Bowl projections: Where could Utah State be playing in the postseason?

It’s almost bowl season, and for the 10th time in the past 12 years, Utah State is headed to the postseason.

The question is, where will the Aggies be headed?

The answer is likely to come Sunday, when the bowl lineup will be finalized.

What are national experts’ latest predictions for where Utah State (6-6) will play in the bowl season?

Bowl projections for Utah State football after Week 13

• Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Frisco Bowl, vs. SMU.
• Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Frisco Bowl, vs. South Alabama.
• Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Eastern Michigan.
• Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Bowling Green.
• Erick Smith, USA Today: Boca Raton Bowl, vs. Georgia Southern.
• College Football News: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Buffalo.
• Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Eastern Michigan.
• Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Eastern Michigan.
• Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel, The Athletic: Idaho Potato Bowl, vs. Buffalo.
• Bill Bender, Sporting News: Frisco Bowl, vs. East Carolina.

What are the Mountain West’s bowl tie-ins in 2022?

There are seven Mountain West Conference teams who are bowl eligible. Here are the MWC’s bowl tie-ins for 2022:

• LA Bowl (Dec. 17).
• New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 17).
• Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 20).
• Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24).
• Arizona Bowl (Dec. 30).
• Other ESPN-owned bowls where MWC teams could fill a Group of Five spot include the Cure Bowl (Dec. 16), Frisco Bowl (Dec. 17), Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 20) and First Responder Bowl (Dec. 27).
• The conference also has a backup tie-in with Guaranteed Rates Bowl (Dec. 27). If either the Big Ten or Big 12 cannot fill their spot in this bowl, the MWC would send a replacement.

What are Utah State’s most projected spots?

One year after playing a Power Five opponent, Oregon State, in the postseason for the first time in the modern era, the Aggies will play a Group of Five opponent no matter where they land.

The MWC’s only bowl affiliation with a Power Five opponent is the LA Bowl, and the winner of the MWC championship game between Boise State and Fresno State will represent the league in that game.

That means Utah State’s opponent will come from one of the other G5 leagues: the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference or the Sun Belt.

The Hawaii Bowl matchup is already set, with San Diego State facing Middle Tennessee.

Several projections have the Aggies playing in the Idaho Potato Bowl facing a MAC team.  Eastern Michigan is a popular choice as their opponent. The Eagles are 8-4 and, like Utah State, they finished the regular season strong, winning four of their last five games.

The second-most popular projection is for Utah State to play in the Frisco Bowl, potentially against a team from the American Athletic Conference.

The Aggies played in the Frisco Bowl in 2019, losing to Kent State, while they are 1-2 in Potato Bowl appearances, with a win in 2012.