New Mexico Bowl Game Day Guide: How To Watch Your TCU Horned Frogs In Albuquerque

Traveling to the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque? Check out this game day guide to make the most of it!

Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

Thinking about heading west to watch your TCU Horned Frogs take on the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns this Saturday in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl? We've got you covered. Check out this full game day guide for Albuquerque, written by three KillerFrogs staff writers who attended a college football game day at New Mexico earlier this year.

Albuquerque remains a gem city in the southwest packed with unique culture, craft food, and more than enough entertainment to fill a long weekend (and beyond!).

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How To Watch The Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

What: TCU Horned Frogs (8-4) vs. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (10-3)
When: Saturday, Dec. 28, 1:15 p.m. CST/12:15 p.m. MST
Where: University Stadium (Albuquerque, NM)
TV: ESPN

New Mexico Bowl Game Day Timeline

Times listed in local MST below.

FRIDAY, DEC. 27

4:00 p.m.: Isleta New Mexico Bowl Pep Rally

• Fans of both teams are welcome to the Old Town Plaza for a pep rally. Both TCU and Louisiana's pep bands will be located near the gazebo. According to the press release, "pageantry, celebration and college football with a New Mexico flavor take center stage during bowl week in Albuquerque."
• Head coach Sonny Dykes (as well as Louisiana head coach Michael Desormeaux) will be in attendance with team captains, mascots, and cheer squads.
• This event is FREE and fans are encouraged to arrive early.

SATURDAY, DEC. 28

7:00 a.m.: Parking Lots Open

• Fans are encouraged to set up tailgates. Parking in these lots around the stadium is just $15.
• Find New Mexico's tailgating policy here.

Est. 9:15 a.m.: Fan Fest (TBD)

• Each year, the New Mexico Bowl featured a free Fan Fest, opening three hours prior to kickoff. Unfortunately, there's no information on 2024's event. Given years past, this fan zone is likely to open three hours before kickoff and is listed on Louisiana's official website.
• See the map here.

10:45 a.m.: Gates Open

• Find the official New Mexico Bowl stadium & game policies here.

12:15 p.m.: New Mexico Bowl kickoff

• TCU seeks its first non-CFP bowl victory since 2018 and its second 9-win season since 2017.
• Find a full preview of the game here.
• Official New Mexico Bowl digital game program

What To Do Beyond The Bowl Game

Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

Albuquerque is a vibrant city in a gorgeous section of the country. The city architecture embodies that southwest flavor with a heavy Spanish and Pueblo influence. Visit Old Town Albuquerque for local brews and food, plus an Old West town feel.

Feeling adventurous? Catch a hot air balloon tour of the region. Not a fan of heights like me? Scan the horizon for the balloons from the ground. Albuquerque is famous for the Balloon Fiesta (October), but hot air balloons litter the sky no matter the month. Frontier Restaurant offers a top-notch breakfast. I'd recommend a breakfast burrito and sweet roll (giant cinnamon bun ample for sharing).

While the stadium isn't on campus–it sits a couple miles north–New Mexico's campus is worth a brief walk through. It features unique a Southwest style and locally-sourced artwork throughout. Unfortunately, the vaunted UNM basketball team doesn't play a home game until Jan. 3 – "The Pit" as the basketball arena is known sits just across the street from University Stadium is a state-of-the-art facility.

Some holiday events are still going on in the city this weekend. Check out the Botanical Gardens River of Lights through Dec. 30. You can find the full run down of Albuquerque events and more information on the city at its official travel website here.

What To Expect In University Stadium

Brett Gibbons, Road to CFB

University Stadium gazes up at the Sandia Mountains that rest on Albuquerque’s eastern edge. A bustling energy surrounds the perimeter of its walls on a New Mexico game dat. UNM fans populate its bleachers on autumn Saturdays, cheering the Lobos on to victory. It’s a festive and colorful atmosphere that plays well against the blue skies in the Land of Enchantment.

University Stadium is the eighth-largest Group of Five stadium not primarily built for an NFL team. For 2024, UNM replaced its field turf with a colorful layout including a new turquoise accent. That blue really pops against the cherry and silver, both on the field and uniforms. In 2023, UNM debuted the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center. It's a state-of-the-art facility with a gorgeous team tunnel.

You won't find a bad seat here.

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