San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
BYU Cougars ( 8-4, Independent ) vs San Diego State Aztecs (9-3, 7-1 MWC )
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego California
Obviously, there is a very large edge for SDSU with the game being played in their home city. However, it should be noted that BYU travels very well for its bowl games. The game is at sea level so there is no elevation advantages. The location is more of a reward for BYU than SDSU. Large Edge here for SDSU but maybe not quite as large as some think ... but big.
Coaching: Bronco Mendenhall vs Rocky Long
I happen to be a fan of both coaches. Mendenhall seems to care about the bowl games as his team has won 4 of its last 5, including the last three. Rocky Long has been a solid coach for many a year now and lost his last bowl game a year ago in New Orleans against ULL. I really like Rocky Long with time to prepare for an opposing offense. He has a brilliant defensive mind when it comes to stopping the run. I am going to call the coaching a wash ... no advantage either way. Incidentally, Bronco Mendenhall used to work for Rocky Long so there is a connection there.
Motivational Edges
*SDSU won a share of the MWC title game this year. A Poinsettia Bowl win would culminate the season, give them a 10-win season and perhaps go down in history as the best Aztec team of all-time. The Aztecs have only gone to 7 bowl games in their history and are 2-5 in those games, one of which was the Poinsettia Bowl in 2010. This team could be highly motivated for that.
*We already touched on the coaching history between Rocky Long and Bronco Mendenhall. I have little clue as to which staff would be motivated more by this.
*There is some program motivational angles as well regarding leaving the MWC but it is again too hard to read the situation to think it will either have an effect on the game or if it does to what degree. I would think little.
*I really see little motivation for the BYU side other than the Defense perhaps meeting a goal of finishing in the top ten of total defense.
*I have to give the motivational advantages to SDSU in this game.
Conference/Strength of Schedule/Current Form
San Diego State played in the MWC in what I would consider a down season for the conference. They did however go into Boise, Idaho and win on the blue turf against Boise State and that shows me something. The Aztecs played against 6 bowl teams and went 3-3 in those ball games with wins over the aforementioned Boise State, Air Force and Nevada. Their three losses were to Washington, SJSU and Fresno State. Of note is that the three losses were relatively early in the year and the three wins were in their final 5 games. They have won their last 7 games and are in great form.
BYU is an independent but played a much tougher schedule in my estimation than did SDSU. The Cougars played 6 bowl teams this year and went 2-4 in those games with wins over Georgia Tech and Utah State and losses to Notre Dame, Boise State, Oregon State and SJSU. Of note is that they lost by just a FG to Notre Dame in a game they could have won, by 1 to Boise State in a game they could have won and just 6 to SJSU as well. BYU has really been competitive in about every game they have played because of their outstanding defense. I find their schedule a notch harder than that of SDSU. The Cougars current form is not nearly as good as that of the Aztecs, however. They have gone 3-3 in their last 6 games and the lone quality win was a destruction of Georgia Tech where they completely shut down the option attack.
I will give the slightest of edges to SDSU here based on current form but with the knowledge that BYU is better battle tested.
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BYU Cougars ( 8-4, Independent ) vs San Diego State Aztecs (9-3, 7-1 MWC )
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego California
Obviously, there is a very large edge for SDSU with the game being played in their home city. However, it should be noted that BYU travels very well for its bowl games. The game is at sea level so there is no elevation advantages. The location is more of a reward for BYU than SDSU. Large Edge here for SDSU but maybe not quite as large as some think ... but big.
Coaching: Bronco Mendenhall vs Rocky Long
I happen to be a fan of both coaches. Mendenhall seems to care about the bowl games as his team has won 4 of its last 5, including the last three. Rocky Long has been a solid coach for many a year now and lost his last bowl game a year ago in New Orleans against ULL. I really like Rocky Long with time to prepare for an opposing offense. He has a brilliant defensive mind when it comes to stopping the run. I am going to call the coaching a wash ... no advantage either way. Incidentally, Bronco Mendenhall used to work for Rocky Long so there is a connection there.
Motivational Edges
*SDSU won a share of the MWC title game this year. A Poinsettia Bowl win would culminate the season, give them a 10-win season and perhaps go down in history as the best Aztec team of all-time. The Aztecs have only gone to 7 bowl games in their history and are 2-5 in those games, one of which was the Poinsettia Bowl in 2010. This team could be highly motivated for that.
*We already touched on the coaching history between Rocky Long and Bronco Mendenhall. I have little clue as to which staff would be motivated more by this.
*There is some program motivational angles as well regarding leaving the MWC but it is again too hard to read the situation to think it will either have an effect on the game or if it does to what degree. I would think little.
*I really see little motivation for the BYU side other than the Defense perhaps meeting a goal of finishing in the top ten of total defense.
*I have to give the motivational advantages to SDSU in this game.
Conference/Strength of Schedule/Current Form
San Diego State played in the MWC in what I would consider a down season for the conference. They did however go into Boise, Idaho and win on the blue turf against Boise State and that shows me something. The Aztecs played against 6 bowl teams and went 3-3 in those ball games with wins over the aforementioned Boise State, Air Force and Nevada. Their three losses were to Washington, SJSU and Fresno State. Of note is that the three losses were relatively early in the year and the three wins were in their final 5 games. They have won their last 7 games and are in great form.
BYU is an independent but played a much tougher schedule in my estimation than did SDSU. The Cougars played 6 bowl teams this year and went 2-4 in those games with wins over Georgia Tech and Utah State and losses to Notre Dame, Boise State, Oregon State and SJSU. Of note is that they lost by just a FG to Notre Dame in a game they could have won, by 1 to Boise State in a game they could have won and just 6 to SJSU as well. BYU has really been competitive in about every game they have played because of their outstanding defense. I find their schedule a notch harder than that of SDSU. The Cougars current form is not nearly as good as that of the Aztecs, however. They have gone 3-3 in their last 6 games and the lone quality win was a destruction of Georgia Tech where they completely shut down the option attack.
I will give the slightest of edges to SDSU here based on current form but with the knowledge that BYU is better battle tested.
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There are 35 bowl games this year, starting with the GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL at 1pm EST on Saturday, December 15, and we will have at least 1 play on each of the 35 games.
Our recommendations have earned players over 19 units this fall already, including 8.5 units in college football, and we are so confident, that if we have a losing record in the bowl season, we will provide you with a full refund, no questions asked.
For one low monthly price, you'll get all our College Bowl Season Plays, plus have access to other areas of the site including the NBA, the NFL and College Basketball.
We win, you win!
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