The aptly named New Mexico Bowl hosts their annual bowl game with a friendly face: New Mexico State Aggies. Entering the fray against the Aggies is the Mountain West’s Fresno State, a perennial contender for the MWC crown.
While this is an intriguing game in its own right, in the era of the transfer portal, will these teams be at full strength when they do battle? We’ll look at the top players not expected to see action in the New Mexico Bowl.
Top New Mexico State, Fresno State Players Not Playing the New Mexico Bowl
Thanks to the College Football Network Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, we know just who is set to sit out the contest between New Mexico State and Fresno State easily enough.
For the full game preview and prediction: Independence Bowl Prediction: Cal vs. Texas Tech Odds, Spread, DFS Picks, and More
New Mexico State Players To Miss the New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico State has already played 14 games this season. Their experience is nearly unmatched at this point. The runners-up to the Conference USA Championship, this team retains most of its top talent for their matchup against Fresno State.
With 11 wins a possibility this season, the Aggies will have to replace two of their top targets at receiver, however. In the transfer portal, Trent Hudson (10 TDs) and Jordin Parker (3 TDs) combine to remove nearly half of the team’s receiving scores this year. Top target Jonathan Brady will be in action but the depth of the NMST receiving corps will be tested for QB Diego Pavia.
On defense, the Aggies will see the field with all 11 starters from this past season. Though they were hit in the portal from depth players, this unit returns each of its top players at every level of defense against the Bulldogs.
New Mexico State players expected to miss New Mexico Bowl:
- Reggie Akles, CB (transfer portal)
- Trent Hudson, WR (transfer portal)
- Jordin Parker, WR (transfer portal)
- PJ Johnson III, WR (transfer portal)
- Malachi McLean, S (transfer portal)
- Tyriece Thomas, DL (transfer portal)
- Ta’ir Brooks, WR (transfer portal)
- Jamari Buddin, LB (transfer portal)
- Tyler Devera, TE (transfer portal)
Fresno State Players To Miss the New Mexico Bowl
Multi-game starting quarterback Logan Fife hit the portal from Fresno State, and that leaves a big question mark on the Bulldogs’ roster behind Mikey Keene. If Keene is somehow unable to play, the Bulldogs’ offense changes dramatically without Fife.
Keene is back and seemingly healthy, mitigating the loss of Fife in the portal, though, and the rest of the offensive transfer portal departures for Fresno State were role players or didn’t play at all this season.
Both Chrishawn Gordon and Raymond Scott were valuable depth players on the Bulldogs’ defense in 2023, but neither of their losses should be felt all too much if the starters can remain in the game for 60 minutes.
Fresno State players expected to miss New Mexico Bowl:
- Jai Barnes, iOL (transfer portal)
- Raymond Scott, LB (transfer portal)
- Hayden Pulis, OT (transfer portal)
- Logan Fife, QB (transfer portal)
- Chrishawn Gordon, S (transfer portal)
- Tanner Blount, LB (transfer portal)
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football’s transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!