Fresno State-New Mexico State Postgame Notes

Toss: Fresno State wins, defers
Captains: Levelle Bailey, Erik Brooks, Devo Bridges, Mose Vavao

Team Notes

Mikey Keene and Levelle Bailey were named New Mexico Bowl Offensive and Defensive MVPs.
Serving as Fresno State’s acting head coach, Tim Skipper guided the Bulldogs to their fifth straight bowl win.
Fresno State is 4-0 in bowl games with Jeff Tedford as the program’s head coach.
Fresno State won its second-ever New Mexico Bowl (2021, 2023).
Fresno State is 17-15 all-time in bowl games, 9-9 since 2000.
The 27-point win was the Bulldogs’ third-largest margin of victory in a bowl game, largest since the California Raisin Bowl 5 when Fresno State defeated Bowling Green 51-7 on Dec. 14, 1985.
Saturday’s game marked the third-most attended New Mexico Bowl.
For just the second time in program history, Fresno State has won at least nine games in three-straight seasons. The only other stretch of nine-win seasons was four from 2001-04.
Fresno State’s 29 wins during the last three seasons is the third time in program history that the ‘Dogs have recorded 29 wins in a three-year span, the most all-time (1988-90, 2001-03, 2021-23).
Fresno State’s 29 wins ties Air Force for the most in the Mountain West in that three-year span (Air Force still has their bowl game to play this season).
Fresno State won its 19th game all-time against New Mexico State (19-1).
Fresno State’s 500 yards of offense was its second-most of the 2023 season, 13 behind the season-high of 513 the Bulldogs had against Kent State (Sept. 23).
Fresno State scored on its opening drive for the 10th time in 2023.
Fresno State held its opponent scoreless in the first quarter in its second straight bowl game, both wins.
New Mexico State was the third team Fresno State held scoreless in the first quarter this season. The Bulldogs were 3-0 in those games.
Fresno State’s win in the New Mexico Bowl pushed the Mountain West to 12-5 in the history of the bowl.
Fresno State held New Mexico State to just 10 points, the third-fewest in NM Bowl history.
Fresno State held its opponent to 10 or fewer points in back-to-back bowl games.

Offensive Notes

With a career-high 380 yards, QB Mikey Keene recorded his third 300-yard passing game of his career. All three came this season against nonconference opponents.
Keene was 8-of-8 for 102 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter.
Keene started the game 15-of-15 passing, the most consecutive completions to start a game in his career. His previous best was 14-of-14 at Arizona State.
15 consecutive completions is the second-most in a game in Mountain West history, most since 2014.
Keene rushed for a four-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was his first rushing touchdown as a Bulldog and just the second rushing touchdown of his career, and first since Nov. 20, 2021.
Keene had the third-most passing yards in New Mexico Bowl history.
Keene tied for the second-most completions in NM Bowl history.
WR Josiah Freeman caught the first touchdown of his career in the first quarter on a 26-yard pass from Keene.
WR Jalen Moss caught a 39-yard pass from Keene on the opening drive, his fifth catch over 35 yards this year.
WR Jaelen Gill hauled in Keene’s 13th straight completion, a 23-yard touchdown over the middle. It was his team-leading sixth touchdown reception.
Moss matched Gill’s season receiving touchdown total of six in the fourth quarter, grabbing a 9-yard TD pass from Keene.
RB Malik Sherrod had 171 total yards on 28 touches.
With 90 yards rushing, Sherrod finished the season with 966.
Sherrod had a career-high 81 receiving yards on eight receptions which matched his career high.

Defensive Notes

Levelle Bailey led the Bulldogs with eight tackles including a sack.
After not recording a sack through the Bulldogs’ first 11 games of the season, Bailey finished the year with at least one in the final two games of his career.
DL Jacob Holmes ended NMSU’s opening drive with his team-leading fifth sack of the season.
DB Dean Clark grabbed his third interception of the season to end NMSU’s second drive.
DB Julian Neal had a career-high six tackles. He entered Saturday with just three in his career.
Neal stepped in at cornerback early in the game, filling in for starter Carlton Johnson who left the game with a lower leg injury.

Special Teams Notes

Dylan Lynch started the game’s scoring with a 32-yard field goal on the Bulldogs opening drive.
It was Lynch’s 13th straight game with a made field goal.
Lynch finished the game 3-of-3, connecting from 32, 25 and 38 yards out.
Carson King had a 66-yard punt to start the second quarter. It was the longest punt in New Mexico Bowl history.

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State-New Mexico State Postgame Notes