New Mexico
Louisiana vs. TCU: Predictions, latest odds for New Mexico Bowl
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The college football bowl season continues in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Isleta New Mexico Bowl featuring the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns facing off against the TCU Horned Frogs in a first-time matchup for these two programs.
Louisiana finished the season with a record of 10-3, marking the first time since 2021 that they achieved ten wins. The team only lost to Tulane, South Alabama, and Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference Championship. The Ragin’ Cajuns offense is led by Ben Woolridge, who boasts an impressive completion rate of 68.3%, amassing 2,392 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions this season. Woolridge is supported by a solid running back, Bill Davis, who led the team in rushing yards with 775 and scored nine touchdowns.
TCU, with a season record of 8-4, has seen some outstanding individual performances. Sophomore Josh Hoover, in particular, has had a standout season, achieving an impressive 66.7% completion rate, totaling 3,697 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, along with an additional four rushing touchdowns.
Here is everything to know about the New Mexico Bowl.
New Mexico Bowl predictions: Louisiana vs. TCU
USA TODAY: TCU is the unanimous pick
- Scooby Axson: TCU
- Jordan Mendoza: TCU
- Paul Myerberg: TCU
- Erick Smith: TCU
- Eddie Timanus: TCU
- Dan Wolken: TCU
ESPN: TCU 36, Louisiana 29
Adam Rittenberg writes: “TCU quietly ended the season with wins in five of its final six games, finding greater consistency with its run game and in other areas. Louisiana won 10 games for the first time since 2021 but fell 31-3 to Marshall in the Sun Belt title game. The two teams have never met and make their first appearances in the New Mexico Bowl. TCU will be without top wide receiver Jack Bech, who injured his knee in the regular season finale, and the Horned Frogs will need a strong defensive performance to contain a Louisiana offense not overly reliant on any one player. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a solid bowl history but not against Power 4 opponents. The Frogs find a way.”
College Football Network: TCU 34, Louisiana 16
Staff writes: “If Wooldridge is good to go, it certainly adds intrigue. The Ragin’ Cajuns will have their top two running backs and two of the five top receivers available. So, the cupboard’s not empty, but it’s starting to look bare. I’m monitoring Wooldridge’s final status here. If he’s healthy, I think Louisiana can do enough in the passing game to open up running lanes for Bill Davis. I still wouldn’t take them to win, but I’d feel better about a Ragin’ Cajuns cover. As it stands, though, I have to go with the available information. So, if I have to make a prediction, it’ll be the Frogs by a lot.”
Tickets to the Isleta New Mexico Bowl with StubHub
New Mexico Bowl odds, lines: Louisiana vs. TCU
The TCU Horned Frogs are favorites to defeat the Louisiana Ragin’ Caguns, according to the BetMGM college football odds.
Odds as of afternoon on Friday, Dec. 27.
- Spread: TCU (-10)
- Moneylines: TCU (-360); Louisiana (+280)
- Over/under: 58.5
How to watch Louisiana vs. TCU in the New Mexico Bowl
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 28
- Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo
- Where: University Stadium (Albuquerque, NM)
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Grant’s Thursday Evening Forecast
Showers and thunderstorms will continue in eastern New Mexico tonight into Friday. Breezy winds will bring an elevated fire danger in the western half of the state.
Thunderstorms are firing up Thursday afternoon along and east of New Mexico’s central mountain chain while gusty south winds over 30 mph are driving an elevated fire danger across western parts of the state. Storms will continue spreading across eastern New Mexico through this evening, bringing locally heavy rainfall, lightning, small hail, and gusty winds. The winds will weaken later tonight, but showers and thunderstorms will keep going across eastern New Mexico overnight into early Friday morning.
A few spotty storms will redevelop Friday afternoon across eastern New Mexico, with a couple near the Texas state line capable of turning strong to severe. At the same time, breezy southwest winds will ramp back up across western New Mexico, with gusts over 35 mph creating another round of elevated fire danger. Storms will push east out of New Mexico Friday evening while winds gradually ease overnight.
Quieter and drier weather takes over this weekend. Temperatures Saturday afternoon will cool a few degrees but still stay near average for late May. Breezy afternoon winds will continue Saturday before lighter winds and warmer temperatures return Sunday.
Moisture will start building back into eastern New Mexico Monday, bringing a slight chance for thunderstorms near the Texas state line. Monday will also be the hottest day of the warming trend statewide. More moisture spreads into the eastern half of the state Tuesday, increasing storm chances along and east of the Rio Grande Valley by afternoon. Even deeper moisture arrives statewide by Wednesday and Thursday, fueling more widespread showers and thunderstorms through the middle of next week.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Skies are partly to mostly clear with most similar or slightly milder than yesterday. Winds are a little breezy occasionally with the highest humidity values mostly from out east and to the north.
Air temperatures in the north are mostly starting off in the 30s to the low 50s. Elsewhere to the south, air temperatures are mostly ranging from around the high 30s to the low 60s.
Many areas from eastern New Mexico to the Pecos River Valley area will range from the high 60s to the 80s from north to south from high to low elevation. The northern higher elevations will mostly range from the high 40s to near 60°, while the northern valley floors to western and central areas will mostly range from the high 70s to the low 90s.
Southerly upper-level winds, in combination to the low-level moisture still lingering around the northern high elevations to out east, will lead to few thunderstorms capable of producing brief bouts of heavy rain, small hail, some lightning, & gusty conditions.
Ridging in the jet stream will then allow for clearer conditions, drier air, and for temperatures to rebound for the remainder of the week. However, slightly more thunderstorms will form for some eastern and mountainous areas late in the week, resulting in outflow-southeasterly winds to occasionally pick up.
Even hotter air returns late this weekend into early next week before thunderstorms are more likely to form next week.
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