ALBUQUERQUE — The Arizona Wildcats went through their final practice of the season under sunny skies Thursday afternoon at the New Mexico football practice fields.
Nevada practiced at the Lobos’ adjacent indoor practice facility.
With temperatures in the low 50s, some Wildcats wore shorts and others donned sweats as they prepared for Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl vs. Nevada. Media was allowed to watch about the first 20 minutes of practice.
With the possibility of snow in the forecast, Arizona is scheduled for a 45-minute walkthrough Friday.
The Wildcats will wear the red helmets they debuted in the regular-season-ending loss to Arizona State. Arizona hasn’t revealed the rest of the uniform combination; as the designated home team, it will wear either red or blue jerseys.
Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports, in his breakdown of the 35 bowl games, gives the “cooler helmet” nod to Nevada: “Snarling wolf beats the clunky “A” on the Wildcats’ lids,” he writes.
New Mexico coach Bob Davie, who recently completed his first season with the Lobos, attended Thursday’s practice. New Mexico finished 4-9 and lost 31-24 at home to Nevada on Nov. 17. The Lobos were 1-11 a year ago.
Davie noted that he has known Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez for a long time, and that Rodriguez visited him in his office Thursday morning.
Thursday night, the teams will attend a dinner at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Rodriguez and Chris Ault, as well as a couple of players from each team, will hold a press conference Friday morning.