‘Tis the season to be jolly… fa la la la la…\u00a0It is BOWL SEASON, and it kicks off on Saturday. Let’s talk the Gildan New Mexico Bowl featuring the Marshall Thundering Herd and The Colorado State Rams, which is the first time these teams have played one other. Here is just a snippet of what you need to know.<\/p>\n
The Rams ended their regular season on a high note with a 42-14 drubbing of San Jose State.\u00a0CSU’s senior QB Nick Stevens<\/strong><\/a> racked up 3,479 yards passing as well as 27 TDs.\u00a0All season the Rams have an explosive offense which has made for some thrilling games.\u00a0 \u00a0 Yet the Rams tend to struggle when it comes to bowl games, as they have lost their last three bowl games. Their games have been fairly high scoring which tends to be very entertaining.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, on the flipside, the Thundering Herd started the season strong at 6-1 and then lost four of their last five games. While their junior QB Chase Litton<\/strong><\/a> threw for 2,853 yards and 23 TDs, the Herd has a stellar defense that is ranked 17th in the nation for scoring.\u00a0 Unlike the Rams, the Herd\u00a0has\u00a0had great postseason success as they have won their last five bowl games.<\/p>\n It should be a great battle as Colorado State’s high powered offense takes on the Thundering Herd’s stifling defense. On the other side of the ball, the Rams defense has been lackluster, yet they will be playing with something to prove as they send will want to send their retiring DC Marty English<\/strong> out on a winning note.<\/p>\n There are copious amounts of bowl games; the alumni and bandwagon fans will enjoy this matchup. Although most of these bowl games will be background noise for fans whose teams are not in a bowl game, as well as those who are suffering from FAD (football Affective Disorder). If you are unsure if you are suffering from FAD, check here<\/a>\u00a0to help you self-diagnose.<\/p>\n These teams are excited to get another game and a chance to shop in the team gift suite.\u00a0 The coaches are happy to get extra practices in as they evaluate their team leading into recruiting and the early signing day. But both teams get to do so much more than just practice and shop.<\/p>\n According to the official Gildan New Mexico Bowl website<\/a>, there are several events that each team\u00a0will be participating in. When the teams landed in Albuquerque, they were greeted by a mariachi\u00a0band. You can check out the video if you go to the bowl’s official Twitter page\u00a0@GildanNMbowl.<\/a>\u00a0The fans are getting in on the fun as well if you are at one of the team hotels there are custom Snapchat filters available and are being featured on the bowl Twitter page.\u00a0Along with the fun of shopping in the gift suite, the players have been relaxing to the max in their downtime with arcade games, bowling, and laser tag. Be sure to follow each team’s practice activities, as well as their bowl adventures, on Twitter @CSUFootball<\/a>\u00a0and @HerdFB.<\/a><\/p>\n One of the first places the Thundering Herd went to visit was Kirtland Air Force Base to invite the dedicated service men and women and their families to the bowl game. According to the schedule of events, both teams will visit a children’s hospital as well.<\/p>\n On Thursday, both teams were at Isleta Elementary School on the Pueblo Reservation.\u00a0 They got a chance to talk about life as student-athletes and interact with the smallest of football fans.<\/p>\n We\u2019re at Isleta Elementary School on the Pueblo of Isleta to discuss college success, being a student athlete, and football! \ud83d\udcdd\ud83c\udfc8 pic.twitter.com\/NjzQ1XqmEu<\/a><\/p>\n — Isleta New Mexico Bowl (@NMBowl) December 14, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nBowl Week<\/h2>\n
Cool Team Events<\/h2>\n
More Than A Football Game<\/h2>\n
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