New Mexico Bowl Returns to Christmas Eve Slot for 2023

The New Mexico Bowl is making a festive comeback this year, returning to its traditional pre-Christmas scheduling for the first time in two years. Set for Thursday, December 24, the game will kick off at 12:30 p.m., as announced by ESPN Events on Wednesday.

After two consecutive years of being held after Christmas, the Isleta New Mexico Bowl has a rich history of being played before the holiday, with 18 such instances prior to the last two years. The only prior Christmas Eve game took place in 2020, when Hawaii triumphed over Houston with a score of 28-14 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, due to COVID-19 restrictions that prevented the game from occurring in New Mexico.

Jeff Siembieda, the executive director of the New Mexico Bowl, indicated that the decision to host the game on Christmas Eve stemmed from “informal surveys” assessing the preferences of the college football community. He noted that many coaches favor a pre-Christmas schedule for logistical reasons. “The Christmas Eve part, it’s a family day,” Siembieda remarked, emphasizing that the bowl aims to enhance rather than detract from family traditions.

This year’s game will also enjoy a dedicated television slot on ESPN, a feature that has been absent for several years. Notably, the only other college football matchup on that day is the Hawaii Bowl, which traditionally takes place on Christmas Eve. By moving the game to Thursday, Siembieda believes it will benefit from a less crowded TV schedule, enhancing its visibility.

Despite the date change, the bowl’s conference affiliations remain intact, showcasing a team from the Mountain West against opponents from Conference USA, the American Conference, the Sun Belt, or the MAC. Other bowls featuring Mountain West teams this season include the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 21 and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on the same day as the New Mexico Bowl.