2017 Armed Forces Bowl

The game featured the Army Black Knights against the San Diego State Aztecs.

This was the third time that Army and San Diego State played each other; the Aztecs won both previous meetings, defeating the Black Knights by a score of 23–20 in West Point on September 10, 2011, and then again on September 8, 2012, this time by a score of 42–7 in San Diego.^[4]

For 2017, Army had reached a contractual agreement to play in the 2017 Armed Forces Bowl should they be bowl-eligible that season and not selected for a New Year's Six bowl game. Immediately following their 31–28 overtime win over Temple to become bowl-eligible, the Black Knights officially accepted their invitation.^[3]

This was the Black Knights' second Armed Forces Bowl, following their victory over the SMU Mustangs in the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl by a score of 16–14.

This was the Aztecs' first Armed Forces Bowl.