2017 Arizona Bowl

The 2017 Arizona Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 29, 2017, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The third edition of the Arizona Bowl featured the New Mexico State Aggies of the Sun Belt Conference against the Utah State Aggies of the Mountain West Conference. Kickoff was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. MST and the game aired on CBS Sports Network. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games concluding the 2017 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Nova Home Loans mortgage broker company, the game was officially known as the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The win for New Mexico State ended a 57-year drought for bowl wins.

2017 Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
3rd Arizona Bowl
New Mexico State Aggies Utah State Aggies (6–6) (6–6) Sun Belt Mountain West 26 20 Head coach:  Doug Martin Head coach:  Matt Wells
1 2 3 4 OT Total New Mexico State 10 3 0 7 6 26 Utah State 7 6 0 7 0 20
Date	December 29, 2017
Season	2017
Stadium	Arizona Stadium
Location	Tucson, Arizona
MVP	Larry Rose III (RB, New Mexico State) & Leon McQuaker (LB, New Mexico State)^[1]
Favorite	New Mexico State by 4^[2]
Referee	Rodney Burnette (C-USA)
Attendance	39,132^[3]
Payout	US$155,820^[4]
United States TV coverage
Network	CBSSN
Announcers	Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous and Melanie Collins (sideline)
Arizona Bowl  < 2016  2018 >

Teams

The game featured the New Mexico State Aggies against the Utah State Aggies. It was the 38th all-time meeting between the schools, with Utah State leading the series 30–7. From 1984 until 2000, and again from 2003 until 2012, New Mexico State and Utah State were members of the same conference, spanning the Big West, Sun Belt and WAC until Utah State joined Mountain West in 2013.

New Mexico State Aggies

See also: 2017 New Mexico State Aggies football team and 2017 Sun Belt Conference football season

This was New Mexico State's fourth bowl game in school history and their first since the 1960 Sun Bowl, which coincidentally saw them play against Utah State; New Mexico State won that game by a score of 20–13. New Mexico State's appearance in this Arizona Bowl snapped their 56-year bowlless streak, which was the longest in all of FBS.

This bowl was also New Mexico State's final game as a member of the Sun Belt before going independent for 2018.

Utah State Aggies

See also: 2017 Utah State Aggies football team and 2017 Mountain West Conference football season

This was Utah State's first Arizona Bowl.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP NMSU USU 1 11:15 12 59 3:45 NMSU 24-yard field goal by Dylan Brown 3 0 1 11:01 USU Kickoff returned 96 yards for touchdown by Savon Scarver, Dominik Eberle kick good 3 7 1 10:47 NMSU Kickoff returned 100 yards for touchdown by Jason Huntley, Dylan Brown kick good 10 7 2 14:55 10 63 3:49 USU 24-yard field goal by Dominik Eberle 10 10 2 11:35 9 56 3:20 NMSU 33-yard field goal by Dylan Brown 13 10 2 0:00 5 19 0:36 USU 30-yard field goal by Dominik Eberle 13 13 4 13:28 4 24 0:48 USU LaJuan Hunt 1-yard touchdown run, Dominik Eberle kick good 13 20 4 6:31 11 69 3:47 NMSU Jaleel Scott 11-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Rogers, Dylan Brown kick good 20 20 OT 2 25 NMSU Larry Rose III 21-yard touchdown run, kick not attempted 26 20 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 26 20

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
NMSU Aggies	10	3	0	7	6	26
USU Aggies	7	6	0	7	0	20

Statistics	NMSU	USU
First downs	16	22
Plays–yards	83–375	89–441
Rushes–yards	29–174	45–187
Passing yards	191	254
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	29–54–2	25–44–0
Time of possession	28:58	31:02

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NMSU	Passing	Tyler Rogers	29/54, 191 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Larry Rose III	16 car, 132 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Johnathan Boone	5 rec, 48 yds
USU	Passing	Jordan Love	25/44, 254 yds
	Rushing	LaJuan Hunt	20 car, 133 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Ron'quavion Tarver	8 rec, 97 yds

References

1. "@NMStateFootball Made History in Tucson". New Mexico State University.
2. "New Mexico State vs. Utah State - Game Summary - December 29, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
3. Bowl, Arizona (December 29, 2017). "39,132 fans in attendance to see the best football festival in the country! Thank you to fans of @NMStateFootball, @USUFootball, and the great people of @VisitTucsonAZ!pic.twitter.com/JeJq358qki".
4. "College Football Poll.com". www.collegefootballpoll.com.

External links

• Box score at ESPN
• HIGHLIGHTS: New Mexico State Wins a Wild Arizona Bowl in Overtime | Stadium via YouTube