PROVO — Located more than 700 miles from the Wasatch Front, the decision by the San Diego Bowl Game Association to eliminate the Poinsettia Bowl will have far-reaching consequences on Utah-based college football programs.

That should come as no surprise since the Beehive State’s three in-state schools have played a remarkable role in the 12-season history of the bowl game, which announced Wednesday it was shutting down so the association could focus on the Holiday Bowl.

The decision was not influenced by the NFL’s Chargers recent decision to move from San Diego to Los Angeles, bowl game association executive director Mark Neville told The Associated Press.

The change leaves BYU without a bowl agreement for the next two seasons. The Cougars, who defeated Wyoming 24-21 in San Diego in Kalani Sitake’s first postseason game as a head coach, had agreements with the Poinsettia Bowl for the next two seasons before a contract with the Hawaii Bowl in 2019.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe expressed remorse for the final bowl game in a prepared statement but added the Cougars are working with their broadcast partners to finalize additional bowl agreements for the next two seasons.

“BYU has enjoyed a great relationship with the San Diego Bowl Game Association and appreciate the wonderful hospitality they’ve shown us for many years,” Holmoe said. “Although we were sorry to learn the Poinsettia Bowl will no longer be played, we understand the decision and wish Mark Neville, Ted Tollner and their bowl committee the very best. We are working with ESPN to secure bowl arrangements for 2017 and 2018, and have an agreement in place with the Hawaii Bowl in 2019.”

Since venturing out as a college football independent in 2011, the Cougars have played in the Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas, the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, the Miami Beach Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl, in addition to two games in the Poinsettia Bowl.

The Cougars end the 2017 season at Hawaii, making potential back-to-back trips to Aloha Stadium to end the 2017 season an unlikely possibility.

The Mountain West Conference has partnered with the Poinsettia Bowl since the game’s inception in 2005, and commissioner Craig Thompson said in a prepared statement the league was aware of the possibility of the bowl game’s demise.

“While we are disappointed by the decision, the Mountain West is thankful for the tremendous relationship we’ve enjoyed with the bowl game,” Thompson said. “The city of San Diego and the Poinsettia Bowl were outstanding hosts and provided a first-class experience for several MW institutions over 12 seasons. The Poinsettia Bowl is one of six postseason games the Mountain West has been a part of creating during its 18-year history. We are well-versed in the bowl space and are already in the process of vetting future options to ensure postseason opportunities for our student-athletes.”

The Beehive State’s ties to the Poinsettia Bowl are courtesy in large part to all three FBS institutions former or current position in the conference. Two years after Navy’s rout of Colorado State in the inaugural game in 2008, Utah picked up the league’s second win in the bowl game in 2007, when Brian Johnson posted 295 all-purpose yards for Utah in a 35-32 win over the Midshipmen.

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Utah returned to San Diego two years later, and Jordan Wynn threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-27 win over Cal in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl.

BYU’s first outing in the Poinsettia Bowl was marked by Kyle Van Noy, who had eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns in the Cougars’ 23-6 win over San Diego State in 2012.

After the Utes and Cougars had departed the Mountain West, Utah State represented the conference in the 2013 Poinsettia Bowl. Joey DeMartino rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown in the Aggies’ win over Navy, and Jake Doughty was named defensive MVP on a team that went on to be the greatest defensive squad in Utah State history.

With the passing of the Poinsettia Bowl into history, BYU’s Cody Hoffman remains the game’s all-time leader in pass receptions with 10 in 2012. Utah’s Kendrick Moeai is tied for the most receiving touchdowns with his pair of scores in the 2009 game, and Utah State’s Nick Diaz is tied for the second-longest field goal, a 39-yarder in 2013.

Utah’s Shaky Smithson will hold the longest kick return average in the game’s history after his 38.0 yards per attempt in 2009, while the Utes’ four rushing touchdowns in 2007 is the second-most in bowl history.

The crowd of 48,049 drawn for the Utes’ win over Cal in 2010 remains the largest turnout in Poinsettia Bowl history.

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