The 2006 New Mexico Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game held on December 23, 2006 at University Stadium on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque as part of the 2006–07 NCAA football bowl games. The game, telecast on ESPN, featured the San Jose State Spartans from the WAC and the hometown New Mexico Lobos from the Mountain West Conference. The game was the inaugural New Mexico Bowl and the first bowl game held in the state.

San Jose State controlled the action all game long, jumping out to a 20–3 lead before New Mexico tacked on 9 points in the final few minutes. Spartan quarterback Adam Tafralis threw three touchdown passes, two to offensive MVP James Jones, in a dominant performance. With the loss, New Mexico's postseason drought was extended to 45 years.

The game was scoreless through the first quarter with each team punting on all of their three possessions.

On the first play of the second quarter, San Jose State quarterback Adam Tafralis threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Broussard who was wide open on a blown coverage. The nine second scoring drive gave San Jose State a 7-0 lead they would not relinquish. On the ensuing kickoff, New Mexico return man DeAndre Wright took the kickoff to the San Jose State 40-yard line. The Lobos used the field position to set up a first and goal at the one-yard line but fumbled on third down in the endzone after San Jose State linebacker Matt Castelo put his helmet on the ball and knocked it loose from the Lobos' Rodney Ferguson. Spartan Damaja Jones caught the ball out of the air and returned it 57 yards to the New Mexico 43, changing momentum for good in the game. After a pair punts, Tafralis connected with wide receiver James Jones who made a man miss on the sideline and went in for a 36-yard touchdown to give San Jose State a 13-0 lead. The PAT was missed. New Mexico kicker Kenny Byrd got the Lobos on the board on the following drive with a 40-yard field goal to make the score 13-3.

...
Wikipedia