San Diego State will return to familiar territory when they face 25th-ranked North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl on December 27th in Albuquerque.
The Aztecs earned their first bowl game appearance in three years and will take on the Mean Green, who boast the nation's top-ranked passing offense. The matchup presents an intriguing clash of styles between San Diego State's defense and North Texas' high-powered aerial attack.
"Great matchup of strengths with our defense, their offense, and excited about the opportunity Albuquerque represents to go get our 10th win," SDSU head coach Sean Lewis said.
The bowl game will mark the Aztecs' second consecutive game at New Mexico's home field. San Diego State suffered a disappointing loss to the Lobos in their regular-season finale, which cost them a chance at the Mountain West Conference title.
"Kind of a cool sense to be able to go back to the quote-unquote 'scene of the crime,' and be able to right a wrong, so to speak," Lewis said.
While many college football players have opted out of bowl games recently to prepare for the NFL Draft or enter the transfer portal, Lewis doesn't expect that trend to affect his team.
"I've got a good pulse of my club. I think that's one thing, for all my perceived weaknesses or strengths, I think the relationships I've built with the guys, I've got a pretty good handle on where guys are at," Lewis said. "As we sit here right now, no one is talking about opting out the bowl game. We're excited to put the ball down and go play and to embrace the opportunity and the challenge that we have to get our 10th win against a good opponent."
The team faces the unique challenge of traveling to Albuquerque on Christmas Eve for the December 27th kickoff.
"We'll figure out how Santa comes and visits all our coaches' kids there, and make that work, so I'll have to write a letter to the North Pole," Lewis said.
The New Mexico Bowl is one of 39 bowl games outside the College Football Playoff this postseason.
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