NCAA Bowl Game Matchup -- New Mexico Bowl

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

NCAA Bowl Game Matchup -- New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (6-6)
Date: Saturday, December 19th
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. (et)
Site: University Stadium (38,634) -- Albuquerque, New Mexico
Surface: Grass
Annual: 4th
Projected Payout Per Team: $750,000
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Terry Gannon and David Norrie
Home Record: Fresno State 4-1; Wyoming 3-3
Away Record: Fresno State 4-3; Wyoming 3-3
Current Win/Loss Streak: Fresno State 2W; Wyoming 1W
Las Vegas Line: Fresno State 10.5 (Total, 55)
All-Time Series: Tied (3-3)
Last Meeting: November 22, 1997 (Fresno State, 24-7 at Fresno State)
Series Streak: Wyoming has won two of the last three meetings.
Versus Opposing Conference: Fresno State vs. Mountain West (59-59-4)
Versus Opposing Conference: Wyoming vs. WAC (54-53-4)
Bowl Records: Fresno State (12-10 -- 0-1 in New Mexico Bowl)
Wyoming (5-6)
2009 National Rankings: Fresno State - Unranked
Wyoming - Unranked
Coaches: Fresno State - Pat Hill (100-65 at Fresno State)
(Career Record, Same as above)
Wyoming - Dave Christensen (6-6 at Wyoming)
(Career Record, Same as above)

Season Schedule/Results
Fresno State Bulldogs
Sep 5 - W vs. UC Davis, 51-0
Sep 12 - L at Wisconsin, 31-34 2OT
Sep 18 - L vs. Boise State, 34-51
Sep 26 - L at Cincinnati, 20-28
Oct 3 - Open
Oct 10 - W at Hawaii, 42-17
Oct 17 - W vs. San Jose St, 41-21
Oct 24 - W at New Mexico St, 34-3
Oct 31 - W vs. Utah State, 31-27
Nov 7 - W at Idaho, 31-21
Nov 14 - L at Nevada, 14-52
Nov 21 - W vs. Louisiana Tech, 30-28
Nov 28 - Open
Dec 5 - W at Illinois, 53-52
Dec 12 - Open
Dec 19 - vs. Wyoming, 4:30 PM (New Mexico Bowl)
Wyoming Cowboys
Sep 5 - W vs. Weber State, 29-22
Sep 12 - L vs. Texas, 10-41
Sep 19 - L at Colorado, 0-24
Sep 26 - W vs. U-N-L-V, 30-27
Oct 3 - W at Fla Atlantic, 30-28
Oct 10 - W vs. New Mexico, 37-13
Oct 17 - L at Air Force, 0-10
Oct 24 - Open
Oct 31 - L at Utah, 10-22
Nov 7 - L vs. B-Y-U, 0-52
Nov 14 - W at San Diego St, 30-27
Nov 21 - L vs. T-C-U, 10-45
Nov 27 - W at Colorado State, 17-16
Dec 5 - Open
Dec 12 - Open
Dec 19 - vs. Fresno State, 4:30 PM (New Mexico Bowl)

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

New Mexico Bowl WYOMING COWBOYS @ FRESNO ST BULLDOGS
4:30 PM Game Time Record Line Betting Trend
Teams Win-Loss Streak Open Current Side Money O/U
201 Wyoming (6-6) (3-3 A) W-1 +54.5 40% 23% 91%
202 Fresno St (8-4) (4-1 H) W-2 -11 -11.5 60% 77% 9%

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Matchup Analysis

Bowl Week 2
Fresno St Bulldogs (5-0) (2-0 H) vs Wyoming Cowboys (2-3) (1-3 A)

Game Time: 4:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, December 19

Stadium: University Stadium Surface: Grass

RECORD ANALYSIS
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Wyoming Cowboys HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL

Year-to-Date 3 - 3 3 - 3 6 - 6 3 - 2 5 - 1 8 - 3 3 - 0 2 - 4 5 - 4
Last 5 games 0 - 2 2 - 1 2 - 3 0 - 2 3 - 0 3 - 2 1 - 0 1 - 2 2 - 2
YTD vs. Conf. 2 - 2 2 - 2 4 - 4 2 - 2 4 - 0 6 - 2 3 - 0 1 - 3 4 - 3
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Fresno St Bulldogs HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL
Year-to-Date 4 - 1 4 - 3 8 - 4 0 - 3 6 - 1 6 - 4 3 - 1 2 - 4 5 - 5
Last 5 games 2 - 0 2 - 1 4 - 1 0 - 2 2 - 1 2 - 3 1 - 1 1 - 2 2 - 3
YTD vs. Conf. 3 - 1 3 - 1 6 - 2 0 - 3 3 - 1 3 - 4 3 - 1 1 - 3 4 - 4
AWAY VS. SPREAD HOME VS. SPREAD
Year-to-Date FAV DOG GRASS TURF FAV DOG GRASS TURF
Wyoming Cowboys 0 - 0 5 - 1 4 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 0 2 - 2 3 - 2 0 - 0
Fresno St Bulldogs 3 - 0 3 - 1 1 - 1 5 - 0 0 - 2 0 - 1 0 - 3 0 - 0

TEAM LOGS/SCHEDULE:
( * = overtime)

Wyoming Cowboys
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
09/05/09 Sat WEB 29 - 22 W -0 -0 W 7 NL NL G
09/12/09 Sat TX 10 - 41 L +31 +31.5 W 0.5 NL NL G
09/19/09 Sat @CO 0 - 24 L +9 +7 L -17 51.5 51.5 U -27.5 G
09/26/09 Sat UNLV 30 - 27 W +6 +3.5 W 6.5 47.0 47.5 O +- 9.5 G
10/03/09 Sat @FAU 30 - 28 W +2 +4 W 6 52.0 54.0 O +- 4.0 T
10/10/09 Sat NM 37 - 13 W -13 -10 W 14 47.0 45.0 O +- 5.0 G
10/17/09 Sat @AF 0 - 10 L +11 +11.5 W 1.5 44.0 45.0 U -35.0 G
10/31/09 Sat @UT 10 - 22 L +14 +18 W 6 44.0 43.5 U -11.5 G
11/07/09 Sat BYU 0 - 52 L +10.5 +13.5 L -38.5 49.5 48.5 O +- 3.5 G
11/14/09 Sat @SDGST 30 - 27 W +1 +7 W 10 47.0 48.0 O +- 9.0 G
11/21/09 Sat TCU 10 - 45 L +28 +31 L -4 NL NL G
11/27/09 Fri @COST 17 - 16 W +1 +2.5 W 3.5 49.0 49.0 U -16.0 G

Fresno St Bulldogs
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
09/05/09 Sat DAVIS 51 - 0 W -0 -0 W 51 NL NL G
09/12/09 Sat @WIS 31 - 34 L +9 +8 W 5 NL NL T
09/18/09 Fri BST 34 - 51 L +10 +8 L -9 54.0 53.0 O +-32.0 G
09/26/09 Sat @CIN 20 - 28 L +14 +17 W 9 59.0 63.0 U -15.0 T
10/10/09 Sat @HI 42 - 17 W -7 -11 W 14 59.0 58.5 O +- 0.5 T
10/17/09 Sat SJST 41 - 21 W -17 -20 L 0 55.0 57.0 O +- 5.0 G
10/24/09 Sat @NMST 34 - 3 W -24 -24 W 7 56.0 53.5 U -16.5 G
10/31/09 Sat UTST 31 - 27 W -15 -17 L -13 61.0 63.5 U -5.5 G
11/07/09 Sat @ID 31 - 21 W -7.5 -9 W 1 68.0 67.0 U -15.0 T
11/14/09 Sat @NV 14 - 52 L +6 +7.5 L -30.5 72.0 69.0 U -3.0 G
11/21/09 Sat LATECH 30 - 28 W -11 -9 L -7 56.0 54.5 O +- 3.5 G
12/05/09 Sat @IL 53 - 52 W +3 +2 W 3 58.0 59.5 O +-45.5 T

PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY VIS SC HOM SC OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS

STATISTICAL AVERAGES:

AWAY/HOME RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
WY (off) 14.5 17 37 120 3.2 30 18 0.6 164 5.5 284 0.5 0.5
FRE (def) 25.4 19 34 192 5.6 31 18 0.6 207 6.7 399 0.4 0.8
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
WY (def) 21.2 20 41 168 4.1 26 16 0.6 172 6.6 340 0.2 0.5
FRE (off) 37.4 21 42 264 6.3 26 13 0.5 190 7.3 454 0.8 0.6
ALL GAMES RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
WY (off) 16.9 17 37 128 3.5 31 17 0.5 171 5.5 299 0.5 0.6
FRE (def) 27.8 19 34 212 6.2 28 15 0.5 199 7.1 411 0.6 0.6
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
WY (def) 27.3 23 39 169 4.3 32 20 0.6 225 7.0 394 1.0 0.7
FRE (off) 34.3 21 43 232 5.4 25 15 0.6 204 8.2 436 0.9 1.0

SCORING AVERAGES:

Wyoming Cowboys (away) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 2.2 4.5 6.7 1.2 6.7 0.0 7.9
POINTS ALLOWED 4.7 4.8 9.5 6.7 5.0 0.0 11.7

Fresno St Bulldogs (home) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 9.8 14.4 24.2 6.8 6.4 0.0 13.2
POINTS ALLOWED 9.6 7.6 17.2 3.4 4.8 0.0 8.2

Wyoming Cowboys (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 2.3 6.5 8.8 2.3 5.8 0.0 8.1
POINTS ALLOWED 5.8 7.4 13.2 8.6 5.5 0.0 14.1

Fresno St Bulldogs (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 9.3 12.3 21.6 6.6 5.6 0.0 12.2
POINTS ALLOWED 6.8 8.3 15.1 4.0 7.8 0.3 12.1

VALUE INDEX COMPARISON TO LAS VEGAS LINE:

LV POINTSPREAD VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING LINE EDGE
Wyoming Cowboys 44
Fresno St Bulldogs 55 -15.0 3.5
LV OVER/UNDER VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING EDGE
OVER/UNDER 54 0.5 under

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Preview:
Wyoming vs Fresno State
When: 4:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 19, 2009
Where: University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Fresno State Bulldogs are ranked 19 on offense, averaging 435.9 yards per game. The Bulldogs are averaging 231.6 yards rushing and 204.3 yards passing so far this season.

The Wyoming Cowboys are ranked 112 on offense, averaging 298.7 yards per game. The Cowboys are averaging 128.2 yards rushing and 170.5 yards passing so far this season.
Home and Away

The Fresno State Bulldogs are 4-1 at home this season, 6-2 against conference opponents and 2-2 against non-conference opponents.

At home the Bulldogs are averaging 37.4 scoring, and holding teams to 25.4 points scored on defense.

The Wyoming Cowboys are 3-3 while on the road this season, 4-4 against conference opponents and 2-2 against non-conference opponents.

On the road, the Cowboys are averaging 14.5 scoring, and holding teams to 21.2 points scored on defense.

MY DISCLAIMER SINCE SOME ASS HAT FINDS THE NEED TO CALL ME OUT, ALL INFO I POST IN THESE FORUMS ARE A COPY AND PASTE JOB, I POST THIS INFO TO PUT IT ALL IN ONE CENTRALIZED LOCATION AND HELP THE MADJACK COMMUNITY WIN ! NOT ONCE HAVE I EVER CLAIMED THAT THE SPORTS INFO I PROVIDE IS MY OWN WRITING AND INFO

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Trends - Wyoming vs Fresno State

ATS Trends

Wyoming

Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. WAC.
Cowboys are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Cowboys are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.
Cowboys are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games on grass.
Cowboys are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 non-conference games.
Cowboys are 27-13 ATS in their last 40 games following a ATS win.
Cowboys are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
Cowboys are 8-24 ATS in their last 32 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Cowboys are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
Cowboys are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
Cowboys are 3-13-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Fresno State

Bulldogs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
Bulldogs are 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games as a favorite.
Bulldogs are 7-20-1 ATS in their last 28 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 9-26 ATS in their last 35 games on grass.
Bulldogs are 5-15 ATS in their last 20 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Bulldogs are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. MWC.

OU Trends

Wyoming

Under is 16-5 in Cowboys last 21 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
Over is 6-2 in Cowboys last 8 games on grass.
Over is 5-2 in Cowboys last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 13-6 in Cowboys last 19 non-conference games.

Fresno State

Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 non-conference games.
Under is 4-1 in Bulldogs last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Under is 4-1 in Bulldogs last 5 games following a ATS win.
Under is 4-1-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Under is 4-1 in Bulldogs last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 6-2 in Bulldogs last 8 Bowl games.
Over is 6-2-1 in Bulldogs last 9 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
Over is 6-2 in Bulldogs last 8 bowl games.
Over is 5-2 in Bulldogs last 7 games in December.
Over is 5-2 in Bulldogs last 7 games on grass.

Head to Head

No trends available.

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Fresno State Bowl History

Fresno State Bowl History

Fresno State Bowl History

Record: 10-8
Dec. 20, 2008 New Mexico Bowl-Colorado St. 40, Fresno St. 35

Dec. 31, 2007 Humanitarian Bowl-Fresno St. 40, Georgia Tech 28

Dec. 31, 2005 Liberty Bowl-Tulsa 31, Fresno St. 24

Dec. 27, 2004 MPC Computers Bowl-Fresno St. 37, Virginia 34, OT

Dec. 30, 2003 Silicon Valley Classic-Fresno St. 17, UCLA 9

Dec. 31, 2002 Silicon Valley Classic-Fresno St. 30, Georgia Tech 21

Dec. 31, 2001 Silicon Valley Classic-Michigan St. 44, Fresno St. 35

Dec. 31, 2000 Silicon Valley Classic-Air Force 37, Fresno St. 34

Dec. 18, 1999 Las Vegas Bowl-Utah 17, Fresno St. 16

Dec. 25, 1993 Aloha Bowl-Colorado 41, Fresno St. 30

Dec. 29, 1992 Freedom Bowl-Fresno St. 24, Southern Cal 7

Dec. 14, 1991 California Bowl-Bowling Green 28, Fresno St. 21

Dec. 9, 1989 California Bowl-Fresno St. 27, Ball St. 6

Dec. 10, 1988 California Bowl-Fresno St. 35, Western Michigan 30

Dec. 14, 1985 California Bowl-Fresno St. 51, Bowling Green 7

Dec. 18, 1982 California Bowl-Fresno St. 29, Bowling Green 28

Nov. 23, 1961 Mercy Bowl-Fresno St. 26, Bowling Green 6

Jan. 1, 1946 Raisin Bowl-Drake 13, Fresno St. 12

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Wyoming Bowl History

Wyoming Bowl History

Wyoming Bowl History

Record: 5-6
Dec. 23, 2004 Las Vegas Bowl-Wyoming 24, UCLA 21

Dec. 29, 1993 Copper Bowl-Kansas State 52, Wyoming 17

Dec. 31, 1990 Copper Bowl-California 17, Wyoming 15

Dec. 30, 1988 Holiday Bowl-Oklahoma St. 62, Wyoming 14

Dec. 30, 1987 Holiday Bowl-Iowa 20, Wyoming 19

Dec. 25, 1976 Fiesta Bowl-Oklahoma 41, Wyoming 7

Jan. 1, 1968 Sugar Bowl-Louisiana 20, Wyoming 13

Dec. 24, 1966 Sun Bowl-Wyoming 28, Florida St. 20

Dec. 31, 1958 Sun Bowl-Wyoming 14, Hardin-Simmons 6

Jan. 2, 1956 Sun Bowl-Wyoming 21, Texas Tech 14

Jan. 1, 1951 Gator Bowl-Wyoming 20, Washington & Lee 7

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Weekly Notes - East

Weekly Notes - East

Weekly Notes - East
December 15, 2009

Weekly Notes - Western Conference

1) Boston

Weekly Rewind: The Celtics extended their winning streak to 10 games last week with a perfect 3-0 record. Two of the victories were on the road albeit to the Wizards and Bulls. The team went 1-2 ATS in the three games, and the 'under' was 2-1.

Weekly Outlook: Boston concludes its three-game road trip on Monday at Memphis and then catches a three-day break. On Friday, the Celtics host Philadelphia and then welcome Minnesota on Sunday. Boston will most likely be laying double digits in the home contests and gamblers should make a note that Doc Rivers' team is just 2-6 ATS when favored by 10 or more this year.

2) Cleveland

Weekly Rewind: The Cavs played four games last week and wound up going 2-2, which included a loss in overtime. Unfortunately, gamblers who backed them saw the club go 1-3 versus the number. The total went 2-1-1.

Weekly Outlook: Mike Brown and company will face another four-game stretch this week and once again, the docket appears beatable. The club faces the Nets and Bucks at home but has road matchups against Philadelphia and Dallas. The game against the 76ers will be on zero days rest.

3) Orlando

Weekly Rewind: The Magic concluded their four-game West Coast trip this past week with a 2-2 ledger. Orlando was hoping to prove something but it couldn?t do so against the Nuggets (111-20) or the Suns (103-106). The totals were high in those contests and they both went ?under? the number.

Weekly Outlook: Orlando plays four games this week, all in Florida too. The Pacers and Raptors visit early in the week before the Magic meet Miami in South Beach on Thursday. Then, they catch the Trail Blazers on a long road trip on Saturday.

4) Atlanta

Weekly Rewind: The Hawks? offense came to play last week, posting 118, 111 and 130 points. The defense wasn?t too shabby, holding teams to 83, 89 and 107 over this stretch. Those stats helped Atlanta produce a perfect 3-0 record, both SU and ATS. The team enters the week on a four-game winning streak.

Weekly Outlook: Atlanta has a good shot to stay hot this week, with home games pending against Memphis and Utah. The sledding gets tough on Saturday when the club begins a four-game road trip in Chicago. And the contest versus the Bulls will be on zero days rest. Atlanta should be a favorite in three of the four road tilts, but be sure to bet on the club if it?s catching points. The Hawks are 4-0 ATS as road ?dogs this year.

5) Miami

Weekly Rewind: The Heat only had two home games last week and the club failed to show up in either one. The Mavs coasted to a 106-93 win on Friday before Memphis earned a solid 118-90 victory on Sunday. The 'over' easily cashed in both games. The Heat are 2-5 SU and 0-7 ATS in their last seven at American Airlines Arena and both wins came by one point each.

Weekly Outlook: With that being said, do you fade Miami this week at home or will the team turn it around? The club shouldn't have any excuses, with all the games separated by at least one day of rest. Toronto comes to town on Tuesday before Orlando on Thursday. The last game is Sunday against Portland, who will be playing on zero days rest.

6) Detroit

Weekly Rewind: Detroit has been banged up all year but that hasn't slowed the club down at all. The Pistons enter this week with a five-game winning streak both SU and ATS. Last week, the team notched three of the wins and the Pistons were listed as underdogs in two. The 'under' went 2-1.

Weekly Outlook: We'll find out how good the Pistons are this week when they open up a three-game road trip against Southwest Division foes. Detroit meets Houston on Tuesday and then New Orleans the very next night. They finish up the trip on Friday at Oklahoma City. The Pistons have gone 3-8 SU and 6-4-1 ATS on the road.

7) Toronto

Weekly Rewind: The Raptors went 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS last week and the losses were ugly. The team fell to both the Bucks (95-117) and Hawks (89-111) by 22 points each. The 'under' wound up going 3-1.

Weekly Outlook: If the Raptors want to earn some respect they can do so on the road this week. The team heads to Florida for back-to-back showdowns against Miami and Orlando starting on Tuesday. They catch a break with the Nets on Friday and finish the week with an afternoon matinee at home on Sunday versus New Orleans.

8) Milwaukee

Weekly Rewind: The Bucks had lost seven of eight prior to last week's action. After opening with a loss at Boston (89-98) on Tuesday, Scott Skiles' team rebounded with home wins over Toronto (117-95) and Portland (108-101). The 'over' went 2-1.

Weekly Outlook: It's going to be tough to imagine the Bucks winning more than one this week, especially with battles versus the Lakers and Cavaliers. Fortunately, they catch the Kings at home on Saturday but that will be on zero days rest. Nine of Milwaukee's 11 wins have come at the Bradley Center.

9) Charlotte

Weekly Rewind: The Bobcats had a tough slate last week and some might be surprised they actually earned a win, which came against Denver (107-95). The losses both came on the road to the Spurs (85-104) and Mavericks (97-98). The 'over' cashed in all three games.

Weekly Outlook: Larry Brown's squad won't get much rest this week with four games on deck and they're broken into a pair of back-to-back contests. The 'Cats face the Knicks and Pacers starting Tuesday. Then, Charlotte hosts Utah on Saturday and concludes a home-and-home series with New York at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

10) New York

Weekly Rewind: New York enters this week with a season-high four-game winning streak. The Knicks went 2-0 last week both SU and ATS, and both of the wins came against quality teams (Blazers, Hornets) from the West. Surprisingly, the Knicks? shaky defense held both clubs below 100 points.

Weekly Outlook: It?s too early to say New York is a contender but we could see them extending this run with solid efforts. This week starts with two straight on the road against Charlotte and Chicago. Then, they host the Clippers and Bobcats. All of the games will be played with breaks.

11) Indiana

Weekly Rewind: The Pacers started the week with a loss to Portland (91-102) but they rallied with two straight victories. The wins came against the Nets (107-91) and Wizards (114-113). The 'over' went 2-1.

Weekly Outlook: Indiana will have to pick up the pace with four games on tap this week, and three are on the road. After playing Orlando on Monday, the club meets Charlotte at home on Wednesday. Then they have a back-to-back set starting Friday at Memphis and ending Saturday against San Antonio.

12) Chicago

Weekly Rewind: The Bulls played four games last week and they wound up losing three. Two of the setbacks were blowouts to Atlanta (83-118) and Boston (80-106), while the other was a two-point loss at home to the Nets (101-103). The lone win came against Golden State (96-91) and they wound up pushing the five-point spread for gamblers.

Weekly Outlook: Six of Chicago's eight wins have come at United Center this year, which gives the team hope this week with three games at home. The L.A. Lakers visit on Tuesday before a TNT showdown against the Knicks on Thursday. Then, they have a chance to get revenge against Atlanta on Saturday.

13) Washington

Weekly Rewind: The Wizards only played two games last week and unfortunately they came up short in both. Washington lost to Boston by two (102-104) and Indiana by one (113-114). The 'over' cashed in both contests.

Weekly Outlook: Washington heads on the road this week for a four-game road trip out West and the schedule doesn't look too bad on paper. The Wizards meet the Clippers and Kings during the week and then face a back-to-back spot starting Friday at Golden State. They conclude the trip with zero days rest at Phoenix on Saturday.

14) Philadelphia

Weekly Rewind: It's getting embarrassing in Philadelphia. The team has dropped 12 straight games, including three last week at home too. The 76ers scored 83, 86 and 91, which helped the 'under' produce a 3-0 ledger.

Weekly Outlook: The 76ers might have two chances to get victories this week as the Warriors and Clippers invade the ?City of Brotherly Love.? Along with this pair from the Western Conference, Cleveland also visits Philadelphia. The one game that looks like an automatic loss on paper is a road tilt at Boston on Friday.

15) New Jersey

Weekly Rewind: After beating Chicago (103-101) on Tuesday for its first road win of the year, the Nets lost their next three straight games by double digits. The club gave up 105, 107 and 130 points during the skid and failed to cover any of the contests.

Weekly Outlook: New Jersey could be looking at another tough stretch this week with four games on tap. And, the matchups are broken into two back-to-back sets with travel included. On Tuesday, they meet the Cavs on the road and then Utah the next day at home. Starting on Friday, the club meets the Raptors in Toronto and then they host the L.A. Lakers on Saturday.

:142smilie oooooPPPsss WRONG PLACE

Lumi · Dec 16, 2009

Fresno State (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)

Fresno State (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)

Fresno State (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)

Saturday, December 19th, 4:30 p.m. (et)

GAME NOTES: The 2009-10 bowl season kicks off on Saturday afternoon, as the fourth annual New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque plays host to the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Wyoming Cowboys.

The Bulldogs are back in this event for the second time in as many years, having lost to Colorado State in 2008 by a 40-35 final. Now in his 13th season with the Bulldogs, head coach Pat Hill has led his squad to a postseason appearance 10 times in the last 11 seasons.

"Heading back to Albuquerque is an honor for our team and program," coach Hill noted of the invitation. "The people of New Mexico treated us very well last year and we are looking forward to going back. Playing the first game of the bowl season is a great opportunity for our team."

Hill, who earned his 100th career victory in the regular-season finale versus Illinois on the road just two weeks ago (53-52), managed to turn the squad around from a record of just 1-3 heading into October to 8-4 overall and 6-2 mark versus the rest of the Western Athletic Conference. At this point, the team is riding a two-game win streak and has won seven of the last eight, the lone loss during the stretch coming against an electrifying Nevada squad in a 52-14 final.

As for the Cowboys, under the direction of first-year head coach Dave Christensen, they had their ups and downs this year and limped into the postseason with a record of 6-6 overall and 4-4 in Mountain West Conference action. Wyoming gained bowl eligibility for the first time since 2006, but that year the team did not get a call for the postseason, which means Christensen is the first UW coach to take his team to a bowl game in his first season since Paul Roach turned the trick in 1987 when he took his squad to the Holiday Bowl.

"Our kids were thrilled when they heard we were going to the New Mexico Bowl," coach Christensen says of the opportunity. "This group of young men has worked so hard this season to earn this opportunity. My staff and I are happy for them, and we are happy for our fans."

Christensen continued, "The fans of Wyoming have shown us great support all season, and I know that they will be there in Albuquerque to support us once again."

Fresno State's bowl history stretches back to the 1937 All-American Bowl when it defeated Arkansas State by a scant 27-26 score. Overall, the Bulldogs hold a mark of 12-10 in postseason outings, compared to the Cowboys who are 5-6 following their 24-21 victory over UCLA in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl. With that triumph, Wyoming snapped a six-game postseason slide and is now one step closer to showing a .500 record in bowl competition, currently posting a 5-6 mark.

In terms of a series history between these two programs, FSU's 24-7 win at home back in 1997 served to even the meetings at three apiece and snap a two- game slide versus the Pokes, back when Wyoming was a member of the Western Athletic Conference.

Usually powered by their defense under coach Hill, the Bulldogs have tried a slightly different approach this season, leaning heavily on the running game to take them places. In particular, the squad was carried by the legs of running back Ryan Mathews who led the nation with his 151.3 ypg on the ground, cranking out nine consecutive 100-yard games and setting a new school record with 1,664 yards. Ranked seventh in the nation in rushing as a unit with 231.6 ypg, the Bulldogs were looked at in a new light in 2009 and even Mathews grabbed some of the spotlight as he was named a Second Team All-American by the AP earlier this week.

While generally not thought of as part of the offense, kicker Kevin Goessling also played a major role for Fresno State this season as well, bouncing back after missing his first field goal of the season to knock through 15 in a row and set a new school record that he carries into the postseason. For his efforts, Goessling was also named an honorable mention All-America.

"We are very proud of Ryan and Kevin for making these prestigious All-America teams," coach Hill affirmed as he added to the list of All-America performers under his tutelage.

Handling the passing responsibilities for the Bulldogs this season is junior Ryan Colburn who threw for more than 200 yards only three times this season, but at least he didn't hurt the team with just 11 interceptions in 279 attempts.

Unfortunately, defense might be a different story for the Bulldogs as they ranked 111th in the country in stopping the run with 212.4 ypg allowed. However, a big part of that stems from the last few weeks of the season when Fresno was up against Nevada (461 yards, seven touchdowns) and Illinois (331 yards, four TDs). Take away those 11 scores by the two opponents and the Bulldogs were fairly tough in that area with a total of just 10 TDs allowed on the ground in the other 10 outings.

FSU was dead last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in terms of sacks with a total of only nine, coming up with just one such tackle in the final four games of the season, so there might not be much action in that department this weekend either.

As for the Cowboys, their offense often staggered from one week to the next. Three times this season the team was held scoreless and three other times the squad failed to get beyond 10 points. Some of the problem was a result of the offense having to learn a new approach under coach Christensen and using numerous quarterbacks who endured plenty of growing pains. Rising among the confusion was true freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels who was named the MWC Freshman of the Year.

Wyoming actually had a total of seven players earn all-MWC recognition, which made all the hard work well worth it this year.

"Austyn had a dramatic effect on this conference and on the success of our team as a freshman....and kept us in games with the way he was able to affect field position," acknowledged coach Christensen.

Carta-Samuels completed 59 percent of his pass attempts for 1,752 yards and seven touchdowns, suffering just four INTs in 295 chances. So more than anything else, he made sure to move the ball at a steady pace for the Pokes and not cause unnecessary mistakes along the way.

Wideout David Leonard, an honorable mention all-conference performer, is clearly the receiver of choice for the Cowboys, having reeled in 70 balls for 645 yards. Leonard's closest teammate was Zach Bolger who had 46 fewer receptions, which means the Fresno State defense should know where to focus its energies this weekend.

Carta-Samuels was also third in the team in rushing with 295 yards and three scores, but with the offensive line ranked eighth in the MWC and 107th in the country with almost three sacks allowed per game, some of those yards gained by Carta-Samuels were meant to keep him in one piece, more than a designed plan from the start.

If not for the huge offensive numbers put up by nationally-ranked opponents this season, as Texas, BYU and TCU combined to score 138 points on the Cowboys, the stats for the defense would not appear to be so soft in some areas. The squad has given up 27.3 ppg and has shown some strength in pass defense at times, but perhaps the most important stat for the Cowboys is that they ranked 20th in the country and second in the conference in turnover margin, so hopefully they can bring some of that experience and success to New Mexico with them this weekend.

Even though the Fresno State defense has been lackluster this season, the thought of going after fresh meat in Carta-Samuels on the other side should have the Bulldogs salivating. There will be more opportunities for coach Christensen in the postseason down the line, but for now, this is the kind of game that coach Hill and the Bulldogs dream about.

Predicted Outcome: Fresno State 38, Wyoming 14

Search

Search

NCAA Bowl Game Matchup -- New Mexico Bowl

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

Lumi

LOKI

We value your privacy