Gophers accept invite to Rate Bowl, will face New Mexico

Minnesota will face New Mexico on December 29 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dec 28, 2021; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P. J. Fleck (center) celebrates with the trophy alongside players Tyler Nubin (left) and Ky Thomas (right) after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Gophers will officially face New Mexico in the Rate Bowl on December 26 in Phoenix, Arizona. On3's Brett McMurphy reported the news first.

BREAKING: Minnesota will face New Mexico in the Rate Bowl on Dec. 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, per @Brett_McMurphy

The Lobos were 9-3 this season under first-year HC Jason Eck. It will be the first all-time matchup between the Gophers and New Mexico. https://t.co/VFFSSRvleI pic.twitter.com/hM16sxFSeR

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) December 7, 2025

This year will mark Minnesota's fifth straight season playing in a bowl game, which is the longest streak in program history since 2012 to 2016. Formerly referred to as the Insight Bowl, this will be the Gophers' fifth time playing in some version of the event, and first since they beat West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in 2021.

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The Rate Bowl is played in Phoenix, Arizona, at Chase Field, which is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The game will be played on Friday, December 26, and it's scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN after the GameAbove Sports Bowl and before the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.

New Mexico went 9-3 in the regular season under first-year head coach Jason Eck, and it was surprisingly left out of the Mountain West championship game, despite a four-way tie for first place.

The Lobos were one of the most impressive Group of 5 teams in the regular season with notable wins at UCLA, at UNLV and vs. San Diego State at home. They had a hard-fought 34-17 loss at No. 14 Michigan in the first week of the season. Their team is full of transfers from Idaho, which was Eck's previous head coaching stop before arriving in Albuquerque.

Minnesota has won eight consecutive bowl games dating back to the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl under head coach Tracey Claeys. P.J. Fleck has won all six bowl games that he has coached since arriving in the Twin Cities. The Lobos should provide a real test to keep that streak going.