| Game Name: | New Mexico Bowl |
| Subheader: | 16th New Mexico Bowl |
| Title Sponsor: | PUBG Mobile |
| Date Game Played: | December 18 |
| Year Game Played: | 2021 |
| Football Season: | 2021 |
| Stadium: | University Stadium |
| City: | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Visitor School: | University of Texas at El Paso |
| Visitor Name Short: | UTEP |
| Visitor Nickname: | Miners |
| Visitor Record: | 7–5 |
| Visitor Conference: | C–USA |
| Visitor Coach: | Dana Dimel |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 10 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Home School: | California State University, Fresno |
| Home Name Short: | Fresno State |
| Home Nickname: | Bulldogs |
| Home Record: | 9–3 |
| Home Conference: | MWC |
| Home Coach: | Lee Marks (interim) |
| Home 1Q: | 9 |
| Home 2Q: | 10 |
| Home 3Q: | 7 |
| Home 4Q: | 5 |
| Mvp: | Offense: Jordan Mims (RB, Fresno State) Defense: Elijah Gates (DB, Fresno State)[1] |
| Odds: | Fresno State by 11 |
| Referee: | David Siegle (MAC)[2] |
| Attendance: | 16,422 |
| Us Network: | ESPN ESPN Radio |
| Us Announcers: | ESPN: John Schriffen (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline) ESPN Radio: Mike Corey (play-by-play) and Hutson Mason (analyst) |
| Intl Network: | ESPN Brazil |
| Intl Announcers: | Matheus Pinheiro (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst) |
The 2021 New Mexico Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 18, 2021, with kickoff at 2:15 p.m. EST (12:15 p.m. local MST) on ESPN.[3] It was the 16th edition of the New Mexico Bowl, and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Due to sponsorship from video game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile, the game was branded as the 2021 PUBG Mobile New Mexico Bowl.
Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game will be played between teams from the Conference USA (C-USA) and Mountain West Conference (MWC). The bowl also has a tie-in with the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
This will be the thirteenth meeting between UTEP and Fresno State; the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 8-3-1.[4] From 1992 until 2004, both teams were together as members of the Western Athletic Conference.
See main article: 2021 UTEP Miners football team. The Miner started out their season at 2-0, after beating both New Mexico State and Bethune–Cookman (FCS). The program suffered its first loss against Boise State. Following the loss they won 4 games in a row against with a record of 6-1, New Mexico, Old Dominion, Southern Miss, and Louisiana Tech. After the 4 game winning streak, they followed up 3 straight losses to Florida Atlantic, UTSA and North Texas. The Miners ended their 4 game losing streak with a win over Rice. To end their season UTEP lost to UAB for a final record of 7-5.
See main article: 2021 Fresno State Bulldogs football team.