San Diego State vs. Army: 5 bold predictions for Armed Forces Bowl

2. In a penalty role reversal, SDSU will see fewer flags than Army

During 2017, Army was one of the most disciplined teams in the country. In their 12 games, the Black Knights saw just 51 penalty flags. That averaged out to just over four per game, converting to just over 35 lost yards per outing. But bowl games are often interesting in that they can get teams to loosen up and really play heated football.

At the same time, a motivated team can really shine and play its best football of the season. San Diego State conceded two more penalties and 21 more yards on average than their Armed Forces Bowl opponent. That won’t matter as the postseason offers a chance to make a final impression.

The Aztecs will be on their best behavior, and neither team is going to see many flags. Look for the referees to swallow their whistles in this contest, throwing yellow fewer than 10 times all afternoon. That could skew ever so slightly against Army, as they struggle to get to 10 wins for the first time in decades.

Jeff Monken will need to talk his team down at halftime, but an emotional defense will also be one fired up to make the key stops when it matters most. Most of the penalties will come from that side of the ball in terms of offsides and holding penalties. It will also be the unit that racks up a few key drive-killing turnovers.