3 Teams: Win Out for Bowl Eligibility

**Three Teams, Three Games: New Mexico, Southern Miss, Temple Face Do-or-Die Bowl Push**

The tension is mounting for three college football programs as the regular season hurtles towards its conclusion. New Mexico, Southern Miss, and Temple each find themselves clinging to a 3-6 overall record after Week 10, meaning a perfect 3-0 finish to their schedules is the only path to the coveted six-win mark required for bowl eligibility. For these teams, a postseason berth would signify a significant step forward after varying stretches of missing out on the bowl season’s spotlight.

Reaching a bowl game brings more than just prestige; it provides crucial extra practice time for player development, offers a significant recruiting advantage, and generates additional revenue for athletic departments. The stakes for players, coaches, and fan bases are immeasurably high in this final three-week sprint.

**New Mexico Lobos: A Mountain West Gauntlet**
In the Mountain West Conference, head coach Danny Gonzales’ New Mexico Lobos face a challenging yet potentially navigable path. Their remaining schedule includes home matchups against UNLV on November 11 and Wyoming on November 25, sandwiched by a road trip to Fresno State on November 18. According to projections, the Lobos are favored in two of these contests – against UNLV and Fresno State. The biggest hurdle is expected to be that road game against Wyoming, a notoriously tough venue for visiting teams. The Lobos last appeared in a bowl game in 2016, making a return to the postseason a deeply desired outcome for the program and its fans. A clean sweep would almost certainly guarantee them a spot.

**Southern Miss Golden Eagles: Sun Belt Showdown**
Down south in the competitive Sun Belt Conference, head coach Will Hall and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles are eyeing a return to consistency. While they made a bowl appearance last season, the program is keen to establish a pattern of postseason play. Their final three games include a tough home stand against Troy on November 11, followed by road games at Louisiana-Monroe on November 18 and South Alabama on November 25. The Golden Eagles are favored in two of these matchups – against ULM and South Alabama – but the game against Troy is shaping up to be a formidable challenge. Should Southern Miss manage to secure three consecutive victories, they are projected to clinch a bowl invitation.

**Temple Owls: AAC Ambitions**
For the Temple Owls of the American Athletic Conference, under head coach Stan Drayton, the journey to six wins appears to be the steepest. Their schedule concludes with a road game against East Carolina on November 11, a home game versus UAB on November 18, and a final road test at Memphis on November 25. Projections indicate the Owls are only favored in one of these contests, their road trip to East Carolina. Both UAB and Memphis are expected to present significant challenges, making a 3-0 finish a true uphill battle. Temple’s last bowl appearance was in 2019, and a Cinderella run to bowl eligibility would mark a monumental achievement for the program. Despite the long odds, if the Owls can defy expectations and win all three, they too are projected to hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

As Week 11 kicks off, all three programs will be playing with their backs against the wall, knowing that every snap, every drive, and every game is critical to realizing their postseason aspirations. The next three weeks promise high drama and intense competition as these teams fight for their football future.