Marshall @ Colorado State preview
University Stadium (Albuquerque)
GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL STORYLINES
1. The New Mexico Bowl at the University of New Mexico’s Dreamstyle Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 16 will feature two first-time opponents in Marshall of Conference USA and Colorado State of the Mountain West Conference. It’s also a clash of two programs that have been on opposite ends of the postseason-success spectrum of late. The Thundering Herd own an FBS-best 10-2 record in NCAA-sanctioned bowl games (among teams with a minimum of four appearances), including a 4-0 mark under current coach Doc Holliday, while the Rams possess a 6-10 all-time bowl record and have dropped three straight, including losses as a point-spread favorite in each of the last two postseasons under current coach Mike Bobo.
2. Although both teams are bringing 7-5 records to Albuquerque, neither exactly finished the regular season with a flourish. Marshall roared out to a 6-1 start, including a 3-0 mark in conference play, but dropped four of its final five games to finish tied for third in the C-USA’s East Division. Similarly, Colorado State opened with a 6-2 record, including a 4-0 mark in the Mountain West, but then lost three straight before routing San Jose State 42-14 in its regular-season finale to finish third in the conference’s Mountain Division.
3. The game will feature a classic strength vs. strength matchup pitting the Rams’ high-scoring offense against the Thundering Herd’s stout defense. Led by All-Mountain West first-team quarterback Nick Stevens and wide receiver Michael Gallup, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, Colorado State ranks 10th nationally in total offense (501.1 yards per game) and finished the regular season as the Mountain West’s highest-scoring team at 33.8 points per outing, but the Rams will have to reconfigure the coaching responsibilities with offensive coordinator Will Friend having departed to join the new coaching staff at Tennessee. Marshall, meanwhile, had a quartet of defenders garner All-Conference USA recognition and ranks in the FBS top 25 in total (337.7 yards allowed) and scoring (19.3 points) defense.
TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Colorado State -5.5
ABOUT MARSHALL (7-5, 4-4 Conference USA): Junior quarterback Chase Litton has started 33 contests for the Thundering Herd, throwing 70 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions, and ranked third in the conference this season with 237.8 passing yards per game. His top targets are a pair of first-team All-Conference USA selections in wideout Tyre Brady, a transfer from Miami, and tight end Ryan Yurachek, who combined for 103 catches, 1,207 yards and 16 TDs even through the former missed the last two games of the season due to injury, while freshman Tyler King totaled a team-high 714 rushing yards in 10 contests. Linebacker Chase Hancock, an All-Conference Second Team selection, made 120 total tackles while cornerback Chris Jackson recorded a team-leading three interceptions and eight pass breakups for a defense which limited the opposition to 10 or fewer points in five games.
ABOUT COLORADO STATE (7-5, 5-3 Mountain West): The Rams are quite familiar with Albuquerque, playing division-rival New Mexico there every other season, and now are seeking their third New Mexico Bowl victory after beating Fresno State 40-35 in 2008 and rallying late to stun Washington State 48-45 in 2013. Stevens led the conference in passing yards (289.9), TD tosses (27) and passing efficiency (152.4 rating) while the 6-foot, 200-pound Gallup is tied for third in the nation in receptions (94, seven touchdowns) and is fifth in receiving yards (1,345). Center Jake Bennett and tackle Zack Golditch also were All-Mountain West First-Team selections from an offensive line which allowed only eight sacks, while linebackers Josh Watson (103 total tackles, seven passes defensed) and Evan Colorito (11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks) led a defense that struggled at times as it surrendered 27.5 points and 425.8 yards per contest.
PREDICTION: Colorado State 27, Marshall 24