU.

Walter Jonson, member College Football Hall fo Fame

Joe "Butt Fumble" Pisarcik, where he was implementing a play called by former BG coach Bob Gibson, who went on to operate a bait shop.