2011 New Mexico Bowl Line

The 2011-12 college football bowl season begins in earnest Dec. 17, with Albuquerque, N.M., being the launch point for this festival with the Gildan New Mexico Bowl the features a pair of eight-win teams – Temple from the Mid-American Conference and Wyoming from the Mountain West.

These two teams have met just once before on the gridiron; with the Cowboys posting a 38-23 win at home in the 1990 season opener for both teams. This is Wyoming’s 13th bowl appearance and second New Mexico appearance in three years, while Tempe is making its fourth bowl appearance overall and second in three years (2009 EagleBank Bowl).

Our latest college football odds list Temple as a 6.5-point favorite, while the total sits at 47 points.

Temple

The Owls finished a strong second in the MAC East Division this year, listing just one game behind champion Ohio. The team won its last three games and three of its four losses this season came by a total of 11 points (including 35-31 at Ohio and 14-10 vs. Penn State). Temple was 3-2 away from home this year, but hasn’t won a road game since Oct. 8 at Ball State (42-0).

The Owls rank a strong third nationally in scoring defense (14 points per game), allowing 316 yards per game (193 passing, 123 rushing), while recording 32 sacks and forcing 18 turnovers.

Stephen Johnson leads this under appreciated unit with 113 tackles (42 more than anyone else on the team), adding three forced fumbles and two sacks. Adrian Robinson has a team-best six sacks to go with 47 tackles and interception and a blocked kick, while Justin Gildea has three interceptions, 46 tackles and three sacks. Tahir Whitehead has four forced fumbles, three recoveries, 59 tackles and five sacks.

Offensively, Temple ranks 45th nationally in scoring (30 ppg) while compiling 380 yards per game (257 rushing, 123 passing). Bernard Pierce leads this dominant running game with 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry, while Matt Brown adds 867 yards and five TDs on 6.1 yards per tote.

Chester Stewart and Mike Gerardi have combined to complete 58 percent of their passes this season for 1,185 yards and five TDs with four interceptions. The offensive line has given up 21 sacks. The top receiving threats for Temple are Evan Rodriguez and Joe Jones with a combined 60 catches for 7233 yards and five TDs.

Wyoming

The Cowboys won three of their last four games, including a season-ending 22-19 win at Colorado State. Three of the four losses this season came against current BCS top-25 teams (Nebraska, TCU and Boise State) but finished third in the Mountain West at 5-2. Wyoming is 4-2 away from home this year.

The Cowboy offense ranks 60th nationally in scoring (27 ppg) while compiling 399 yards per game (214 passing, 185 rushing). Brett Smith leads this offense by completing 60 percent of his passes for 2,495 yards and 18 TDs with eight INTs. The offensive line has allowed just 11 sacks.

Five players have 32 or more receptions, led by Chris McNeill with 42 grabs for 504 yards and four TDs and Robert Herron with 40 catches for 348 yards and three scores. The running game is paced by A Alexander with 678 yards and six TDs on 4.7 yards per carry, while Smith has 645 yards and 10 scores on 5.2 yards per carry.

Defensively, Wyoming ranks just 66th nationally in points allowed (27 ppg) , surrendering 432 yards per game (230 rushing, 202 passing) while recording 22 sacks and forcing 31 turnovers – four of which were converted to TDs (Marqueston Huff and James Caraway, three fumbles; Luke Anderson, interception).

Luke Ruff leads this unit with 97 tackles, adding a forced fumble and a recovery, while Brian Hendricks adds 92 stops with two forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Gabe Knapton has 6.5 sacks, 74 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick, while Blair Burns has four interceptions, 48 tackles and a fumble recovery. Josh Biezuns adds five forced fumbles, 60 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries.