The New Mexico Lobos take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday in the Rate Bowl. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Golden Gophers are listed as 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 42.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for the Rate Bowl.
New Mexico Preview
It was a special season for New Mexico football. Once one of the worst programs in college football, New Mexico won nine games in its first season with Jason Eck at the helm. New Mexico was denied a spot in the Mountain West title game due to the antiquated computer rankings used for the conference tiebreaker. Jack Layne led a strong passing attack for the Lobos. The team also had one of the toughest defenses in the Mountain West, led by the coach’s son, Jaxton Eck. The Lobos have a lot to build on moving forward and should look to close this special season with a bowl win over a Big Ten team.
Minnesota Preview
Minnesota had a middling Big Ten season. The Golden Gophers secured wins over lesser teams in the conference, but lost to the likes of Ohio State, Oregon, and Iowa. There is nothing particularly special about this Minnesota team. They have an average quarterback, a decent running game, and a middle-of-the-road Big Ten defense. While they have solid athletes on both sides of the ball, they showed in losses to Cal and Northwestern that they can be gotten by competition that is inferior on paper. P..J Fleck is a great coach and should have his team prepared, but it’s hard to imagine Minnesota being overly motivated for the Rate Bowl against New Mexico.
New Mexico vs. Minnesota pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is for New Mexico to cover as short underdogs. The Lobos had a fantastic season and should be highly motivated to prove that they can get it done against Big Ten competition. Jason Eck has done a sensational job all season and has had plenty of time to gameplan for Minnesota. While the Golden Gophers are a decent team, they don’t have the elite level of athlete that New Mexico couldn’t compete with. Minnesota ranks 106th nationally in offensive success rate and 96th in defensive success rate. The Lobos should be able to compete with this team and ultimately get the win in the Rate Bowl.
