2017 NOVA Loans Home Arizona Bowl

On Friday the NOVA Loans Home Arizona Bowl pits the New Mexico State Aggies from the Sun Belt Conference against the Utah State Aggies from the Mountain West Conference.  So here is my analysis of the NOVA Loans Home Arizona Bowl based on the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.  The model uses data provided at www.cfbstats.com.

Prediction
Given the overall productivity of the two programs, the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model gives a slight edge to the New Mexico State Aggies.  Below is a look at each of these two football programs during the 2017 regular season.

New Mexico State Aggies
The Aggies finished the regular season at 7-5, while played against an "easier" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that New Mexico State's SOS was between one and two standard deviations greater than the "league's" average SOS.  For this season the Aggies' best victory was over #90 ranked Idaho by a score of (17-10).  The Aggies' worst loss was to #108 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette by a score of (34-47).  New Mexico State has the #61 ranked team in total production with the #33 ranked offense and the #87 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.

Utah State Aggies
The Aggies finished the regular season at 6-6 while played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that Utah State's SOS was plus or minus one standard deviation of the "league's" average SOS.  This season the Aggies' best victory was over #83 ranked UNLV by a score of  (52-28).  Utah State's worst loss was to #93 ranked Air Force by a score of (35-38).  Utah State has the #62 ranked team in total production with the #45 ranked offense and the #71 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.

2017 Bowl Games
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Cure Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Cheribundi Tart Cherry Roca Baton Bowl
DXL Frisco Bowl
Bad Boy Mower Gasparilla Bowl
Bahamas Bowl
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Birmingham Bowl
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl 
Dollar General Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl 
Quick Lane Bowl
Cactus Bowl
Walk On's Independence Bowl
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Foster Farms Bowl
Academy Sports & Outdoor Texas Bowl 
Military Bowl 
Camping World Bowl
SDCCU Holiday Bowl 
Valero Alamo Bowl
Belk Bowl
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl