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Utah State's run defense will be tested once again as the Aggies are set to play UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 20.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:20 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN.

The Aggies (9-4) are making a fourth-straight bowl appearance, a streak that is a record for the program.

The UTEP Miners finished the season 7-5 overall and 5-3 in Conference USA, a turnaround for a program that went just 2-10 in 2013.

The Miners, who haven't won a bowl game since 1967, rely heavily on their run game, ranking 34th nationally averaging 212.7 yards a game. In comparison, they average only 144.3 yards through the air to rank 120th.

Leading the rushing attack is sophomore Aaron Jones, who has 217 carries for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Save for the Aggies' 50-19 loss to Boise State in which Broncos' back Jay Ajayi ran for 229 yards and five touchdowns, the Aggies have been strong against the run, ranking 27th nationally giving up just 129.3 yards on the ground. The Aggies also rank 23rd nationally giving up just 20.8 points a game.

The Aggies also finished the season fourth nationally averaging 3.69 sacks a game and sixth with 29 forced turnovers.

USU is 3-6 all-time in bowl game appearances, including a 21-14 win against No. 24 Northern Illinois in the 2013 San Diego Poinsettia Bowl.

A win in the bowl game would give the Aggies a double-digit win season for just the second time, joining the 2012 team that went 11-2.

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