The Utah State football team sprints onto the field before their game against Boise State on Nov. 18, 2023. Photo by Clint Allen.
LOGAN – After defeating New Mexico 44-41 in double overtime on Friday, the Utah State Aggies finished their regular season with a 6-6 record, reaching bowl eligibility for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons (missing bowl opportunities only in 2016 and 2020). Since 2011, USU is 5-5 in bowl games and Blake Anderson’s 2023 team will have a chance to not only get a winning record on the year but also a winning record in bowl games during this 13 year period.
Since conferences have championship games still to play next week, all available bowl spots will not be known definitively until Sunday, Dec. 3rd when the College Football Playoff Committee releases its final rankings. That leaves us to speculate where USU may be headed, and who they may be facing. The following are the projections for Utah State from various national media outlets (as of Nov. 26), including who the Aggies may face and what their records are (listed in order of when the bowl game will take place).
USU vs Arkansas State in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. (ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura)
Arkansas State finished 6-6 on the year with a 4-4 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The Frisco Bowl is played at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Blake Anderson coached at Arkansas State for seven seasons before making the move to Logan to coach the Aggies.
USU vs Georgia State in the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. (Fox Sports)
Georgia State finished 6-6 on the year with a 3-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The Boca Raton Bowl is played at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
USU vs Georgia Southern in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. (The Athletic)
Georgia Southern finished 6-6 on the year with a 3-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is played at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.
USU vs Miami (Ohio) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. (Athlon Sports)
Miami (Ohio) finished 10-2 on the year with a 7-1 record in the Mid-American Conference. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is played at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Utah State has appeared in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl three times, with a record of 1-2: 23-24 vs Ohio in 2011; 41-15 vs Toledo in 2012; and, 21-23 vs Akron in 2015.
USU vs Bowling Green in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. (ESPN’s Mark Schlabach / 247 Sports)
Bowling Green finished 7-5 on the year with a 5-3 record in the Mid-American Conference. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is played at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. A bowl appearance this year will mark Blake Anderson’s 9th in 10 seasons as a head coach.
USU vs Old Dominion in the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. (CBS Sports)
Old Dominion finished 6-6 on the year with a 5-3 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The Hawai’i Bowl is played at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
USU vs Rice in the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. (College Football News)
Rice finished 6-6 on the year with a 4-4 record in the American Athletic Conference. The Hawai’i Bowl is played at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The Hawai’i Bowl is the only Mountain West affiliated bowl that the Aggies have not yet participated in.
USU vs Louisiana in the Military Bowl Presented by Go Bowling on Dec. 27 at 12 p.m. (Sporting News)
Louisiana finished 6-6 on the year with a 3-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference. The Military Bowl is played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
The Mountain West Conference has five bowl tie-ins with affiliations and connections with five others.
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– LA Bowl hosted by Gronk vs Pac-12
– Isleta New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic
An affiliation to fill, if needed:
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona vs Big Ten or Big 12
To be determined among the Group of Five conferences (G5 vs G5):
– Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida vs G5
– Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas vs G5
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl in Boca Raton, Florida vs G5
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas, Texas vs G5
