Nov. 26, 2012
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State football team has accepted an invitation to play Brigham Young in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. PT. The game will be played at Qualcomm Stadium and will be televised on ESPN.
The Aztecs defeated Wyoming, 42-28, on Saturday for their seventh consecutive victory to improve to 9-3 on the season and 7-1 in Mountain West play. The win gave SDSU a share of the MW title, its 19th overall and first since 1998. The seven straight wins is the fifth-longest streak in the country.
"We are honored to be selected to participate in the 2012 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl," San Diego State head coach Rocky Long said. "The Poinsettia Bowl is one of the best events I have ever been involved with and it will be a tremendous experience for our student-athletes. Best of all, we will have the opportunity to play in front of our fans and that will make for a great atmosphere on Dec. 20."
This will be the 36th meeting between the Aztecs and the Cougars (7-5) and first since BYU's final season in the Mountain West in 2010. SDSU has lost five straight in the series, which Brigham Young leads, 27-7-1.
San Diego State and the Cougars have played three common opponents this season in Boise State, Hawai'i and San Jose State. The Aztecs were 2-1 in those games (won at BSU, 21-19, and vs. Hawai'i, 52-14; lost to SJSU, 38-34), while BYU was 1-2 (won vs. Hawai'i, 47-0; lost at BSU, 7-6, and at SJSU, 20-14). Brigham Young is coming off a 50-14 win at New Mexico State on Saturday.
SDSU will be playing in its third consecutive bowl game for the first time in school history. Two seasons ago, San Diego State defeated Navy, 35-14, in the Poinsettia Bowl for the school's first bowl victory since 1969. Last year, the Aztecs lost to Louisiana-Lafayette, 32-30, on a last-second field goal at the New Orleans Bowl.
The Poinsettia Bowl began in 2005, when Navy defeated Colorado State, 51-30. SDSU made its debut in the bowl in 2010 against Navy, where it played in front of a Poinsettia Bowl record crowd of 48,049. San Diego State's 6.8 rushing yards per carry tied a bowl record, while Ronnie Hillman (attempts - 28 and rushing yards - 228) and Vincent Brown (receiving yards - 165) each set individual records.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets through SDSU as it will benefit Aztec athletics.
San Diego State football season ticket holders and donors have until 5 p.m. PT Tuesday to purchase tickets and insure their priority at GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting the Aztec Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the general public go on sale Wednesday, beginning at 10 a.m. PT. They are available through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting the Aztec Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.
The SDSU tickets are $60 each. There's also a tailgate package for $40 that includes a buffet with drinks, and another for $20 that includes one food voucher (different vendors will be available) and one drink ticket.