Thursday’s bowl games
Only one Mountain West Conference has landed in the top three in voting since 1986 and ironically that player was from San Diego State. Marshall Faulk finished second in voting to Miami’s Gino Torretta that season after leading the nation in rushing with 1,630 yards. Pumphrey rushed for a MWC-best 1,653 yards last season for the Aztecs. He also finished with a league-best 2,067 yards from scrimmage as well.
Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl
MIDDLE TENNESSEE (7-5) vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN (7-5)
When: 9 a.m. PST (ESPN). Where: Nassau, Bahamas.
Line: Western Michigan by 4 1/2. Series: First meeting.
Story line: Western Michigan, which has lost in all six of its previous appearances, is seeking the first bowl victory in school history. A victory also would give the Broncos consecutive eight-win seasons for the first time. Middle Tennessee is seeking to end the season on a five-game winning streak. A key matchup will be Western Michigan wide receivers Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman vs. Middle Tennessee’s secondary. Davis and Braverman have each exceeded 1,200 yards receiving, the first time since 2010 that Football Bowl Subdivision teammates have reached that mark.
Hawaii Bowl
SAN DIEGO STATE (10-3) vs. CINCINNATI (7-5)
When: 5 p.m. PST (ESPN). Where: Honolulu.
Line: San Diego State by 1 1/2. Series: Cincinnati leads, 1-0.
Story line: San Diego State has won nine in a row after a 1-3 start and is playing in a bowl game for the fifth consecutive season. It has not lost since Sept. 26 (at Penn State) and owns the third-longest active winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Cincinnati is appearing in a bowl game for the seventh season in a row and ninth time in 10 years. A victory would give the Bearcats their fourth 11-win season and first since 2009, when they were 12-0 before losing to Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
— associated press
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