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Albuquerque, N.M.

University Stadium, home of Saturday's New Mexico Bowl, is 461 miles from University of Phoenix Stadium, the Fiesta Bowl venue.

Or 283 yards, to measure the distance another way.

That's how many rushing yards Utah State's defense allowed in a 50-19 loss to Boise State in late November, when the Aggies (9-4) were two wins away from a probable New Year's Six bowl bid. And that's why Texas-El Paso is an ideal opponent in the New Mexico Bowl.

The Miners' run-oriented offense offers USU's proud defense a chance to reassert itself, as the Aggies target a 10-win season — and 30 victories over three years.

Thirty wins? As recently as five years ago, any suggestion that USU could win 30 games in three seasons probably would have included the phrase "Big Sky Conference membership." Yet the Aggies have made this resurgence at the FBS level, "doing things that have never been done before in Utah State football," said second-year coach Matt Wells, formerly USU's offensive coordinator.

The Aggies' 29-11 record since 2012 includes wins over Utah and BYU, although it does come with some disclaimers. USU won a championship in the final season of a weakened Western Athletic Conference and skipped the other division's top teams (Fresno State, Nevada and San Diego State) in the Mountain West's scheduling rotation for two years.

The Aggies also played an extra game this season, as allowed by the NCAA because they visited Hawaii. So factoring in everything that's ahead for USU, a 10-win season will be asking a lot in the coming years. That's why the Aggies need to take advantage of this opportunity, as solid favorites against UTEP.

The only issue that creates any doubt for USU is stopping the run, considering what happened in Boise three weeks ago.

USU's defensive players know that performance was uncharacteristic, after what they had done all season. "It's our job, really, and a pride issue to get that back," said defensive end B.J. Larsen. "We've been a top-10 run defense for the last three years and we want to get back to that status, absolutely."

The Aggies won't be facing anyone quite like Boise State's Jay Ajayi in Albuquerque, but UTEP's Aaron Jones is a 1,200-yard rusher. Jameill Showers, the Miners' quarterback, also is a capable runner. Showers transferred from Texas A&M after losing a QB competition to Johnny Manziel, and has led the Miners to their first bowl game since 2010, when they lost 52-24 to BYU.

The Cougars' Jake Heaps was named the game's outstanding offensive player as a true freshman quarterback. USU's Kent Myers is a natural candidate for that honor Saturday, making his sixth start after a series of injuries made him the Aggies' fourth quarterback of the season.

Myers also is USU's fourth starter in a fourth consecutive bowl game, following Adam Kennedy, Chuckie Keeton and Darell Garretson. Kennedy lost to Ohio, Keeton beat Toledo and Garretson defeated Northern Illinois — all Mid-American Conference opponents.

Now, it's Myers' turn against a Conference USA school. The Aggies are motivated by multiple factors, including the 10-win opportunity and the hope of a better ending than the regular-season finale. "There won't be any lack of emotional investment," Larsen said.

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