THURSDAY
(Time eastern)
Navy (9-3) vs San Diego St (8-4), 8 p.m., ESPN
Line: San Diego St by 6.
Series Record: San Diego State leads 2-0.
Last Meeting: 1997, San Diego St. 45, Navy 31
What’s at Stake:
San Diego State makes its first bowl appearance since a losing effort in the Las Vegas Bowl in 1998. SDSU has turned it around under second-year coach Brady Hoke, whose no-nonsense approach has led to the school’s first winning season since 1998. Navy will try to follow up on its big win against Army. If Navy wins, the senior class will be the first in school history to win 10 games in consecutive seasons.
Key Matchup
Navy QB Ricky Dobbs vs. San Diego State defense. Despite four turnovers, Dobbs led the Midshipmen to a 31-17 win against Army. For the season, Dobbs has rushed for 860 yards and 13 touchdowns, and passed for 1,380 yards and 12 TDs.
Players to watch
Navy: Fullback Alexander Teich. Hoke has said that stopping the fullback is the key to stopping an option attack. Teich has run for 825 yards and five touchdowns this season. He’s part of an offense that ranks fifth in the country in rushing (288.92) and 11th in pass efficiency (157.93).
San Diego St.: Freshman RB Ronnie Hillman. Hillman was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. He broke the league’s freshman single-season rushing record with 1,304 yards on 234 carries, scoring 14 touchdowns. He ranks first in the conference, 14th nationally and first among freshmen in FBS in yards rushing per game (108.7) and is the only player in the league to average more than 100 yards on the ground.
Facts & Figures
Bowl executive director Bruce Binkowski said the game will go on despite the heavy rain that has flooded part of the field at Qualcomm Stadium. “They’re going to make it work,” Binkowski told the AP. … This is Navy’s third trip to the Poinsettia Bowl. The Midshipmen beat Colorado State 51-30 in the inaugural game in 2005, and lost to Utah 35-32 in 2007. … San Diego State’s last bowl victory was 28-7 against Boston University in the 1969 Pasadena Bowl.
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