Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LOGAN — Utah State football is New Mexico-bound.
After a 10-2 season that finished one win away from a berth in the Mountain West championship, Utah State will head to the Land of Enchantment for a bowl game against the Mean Green.
The announcement was first reported by college football insider Brett McMurphy.
It will be the Aggies' second trip to the New Mexico Bowl, and first since a 21-6 win over UTEP in 2014, when they kick off Dec. 15 at 12 p.m. MT on ESPN.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for our program. It is a fantastic reward for all of the hard work and dedication that our players have put in, from all the offseason workouts, to watching film to the practice field. I am so happy for them," Utah State interim head coach Frank Maile said in a statement from the university. "We are excited to represent Utah State University, Cache Valley and Aggie Nation at the New Mexico Bowl."
The Mean Green (9-3) finished 5-3 in Conference USA, tied for second in the West behind league champion Alabama-Birmingham.
North Texas will be playing in its third-straight bowl game.
The Aggies won a program-record 10-straight games in 2018, not dropping a contest between a season-opening loss at Michigan State until a regular season-ending loss at Boise State, 33-24.
Utah State currently ranks No. 23 in the final regular-season USA Today Coaches' Poll.
But Utah State will also be playing without head coach Matt Wells, who has accepted a new job at Texas Tech and will bring offensive coordinator David Yost and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson with him. Wells will be on the sideline as an Aggie alum during the bowl game, athletic director John Hartwell told reporters Friday morning during a conference call, while co-defensive coordinator Frank Maile will serve as acting head coach until a successor is found.
The Aggies are 4-8 in bowl games all-time, but have made six of their 12 bowl appearances since Gary Andersen was named head coach in 2009.
Tickets will go on sale Monday at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, by phone at 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305, or online at UtahStateAggies.com.
