November 23, 1998
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State football team has been given the bid as the Western Athletic Conference representative in the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl to be held in Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, December 19. The game matches a WAC team vs. a yet-to-be-determined at-large opponent.
The invitation represents the first post-season bowl bid for the Aztecs since an appearance in the 1991 Freedom Bowl in Anaheim, California. SDSU finished the season with a 7-4 record and claimed the co-championship of the WAC's Pacific Division with a 7-1 league mark along with Brigham Young. The Cougars are playing in the conference's championship game in Las Vegas on December 5 due to their 13-0 victory over San Diego State in Provo on October 29, the Aztecs' lone loss in WAC play.
"We feel extremely honored to have the opportunity to play in the Las Vegas Bowl," said SDSU Director of Athletics Rick Bay. "What a great way to cap an outstanding season for our players, coaches and fans! We appreciate the bowl committee's confidence in our program and in giving our community the chance to show the kind of support it has for the Aztecs."
San Diego State Head Coach Ted Tollner echoed those sentiments.
"Our players earned this and they deserve this opportunity. A lot of teams would have folded their tents with an 0-3 start but it shows the character of this group to come back and finish the season winning seven of their last eight games. I'd like to thank the Las Vegas Bowl for giving us this opportunity to play one more game this season and reward our team for its outstanding effort."
Tollner indicated that the team would not practice through the Thanksgiving holidays but would meet next Monday, November 30 and resume practices the following day.