(Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images)
Christmas Eve night is usually a good time to get the kids into bed early so they can wait for Santa’s arrival in the morning. For college football fans, they will get an early present in the form of the Hawaii Bowl as the 10-3 San Diego State Aztecs take on the 7-5 Cincinnati Bobcats at Aloha Stadium. This will no doubt be a game that fans will want to watch just to enjoy the views from sunny and warm Hawaii on a chilly December night.
San Diego State has won nine straight games since starting the season 1-3. Maxwell Smith has thrown for 1,529 yards, 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions this year. Mikah Holder has found some open space in the secondary with 23 catches for 425 yards and five touchdowns. The key to the Aztecs offense is running back Donnel Pumphrey, who has 1,554 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the year. He gets a soft Cincinnati rush defense and could have a massive night.
Cincinnati has been a very up and down team all season but did win their season finale against East Carolina. Gunner Kiel has passed for 2,777 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the season but won’t be making the trip due to a personal issue. Cincinnati does have a great receiver in Shaq Washington however. Washington has 88 catches for 971 yards and six touchdowns. On the ground, Hosey Williams leads the charge with 727 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The Bearcats average 559.4 yards a game on offense while the Aztecs give up just 287.9 yards on defense. The difference in this game comes down to that matchup.
What time is the Hawaii Bowl?
The Hawaii Bowl will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern.
What date and channel will the Hawaii Bowl be on?
The Hawaii Bowl will be played on Thursday, December 24 and can be seen on ESPN.
