2015 New Mexico Bowl, Arizona vs. New Mexico: Date, time, location and more

After the 2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl was the least watched in the game’s nine-year history, the 2015 matchup between the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA will look to draw eyes to University Stadium in Albuquerque.

In the past, it drew many more viewers for Pac-12 teams and it drew more points too, but less offense and lower-profile teams made for less excitement. After 190 points in the two years of Pac-12 ties, Utah State and UTEP combined for just 27 points in 2014.

Here is everything you need to know to get ready for this year’s New Mexico Bowl:

Date and time: Sat., Dec. 19, 2 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Stadium: University Stadium, 39,224

Last year’s score: Utah State 21, UTEP 6

Last year’s attendance: 28,725

Last year’s TV rating: 1.3

Last year’s payout for each school: $456,250

Team with the most all-time appearances: Six teams, 2

Team with the most all-time wins: Colorado State, 2

After a pair of eight-win seasons were followed by a 10-4 mark in 2014, this year was a decided dip for Arizona. But the Wildcats still boast a dangerous multi-threat offense capable of scoring in bunches, led by running back Nick Wilson (5.5 yards per carry, eight touchdowns), quarterback Anu Solomon (20 total touchdowns, 62.7% completion rate) and wide receiver Cayleb Jones (51 receptions, 726 yards, four touchdowns).

Injuries have hurt Arizona, especially on defense. Star linebacker Scooby Wright hasn’t played since September because of a foot injury, and the Wildcats have given up less than 30 points only once since (a 44-7 blowout of Oregon State).

Arizona secured bowl eligibility in its second-to-last game with a home upset of No. 10 Utah, one of just two Wildcat wins against bowl teams (the other was Nevada). A loss to Arizona State the next week meant a fifth place finish in the Pac-12 South, but the postseason ticket was already punched.

Last bowl game: 2014 season’s Fiesta Bowl (38-30 loss to Boise State)

All-time bowl record: 8-9-1

Head coach’s bowl record: Rich Rodriguez has compiled a 5-5 record in bowls, going 2-3 at West Virginia, 0-1 with Michigan, and 3-1 with the Wildcats.

For the first time in eight seasons, the New Mexico Lobos are going bowling. Bob Davie, in his fourth season with the Lobos, is going back to a bowl game for the first time since his Notre Dame team lost the 2001 Fiesta Bowl to Oregon State.

New Mexico did it in typical Bob Davie fashion: a bruising running attack from a multi-headed hydra of backs. Three different players -- senior Jhurell Pressley, junior Teriyon Gipson, and sophomore quarterback Lamar Jordan -- ran for more than 650 yards each, and combined for 23 touchdowns. Five different players recorded touchdown runs greater than 60 yards, and a sixth ran one in from 44 yards out. The result: New Mexico finished the season with nearly 3,000 yards on the ground, twice as many rushing yards as it recorded through the air.

New Mexico finally got its sixth win by slaying one of its biggest dragons: It beat Boise State on the blue turf, the Lobos’ first win over Boise State since the Broncos moved to FBS football. A win in the finale over Air Force gave the Lobos their first winning conference record since 2007.

Last bowl game: 2007 New Mexico Bowl (23-0 win over Nevada)

All-time bowl record: 3-7-1

Head coach’s bowl record: Bob Davie is 0-3 in bowl games, with all three losses coming during his tenure at Notre Dame.