Poinsettia Bowl 2014: Preview, Predictions for San Diego State vs. Navy

Qualcomm Stadium will host some Tuesday night football, as San Diego State and Navy will do battle in the Poinsettia Bowl on December 23.

San Diego State got the invitation to play in the bowl right as the season ended. The Aztecs tied for first in the West Division of the Mountain West, and they are playing in their fifth consecutive bowl game after playing in only five bowl games in the last 45 years.

Navy got the invitation to play in the bowl after beating South Alabama to become bowl-eligible. This will be the 11th time in 12 seasons the Midshipmen will play in a bowl game, and it will also be the fifth time they have played a bowl game in San Diego.

Will the Aztecs finish with their third straight win, or will the Midshipmen get their ninth bowl win?

Here’s a preview of the upcoming matchup.

Date: Tuesday, December 23

Time: 9:30 p.m.

Place: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

TV: ESPN

Radio: Aztec Radio Network

Tale of the Tape

Here's a quick look at the stats for each team.

San Diego State Keys to Victory

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Defensive Discipline

The biggest thing San Diego State needs to do in order to win is to try to be disciplined on defense. The Aztecs are the No. 1 defensive team in the Mountain West, but they are going up against a Navy team that rushes for over 300 yards per game.

The Midshipmen run the triple-option offense, and they have only scored less than 20 points once this season, which was against Ohio State in the season opener.

Exploit Navy Defense

The Aztecs also need to attack the Navy defense that surrenders 30 points per game. With them being a run-oriented team as well, the Aztecs will need to beat Navy at its own game. Controlling the clock and sustaining drives will be key for San Diego State to be successful on offense.

Navy Keys to Victory

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Eclipse 300 Rushing Yards

Navy has showed this season it can score points, averaging 34 points per game. It will need to do what it has done all season, and that’s being able to rush for over 300 yards.

If the Midshipmen can do that, they will keep the Aztecs' rushing offense off the field and not put much pressure on the defense.

Force Multiple Aztec Turnovers

The defense, however, has struggled this season and will need to find a way to turn the ball over. The Midshipmen have a minus-three turnover margin and have only recovered three fumbles.

The Aztecs have a plus-three turnover margin, so Navy will have a tough task ahead of it trying to force San Diego State to make mistakes.

San Diego State Players to Watch

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Running Back Donnel Pumphrey

One of the reasons the Aztecs run the ball so well is the play of running back Donnel Pumphrey. He leads the Mountain West with 1,761 yards, 19 touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry.

He’s coming off a huge game against San Jose State where he ran for 267 yards and three touchdowns.

Linebacker Calvin Munson

On defense, Calvin Munson has been one of the key players for the Aztecs defense that ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West in scoring defense. Munson has 78 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Navy Players to Watch

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Quarterback Keenan Reynolds

Keenan Reynolds has been big in the Navy rushing attack this season. In the nine games he has played this season, the junior QB has rushed for 1,082 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He has also thrown for 749 yards and five touchdowns. Reynolds has now rushed for 61 touchdowns in his career, which is an FBS record.

Linebacker Daniel Gonzales

The defense has struggled this year, but linebacker Daniel Gonzales has been able to make plays for the Midshipmen. He has 73 tackles and two interceptions, ranking second on the team in each category. He has looked impressive in his first full season with the Midshipmen.

What They're Saying

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Aztecs head coach Rocky Long is proud of what his team has accomplished this season, as well as what the program has done in the last five years. Here’s what he told GoAztecs.com after the announcement:

"

Very few teams are going to a fifth straight bowl game and our players have worked hard to get here. It shows how successful our program has become. I've been lucky enough to have gone to several bowls and our fifth-year seniors have been to five straight bowls. The Poinsettia Bowl has been great to us and we know how well they treat us.

"

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo is also excited about going back to San Diego and knows his squad will be facing a tough opponent in San Diego State. Here’s what he said to NavySports.com:

"

I am happy for our young men and our program that we are going back to a bowl game for the 11th time in the last 12 years. Right now our only focus is to finish out the regular season on the right note by beating Army, but we are thrilled to be going to San Diego and playing against a very tough opponent in San Diego State.

"

Prediction

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Both teams can run the ball well, so this game has a chance to last only two hours. The biggest key for either team is who can get the necessary stops on defense.

San Diego State only allows 20 points per game and is one of the five best teams in the Mountain West when it comes to stopping the run. Munson has been big for the Aztecs all year, and he will need to be big one more time this season.

Navy is a very dangerous offensive team that can score a lot of points if it is able run up the middle. Reynolds has been one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in the country, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

When it comes down to it, the Aztecs are much better on defense, and that will be the difference in the ballgame.

San Diego State 38, Navy 30