CFB Bowl Preview 2025: Rate Bowl

By SImon Carroll

Bowl season is in full swing and we will be previewing some of the bigger matchups over the next couple of weeks. This year’s Rate Bowl will be contested between the New Mexico Lobos and Minnesota Golden Gophers. Simon Carroll takes a look at the key matchups.

Where and When

The New Mexico Lobos take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Rate Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium at Glendale, Arizona on Friday 26th December at 4.30pm ET/9.30pm UK time. The game is being broadcast by ESPN, and in the UK you can watch on DAZN for free!

Story So Far...

Played under various guises since 1989, the Rate Bowl has been Arizona’s offering to the college football postseason for 35 years. Originally the Copper Bowl and held in Tucson, this game has also gone by the names Insight Bowl, Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Cactus Bowl and Cheez-It Bowl, before mortgage company Guaranteed Rate took over primary sponsorship in 2020.

As with most bowls the Rate Bowl has had historical tie-ins with particular conferences, but realignment has meant those affiliations have become tenuous. More recently we’ve seen Big 12 and Big Ten schools dominate the lineups, with both or either conferences represented since COVID. Whilst not considered one of the primary bowl games, the Rate Bowl has a history of producing MVP’s that go on to star in the NFL; Drew Bledsoe, Aaron Rodgers, Le’Veon Bell and Tyler Lockett just some of the names to be acknowledged for their performances.

Minnesota have enjoyed consistency under PJ Fleck, who once again has delivered a winning record in his ninth season in charge. That’s no mean feat in the ultra-competitive Big Ten that has acquired a handful of extra blue blood programs. 2025 represents the fifth time the Golden Gophers will play in the Rate Bowl, tied for the most of any school alongside Kansas State. If they are victorious on Boxing Day it will be the fifth time in nine years that Fleck has at least eight wins in a campaign.

No head coach has won ten games in a season in Albuquerque since 1982. But that’s what Jason Eck stands on the cusp of achieving his first season in charge at New Mexico. The best debut campaign prior to this in Lobos history was Gwinn Henry, who won eight games in 1934 – showing the magnitude of what Eck has done in year one. The last time this program played a bowl game outside of New Mexico was 2003; this year’s Rate Bowl will be the second time the Lobos have participated in the showcase, having competed in 1997 – the last time this school stood at nine wins.

The Quarterbacks

NEW MEXICO: JACK LAYNE

Heading over to New Mexico alongside his head coach after three years at the FCS level with Idaho, Jack Layne has done an excellent job replacing Devon Dampier, who headed to Utah this offseason. A junior, Layne has done an admirable job in Albuquerque, bouncing back from a rough opening game against Michigan to record 2,400 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Layne has some scrambling ability, but you certainly wouldn’t pencil him as a dual threat quarterback. Intelligent and methodical, he has thrived behind Jason Eck’s dominant o-line and can carve up defenses when he has the time. He has a penchant for trying to squeeze the ball into tight windows, although three of his nine interceptions came in the aforementioned debut against the Wolverines. His first taste of Bowl Season, Layne will be up for this contest.

MINNESOTA: DRAKE LINDSEY

Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey has shown enough in his first full season to suggest he could become one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten in the next two years. The Gophers put a lot on the shoulders of their young quarterback in 2025, giving him a varied array of weapons to work with but no real elite piece for Lindsey to lean on. Considering the Big Ten schedule with three ranked opponents on it and an average run game to work with, Fleck and his staff will be very pleased with their quarterbacks performances.

Lindsey’s ceiling is defined by his lack of mobility, despite the highlight above. A pure pocket passer, he’s 6-5″ and is like a statue behind the line of scrimmage. That’s unlikely to change, but he’s already shown he can thrive in big games – see the Nebraska matchup in Week 8 for details, where he barely put a foot wrong. Despite his relative inexperience, it feels that Minnesota have the edge under center.

Who to Watch

New Mexico

Jaxton Eck, Linebacker – Someone else who followed his head coach from Idaho to New Mexico, linebacker Jaxton Eck has comfortably avoided any suggestions of nepotism with an outrageous level of production his first season with the Lobos. Forget the fact that he is Jason Eck’s son – Jaxton has absolutely thrived at weakside linebacker for his father, tallying 122 tackles in 12 games. A junior, Eck could likely play at a Power 4 school but may want to finish the job in Albuquerque. He’ll certainly be looking to nullify any Minnesota ground game on Boxing Day.

Minnesota

Anthony Smith, Edge – Something of a rotational piece up until this point, Anthony Smith had a breakout campaign in 2025, turning into the Gophers’ very own quarterback assassin. Long and thick, Smith has the look of a ‘designated pass rusher’ at the next level, backed up by an impressive 10.5 sacks this season. A junior, Smith would likely benefit from another season in the frozen North – but with his measurables and production, it wouldn’t surprise me if his advisors think otherwise.

Prediction

A finely balanced matchup. Minnesota likely have the edge at quarterback, but I feel that the Lobos have a feisty defense particularly equipped to deal with what the Gophers offense brings to battle. With Eck erasing the run game it will be down to Layne to win the game for Minnesota – and I can see defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby getting home a couple of times. This one will be close, but give me New Mexico to eek out their tenth win of an incredible season.

NEW MEXICO 20-17 MINNESOTA

Mock Draft

SIMON CARROLL

LEAD WRITER, HEAD OF CONTENT

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, COVERS COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOR DAZN AND THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION.

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