Aztecs Head to New Orleans Bowl

For the first time in the program's Division I history, the San Diego State football team (8-4) will participate in back-to-back postseason bowl games, as the Aztecs accepted an invitation Sunday to play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (8-4) at 8 p.m. CT/6 p.m. PT, Saturday, Dec. 17.

The game will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., and will be televised on ESPN.

Division I program first

Prior to 2010 and 2011, the Aztecs had never played in a postseason bowl game in consecutive seasons in the school's Division I era. The only time the program has participated in bowl games in back-to-back years was in 1966 and 1967, when the squad advanced to the Camellia Bowl while competing in the College Division.

Last season, San Diego State defeated Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium for the school's first bowl victory since 1969.

Fighting a new foe

This will be the first meeting between the two foes and the Aztecs' first against a member of the Sun Belt Conference since defeating Arkansas State 24-14 in San Diego in 1976. SDSU owns a 7-1 all-time record vs. members of the Sun Belt with the other seven meetings coming against North Texas.

Meeanwhile, the Ragin' Cajuns placed third in the Sun Belt Conference with a 6-2 mark in 2011, and are making their first postseason bowl appearance in 41 years. After dropping their opening outing to then ninth-ranked Oklahoma State, the team won six in a row and eight of its next nine overall before dropping its final two regular-season outings at Arkansas State University and at University of Arizona.

Aztec bowl-ing

The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl began in 2001, when Colorado State University defeated University of North Texas, 45-20, in the inaugural game. That season is the only time the New Orleans Bowl previously featured a Mountain West squad.

This year is the third time that San Diego State has ventured out of the state for a bowl game. Previous outings included the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl in Nevada and the 1952 Pineapple Bowl in Hawaii.

Get tickets

Aztec fans who wish to travel to New Orleans should contact Premiere Global Sports, SDSU's official bowl travel partner. Land tour packages are available by visiting AztecSportsTravel.com or by calling 877-373-5059.

In addition, bowl tickets priced at either $40 or $60 apiece will go on sale on Monday, Dec. 5, beginning at 9 a.m. PT, via goaztecs.com. Tickets can also be purchased in person through the Aztecs Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium Window E or by phone at 619-283-7378.

There will also be a special pregame tailgate in New Orleans available to all Aztec fans for just $40 per ticket. Please contact the Aztec Ticket Office for more information at the phone number listed above.

SDSU finished the 2011 regular season on Saturday by coming back from a 21-point first-half deficit to defeat Fresno State University 35-28 at Qualcomm Stadium. The victory gave the Aztecs an 8-4 regular-season record for the second year in a row.