UNM football team targets CFP spot after clinching bowl berth

Albuquerque, N.M. New Mexico football secured its second consecutive bowl appearance on Saturday after defeating North Dakota State 21-16 at home. Head coach Jason Eck noted that the team has moved beyond the initial goal of just reaching the postseason.

The Lobos currently sit at 6-1 and are the leading contender for the Mountain West Conference championship. A conference title would mark a historic achievement for the program and solidify Eck’s legacy within the 126-year history of Lobo football.

The team now aims for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. ESPN’s Football Power Index assigns the Lobos a 20.3% probability of making the field, ranking 18th among all FBS teams. This places UNM among the top contenders for the automatic bid reserved for the highest-ranked Group of Six team.

However, the path to the playoff is not guaranteed. Boise State, also at 6-1, holds a 51.7% chance of earning the Group of Six slot. UNM trails the Broncos in most key metrics, meaning the Lobos likely need Boise State to lose its final four games to improve their odds. Drops by Texas-San Antonio or Oregon State would also help the New Mexico case.

If the Lobos win the Mountain West but miss the CFP, they will likely play in a bowl game operated by ESPN Events. The conference is not contractually required to select the champion for the CFP, but the winner generally moves into the next tier of invitations. The LA Bowl, a previous destination for the conference champion, has been discontinued.

Current bowl options for a Mountain West champion include three games in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The Frisco Bowl on Dec. 15 paid out $650,000 last year. The Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 22 offered $1.35 million. The First Responder Bowl on Jan. 2 carried a $2.4 million payout.

The Cactus Bowl on Dec. 26 also remains a possibility with a $1.6 million payout. UNM played in the Cactus Bowl, formerly the Rate Bowl, last season. The Mountain West must fill a slot in that game if its primary league partners, the Big Ten and Big 12, do not send teams. Other potential destinations include the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 24.