by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
After some last-minute angst, the UNM football team will make its second straight appearance in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 22.
The Lobos accepted the bowl invitation at the Tow Diehm Athletic Training Facility on Monday.
UNM, which finished the season 8-4 overall and 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference, will take on Nevada - 6-6 and 4-4 in the Western Athletic Conference - in the second New Mexico Bowl.
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"I'm proud of the team this season," head coach Rocky Long said. "Our players just wanted to play in a bowl game. They're probably even happier when you mention to them that a couple of weeks ago, it looked like we might not get to go to a
bowl game."
The Lobos' postseason chances were up in the air when Kansas dropped to No. 8 in the final BCS standings.
Fortunately for UNM, the Jayhawks earned an at-large bid to the Orange Bowl, opening up the Texas Bowl for TCU.
The MWC was able to put five teams in bowl games for the first time in the nine-year history of the conference.
Nevada also received some help when Hawaii was invited to the Sugar Bowl.
Boise State petitioned to travel to the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu, sending Fresno State to the Humanitarian Bowl and opening up the New Mexico Bowl for Nevada.
"From top to bottom, I think the MWC is stronger than the WAC," Long said. "They got Hawaii into a BCS game this year, and Boise State in last year. Three years ago, we had Utah. So, I think the quality of teams is comparable, and it's a great matchup for us."
Long said he has not seen Nevada play, except on television.
"They looked good on TV," Long said. "They looked like they had a very good offense that runs a lot out of the shotgun. It will be fun for our defense to go up against that."
The Nevada offense is led by freshman quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was named the WAC's Freshman of the Year on Monday.
Kaepernick threw for 2,038 yards and 19 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 10 games this season.
"They've got a great freshman quarterback," Long said. "He was definitely on against Boise State when I watched. He was passing a lot, and I don't think I saw him miss a single pass in that game."
On the other side of the coin, the Lobos haven't had much luck in bowl games.
Under Long, UNM has been bowl eligible the last seven years but is 0-4 in bowl games.
The Lobos haven't won a postseason game since 1961.
But UNM doesn't need any reminders of the program's history, senior linebacker Cody Kase said.
"We're happy to be having one last hurrah at home," he said. "It would be awesome to look back and see the legacy that this team has created. We have a lot of seniors on this year's team, and I can't think of a better way to go out than at home in front of our fans."
In an effort to go out with a win, Long said he is changing his approach when it comes to the 12 practices before the bowl game.
"In past years, I worked a lot on developing the younger players for next season," he said. "This year, we will be focusing and getting ready for Nevada."
With UNM's position in a bowl game secured, senior safety O.J. Swift has just one more wish.
"I hope it snows," he said. "I ain't never played football in the snow. It snowed last year when we practiced for the bowl game, but it didn't snow on game day."
New Mexico vs. Nevada
Dec. 22, 2:30 p.m.
University Stadium
