Ohio takes on slumping San Diego State in Frisco Bowl

Published

Frisco Bowl: San Diego St. (7-5) vs. Ohio (8-4), Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST (ESPN)

Line: Ohio by 3.

Series Record: First meeting

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Ohio and San Diego State have gotten to their bowl on different streaks. The Bobcats of the MAC have won two in a row and five of their last six. They are also trying to win a bowl for the second season in a row. The Aztecs from the Mountain West have lost five of six games, and their last three, since a six-game winning streak. San Diego State has never had a four-game losing streak in the same season in their eight years with coach Rocky Long.

KEY MATCHUP

Ohio running back A.J. Ouellette against All-Mountain West linebacker Kyahva Tezino and the rest of San Diego State's front seven. The Aztecs are fourth among FBS teams allowing 94.5 yards rushing per game. Ouellette has averaged 178 yards rushing over his last three games, and has at least 135 yards in four of the last five games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Diego State: Tezino, the junior linebacker, has 120 tackles, including 14 1/2 tackles for loss with 8 1/2 sacks.

Ohio: Junior QB Nathan Rourke has thrown for 2,228 yards and 22 touchdowns (with seven interceptions), and run for 816 yards and a team-high 13 TDs, one more than Ouellette.

FACTS & FIGURES

With the retirement of 79-year-old Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, Ohio's Frank Solich is now the oldest FBS coach at 74. Long turns 69 in January. (Coastal Carolina coach Joe Moglia is already 69). ... The Aztecs fell short of a third straight 10-win season. ... San Diego State is 13-0-1 against MAC schools. ... Ouellette, a senior, is only the fourth Bobcats player with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. ... The Aztecs are making their 10th bowl appearance in 14 seasons under Solich, who replaced Tom Osborne at Nebraska in 1998 and spent six seasons as head coach of the Cornhuskers. ... This is the ninth year in a row in a bowl for the Aztecs, who are playing their second consecutive bowl in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They lost 42-35 to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth last December. ... This only the second Frisco Bowl. It is played in the pro soccer stadium that also hosts the FCS national championship game.