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Am I back in 1960? It sure feels like it.
Football fans, welcome the @NMStateFootball Aggies and the @USUFootball Aggies to the 2017 #novaAZBOWL! pic.twitter.com/G65Q2xiq22
— A(ggies)rizona Bowl (@novaAZBOWL) December 3, 2017
That’s because the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl announced that the New Mexico State Aggies will play against the Utah State Aggies on December 29th in Tucson, Arizona.
The “Aggie Bowl” is a rematch of the last bowl game the NM State Aggies played in, a 20-13 win over Utah State in the Sun Bowl in 1960.
Aggies playing Utah State in a bowl for the third time.#AllAggiesAllTheTime
— Bill Harty (@BHartyNMSU) December 3, 2017
There was a big bru-haha about the Arizona Bowl losing a team, which led to many people thinking NMSU was heading elsewhere, but apparently it was with the Mountain West, which was expected to send Utah State.
Update: Evidently the Fiesta Bowl snowball effect is what’s messed up the Arizona Bowl selection. Word is that Utah State May be on the chopping block. Bowl Executive is on the phone with conferences as we speak.
— Christopher Boan (@cgboan) December 3, 2017
All was well that ended well though, and it ended up being the Aggrizona Bowl after all.
IT'S OFFICIAL! The Aggies are taking on Utah State in the @novaAZBOWL on Dec. 29!! https://t.co/pIJiO2HPdu#AggieUp #MadeHistory
— NM State Football (@NMStateFootball) December 3, 2017
Game Snapshot
Date: Friday, December 29, 2017
Time: 3:30 p.m. MT
Location: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
TV and Streaming: CBS Sports Network and CBSSN Live
Opponent: Utah State Aggies (6-6 overall, 4-4 MWC)
How to Get Tickets: Visit the Pan Am ticket office or call 574-646-1420
Reaction
Obviously, everyone involved with New Mexico State is incredibly happy with the bowl invitation and the opponent. Not only did we get our cake, we get to eat it too.
Chancellor Carruthers made it clear that the only bowl game the NM State Aggies could go to was the Arizona Bowl, so to have them invite us and give us a close bowl game to travel to is just awesome.
The team and fans are pumped up to go to the bowl and I’m expecting a good crowd of NM State fans and a good showing from the Aggies!
Utah State
This will be USU’s 12th bowl game appearance and its sixth in the last seven years. They did not reach a bowl game last year. Their series with NMSU is the seventh most played in school history and they hold a 30-7 advantage with a three game win streak (last played in 2012).
This will be a fun game as the two schools have been conference rivals for 26 years (Big West, Sun Belt and Western Athletic Conference).
Final Thought
I saw this and took some major pride out of it. What other school can say this?
How about @NMStateFootball heading to a bowl game without playing an FCS school - also played 2 ‘money’ games. Not many FBS programs can say that. pic.twitter.com/wzcqV5lrNb
— Adam Young (@youngpbp) December 3, 2017