The Odyssey has long advocated that the crazy proliferation in the number of bowl games is too much of a good thing.
HOWEVER, one of the most minor of bowl games, Tucson’s Arizona Bowl, was beyond special. 39,000+ fans, an Arizona Bowl record, giddily provided a partisan advantage to New Mexico State. For the Las Cruces Aggies, the bowl was the first since the Warren Woodson days in 1960. Thus, their supporters were celebrating like it was 1999! Yes, we miss Prince.
New Mexico State did not disappoint. They rallied to force overtime after scoring to tie the game at 20. That their stellar running back, Larry Rose, fittingly scored the game winning touchdown in OT was incredibly fitting. Even though NM State has been a perennial loser, Rose never has been. His 1,000+ rushing yards as a Freshman in 2014 was a loud statement as was his subsequent status as the Aggies’ all-time leading rusher.
How many bowls did you see the crowd storm the field at game’s end? It happened in Tucson.
For New Mexico State, their incredible end to a special season was especially poignant. Because we do not see great times ahead for the Aggies. After being kicked out of the Sun Belt, they will try to make a go of it as an independent. We are not optimistic. Neither BYU or UMass has prospered as an independent. Scheduling in the 2nd half of the season becomes a huge challenge. In the short-term, the Aggies lose two of their best players in decades. Not only did Rose’s last TD mark his last carry as an Aggie, superb QB Tyler Rogers is also graduating. Hard to see how this ends well at the 1-A level. Barring a life raft from the Mountain West, we believe the Aggies’ best long-term solution is to join fellow Sun Belt refugee, Idaho, in the Big Sky.
We hope all our readers have a prosperous 2018! We look forward to checking in with you in August.