COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West, which is the only FBS conference with at least three teams with double-digit win totals this year, is sending six teams to postseason bowl games in 2018. The MW is the only Group of 5 conference to send at least six teams to a bowl game in six consecutive seasons.
The MW, which has earned 90 bowl bids since 1999 and holds a 49-41 (.544) all-time record, owns the second-best win percentage in bowl games in the last 14 seasons among the 10 FBS conferences (.560), trailing only the SEC (.628).
2018 Mountain West Champion Fresno State (11-2, 7-1 MW) will play in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12) on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. The Bulldogs, who are playing in their second consecutive bowl game and fifth overall since joining the Mountain West prior to the 2012 season, are coming off a 19-16 victory over Boise State in the 2018 Mountain West Football Championship Game. The Bulldogs are taking on the Sun Devils for the first time since 1941 and just the fourth time overall (0-3).
Utah State (10-2, 7-1 MW) will appear in its second consecutive bowl game and its seventh in the last eight years when it takes on North Texas (9-3, 5-3 CUSA) in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 15. Kickoff is set for Noon MT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. The Aggies will play in the New Mexico Bowl for just the second time overall, defeating UTEP in the 2014 contest (21-6). Utah State, which is ranked No. 23 in the Amway Coaches Poll, and North Texas are meeting for the eighth time overall, with the Aggies holding a 4-3 advantage. The Mean Green were victorious (31-23) in the last showdown in 2004.
San Diego State (7-5, 4-4 MW) will play in a school-record ninth consecutive bowl game, 14th overall, when it takes on Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC) in the DXL Frisco Bowl at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 19 on ESPN. The Aztecs have won 39 games in the last three years, which is the most among the Group of 5. This is the first meeting between San Diego State and Ohio.
Hawai‘i (8-5, 5-3 MW) has qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2016 and will play Louisiana Tech (7-5, 5-3 CUSA) in the SoFi Hawai‘i Bowl on Sat., Dec. 22 on ESPN (5:30 p.m. HT). The Rainbow Warriors, who won eight regular-season games this season for the first time since 2010, are appearing in their 12th all-time bowl game, including the eighth appearance in the Hawai‘i Bowl. The Rainbow Warriors and Bulldogs are meeting for the first time since 2011 and UH holds an 8-2 advantage in the all-time series. Overall, UH has a 6-5 record in the postseason.
Boise State (10-3, 7-1 MW) will play in its 17th consecutive bowl game when it takes on Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Wednesday, December 26. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and the game will be played at the Cotton Bowl. The Broncos’ 17-year bowl streak is best among Group of 5 institutions and fifth-best nationally, behind Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. The Eagles lead the series 1-0 over the Broncos, with their lone victory coming on Dec. 28, 2005 in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Nevada (7-5, 5-3 MW) will make its first appearance in the postseason since 2015 and its fourth bowl game since joining the Conference prior to the 2012 season when it takes on Arkansas State (8-4, 5-3 Sun Belt) in the 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Kickoff is set for 11:15 a.m. MT on CBS Sports Network. The Wolf Pack, who have played in 13 bowl games in program history, meet the Red Wolves for the seventh time overall (Nevada leads 4-2) and first time since 1999. Nevada’s seven victories in the regular season are the most by the Wolf Pack since 2014 (7-5).
In Sunday’s College Football Playoff Rankings, the MW has two nationally-ranked teams in Fresno State (21) and Boise State (25). For the third consecutive week, the Conference has three teams nationally-ranked in the Amway Coaches Poll (Fresno State – 21, Utah State – 23 and Boise State – 24), while Fresno State (19) and Boise State (23) are also in the AP Top 25. The MW is the only Group of 5 conference with multiple nationally-ranked teams in each of the three major polls.
The MW, which has earned 90 bowl bids since 1999 and holds a 49-41 (.544) all-time record, owns the second-best win percentage in bowl games in the last 14 seasons among the 10 FBS conferences (.560), trailing only the SEC (.628).
2018 Mountain West Champion Fresno State (11-2, 7-1 MW) will play in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12) on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. The Bulldogs, who are playing in their second consecutive bowl game and fifth overall since joining the Mountain West prior to the 2012 season, are coming off a 19-16 victory over Boise State in the 2018 Mountain West Football Championship Game. The Bulldogs are taking on the Sun Devils for the first time since 1941 and just the fourth time overall (0-3).
Utah State (10-2, 7-1 MW) will appear in its second consecutive bowl game and its seventh in the last eight years when it takes on North Texas (9-3, 5-3 CUSA) in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 15. Kickoff is set for Noon MT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. The Aggies will play in the New Mexico Bowl for just the second time overall, defeating UTEP in the 2014 contest (21-6). Utah State, which is ranked No. 23 in the Amway Coaches Poll, and North Texas are meeting for the eighth time overall, with the Aggies holding a 4-3 advantage. The Mean Green were victorious (31-23) in the last showdown in 2004.
San Diego State (7-5, 4-4 MW) will play in a school-record ninth consecutive bowl game, 14th overall, when it takes on Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC) in the DXL Frisco Bowl at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 19 on ESPN. The Aztecs have won 39 games in the last three years, which is the most among the Group of 5. This is the first meeting between San Diego State and Ohio.
Hawai‘i (8-5, 5-3 MW) has qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2016 and will play Louisiana Tech (7-5, 5-3 CUSA) in the SoFi Hawai‘i Bowl on Sat., Dec. 22 on ESPN (5:30 p.m. HT). The Rainbow Warriors, who won eight regular-season games this season for the first time since 2010, are appearing in their 12th all-time bowl game, including the eighth appearance in the Hawai‘i Bowl. The Rainbow Warriors and Bulldogs are meeting for the first time since 2011 and UH holds an 8-2 advantage in the all-time series. Overall, UH has a 6-5 record in the postseason.
Boise State (10-3, 7-1 MW) will play in its 17th consecutive bowl game when it takes on Boston College (7-5, 4-4 ACC) in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Wednesday, December 26. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and the game will be played at the Cotton Bowl. The Broncos’ 17-year bowl streak is best among Group of 5 institutions and fifth-best nationally, behind Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. The Eagles lead the series 1-0 over the Broncos, with their lone victory coming on Dec. 28, 2005 in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Nevada (7-5, 5-3 MW) will make its first appearance in the postseason since 2015 and its fourth bowl game since joining the Conference prior to the 2012 season when it takes on Arkansas State (8-4, 5-3 Sun Belt) in the 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. Kickoff is set for 11:15 a.m. MT on CBS Sports Network. The Wolf Pack, who have played in 13 bowl games in program history, meet the Red Wolves for the seventh time overall (Nevada leads 4-2) and first time since 1999. Nevada’s seven victories in the regular season are the most by the Wolf Pack since 2014 (7-5).
In Sunday’s College Football Playoff Rankings, the MW has two nationally-ranked teams in Fresno State (21) and Boise State (25). For the third consecutive week, the Conference has three teams nationally-ranked in the Amway Coaches Poll (Fresno State – 21, Utah State – 23 and Boise State – 24), while Fresno State (19) and Boise State (23) are also in the AP Top 25. The MW is the only Group of 5 conference with multiple nationally-ranked teams in each of the three major polls.
