Checking out Utah State in bowl projections

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah State still has work to do this season to get bowl eligble, but with a schedule with only opponent above .500 and another that is winless, the odds appear to be good that the Aggies will get at least six wins.

At least, that's what bowl speculation seems to favor.

Running down lists all over the country, the Aggies are favored to represent the Mountain West in a bowl this winter, but just where that might be is more of a question. Running down the projections (they may update this week, but these are the most recent as of Monday morning):

• ESPN's two bowl projections have them in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, one against Rice, one against Middle Tennessee State.

• USA Today puts the Aggies in the Poinsetta Bowl against Notre Dame.

• Phil Steele also puts Utah State in the Hawai'i Bowl with a Christmas Eve date against Rice.

• SB Nation sees Utah State's future in the Armed Forces Bowl in Ft. Worth, Texas, against Navy.

• College Sports Madness projects Utah State going to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl for the third straight year, this time taking on Ball State.

• The Orlando Sentinel also forecasts the Aggies taking on Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Observing with a critical eye, the Armed Forces Bowl might be the best situation for Utah State. The Hawai'i Bowl is expensive for travel and would proclude many fans from traveling. The Potato Bowl is convenient, but the third straight year might incur some fatigue. The Poinsetta Bowl would also be a quality bowl to get in, but might be a high shot unless Utah State can win out.

Armed Forces Bowl: Right around the new year, not too far away in Texas, and against a fun opponent in Navy that has a great subplot: Matt Wells used to coach there, and worked with Ken Niumatalolo on the staff. Sounds like a nice arrangement - if Utah State can get there.

Kyle Goonkgoon@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon