The San Diego State football team has accepted an invitation to play the University of Texas-San Antonio in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 21. The game will be played at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, and will be broadcast nationally by ESPN. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
The Aztecs (11-2) are in a bowl game for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons after withdrawing from consideration in the shortened 2020 season. SDSU is one of only eight schools to have at 10 or more victories since 2015, joining Alabama, Appalachian State, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
San Diego State’s 11 victories are tied for the most in its 99 seasons of football.
The Roadrunners, meanwhile, are 12-1 after capturing their first Conference USA title with a 49-41 win over Western Kentucky last Friday. UTSA’s 12 victories are a program record.
Both the Aztecs and Roadrunners are ranked 24th in different polls. SDSU is 24th in the final College Football Playoff rankings, while UTSA is No. 24 in the final regular-season AP Top 25 poll.
The Aztecs dropped a 46-13 decision to Utah State in Saturday’s Mountain West championship game at Health Dignity Sports Park in Carson.
SDSU was missing 20 players because of COVID protocols, including its top three tight ends. The talent drain came at an inopportune time for the MW regular season West Division champions.
The Aztecs entered Saturday’s conference championship game ranked 19th nationally.
Junior receiver Jesse Matthews, a Christian High School alumnus, had eight receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown in the loss.
The touchdown was his fifth in the past three games, seventh of the season and 10th of his career. Over the last three games, the former Patriot has 26 catches for 290 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior running back Greg Bell (Bonita Vista) had 11 carries for 50 yards to raise his rushing total to 990 yards for the season. He has 1,627 rushing yards for his career in just 19 games, which ranks 20th in program history.
Junior kicker/punter Matt Araiza (Rancho Bernardo) was two-for-three in field goal attempts while supplying the extra-point conversion on the Aztecs’ lone touchdown in the game.
San Diego State and UTSA will be playing for the first time. The Aztecs are 26-6 all-time against Conference USA members.
