No. 23 North Texas and San Diego State set to face-off in 20th Annual Isleta New Mexico Bowl

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – North Texas and San Diego State have been selected to participate in the 20^th annual Isleta New Mexico Bowl. The game will be played Saturday, Dec. 27 at 3:45 pm MT at University Stadium in Albuquerque and will be televised nationally on ESPN and broadcast on Bowl Season Radio.

The Mean Green (11-2, 7-1 American Conference) enter the game ranked 23^rd in the nation having fallen just short of the College Football Playoff after a loss in the American Conference Championship game.

The Aztecs (9-3, 6-2 Mountain West Conference) finished the season in a four-way tie for first in the Mountain West and won eight of their final 10 games.

“We are really excited about another premier matchup for the 20^th anniversary of the Isleta New Mexico Bowl with two fantastic programs who are having great seasons,” said Executive Director Jeff Siembieda. “The Mean Green, runners-up in the American Conference against the Aztecs, regular season co-champions in the Mountain West promises to be a terrific game and celebration.”

The Isleta New Mexico Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events.

About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

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