March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 49 F

Navy to play San Diego State in Poinsettia Bowl

07_poinsettia_bowl_logoSan Diego State has accepted an invitation to play Navy in the 10th annual San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl it was announced today by 2014 Bowl President Vincent Mudd.  The game will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Kickoff is set for 6:30 PM in San Diego (9:30 PM in Annapolis) and will be televised nationally by ESPN. 

“This is a fantastic pairing of two teams that are well-known and loved, especially right here in San Diego,” said Mudd.  “It sets up to be a great game and we anticipate a fantastic turnout for this 10th anniversary game.”

Earning its 11th bowl invitation in the last 12 seasons, this will be Navy’s fifth trip to San Diego for a bowl game and the fourth trip to the Poinsettia Bowl.  Navy defeated BYU, 23-16, in the inaugural Holiday Bowl in 1978; knocked off Colorado State, 51-30, in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl in 2005; lost to Utah, 35-32, in Ken Niumatalolo’s first game as a head coach in the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl; and lost to San Diego State, 35-14, in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl.

“We are excited about the opportunity to travel to San Diego, which is a city filled with Navy and Marine Corps service men and women, and play in a first-class bowl game,” said Gladchuk.  “The city of San Diego, the stadium, the hospitality from the community and the bowl administration present as fine a postseason experience as we could possibly enjoy.  The Academy is sincerely grateful for the invitation and setting the stage for our team to earn an enjoyable trip to the great city of San Diego and an inspiring matchup versus San Diego State.”

“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,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo.  “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.”

The Aztecs finished the 2014 regular season with a 7-5 record and a 5-3 mark in the Western Division of the Mountain West.  They won all seven of their games by double figures including routs of Navy opponents Air Force (30-14) and San Jose State (38-7).  The Aztecs have won eight-straight games against Service Academy foes.

San Diego State, who is making its fifth consecutive bowl appearance after going to just five bowls over its previous 43 seasons, is led by their sensational sophomore running back Donnel Pumphrey.  Pumphrey has rushed for 1,755 yards and 19 touchdowns on the year.  He is just 87 yards short of the San Diego State single-season rushing record of 1,842 set by George Jones in 1995.

The San Diego State defense has been one of the best in the nation, ranking 15th in the country in points allowed (20.1 points per game) and 40th in rushing defense (145.6). They have gone eight-consecutive games without allowing 400 yards of total offense.

Tickets for the Poinsettia Bowl are on sale now at: http://bit.ly/1B0rxp5

Tickets can also be purchased starting Monday morning at 9 a.m. by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY or at the Ricketts Hall Ticket Office.

Ticket prices are $55 for field & plaza level and $70 for club seats.

Fans can also purchase tickets to sponsor midshipmen and enlisted personnel and their families for $55 per ticket. Donated tickets are 100% tax deductible.  The Naval Academy Athletic Association has already received requests for 8,000 donated tickets by enlisted personnel in the San Diego area and by midshipman.  Currently, the NAAA is 6,000 tickets short of meeting that request.

Additionally, The Naval Academy class that donates the most tickets receives a 30% discount on football season tickets for 2015 for every member that donates four or more tickets.  Any individual that donates 10 tickets or more will receive a 30% discount on the 2015 season ticket package regardless of class affiliation. Be sure to donate in your correct ticket account that signifies you as a USNA Alumni.

For more information and to buy tickets for the Brigade of Midshipmen Bowl Game Tailgate, which will be held on game day from 3:00-6:30 PM at the stadium go to: http://www.navyonline.com/

“We strongly encourage Navy fans to buy their bowl tickets directly from the Naval Academy Athletic Association,” said Gladchuk. “It is important for this game and for future Navy bowl considerations for our fans to purchase tickets through the NAAA. If you can’t make it to the game, we ask that Navy fans buy tickets for our midshipmen and enlisted personnel which will allow us to create the usual pageantry of Navy football.”

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