(16) BYU v. Arizona
8:00 PM ET, December 20, 2008
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Pioneer, the makers of the best TV’s on the market, sponsors this early bowl season delight. Usually, the Las Vegas Bowl sucks, but this one is without question the best game of day one of the bowl season. Now if only we were all watching the game on a brand new Kuro.
Well, it’s a bowl game in Las Vegas in December. Should have great weather, right? Guess again….
Also, there’s this fantastic announcement… seems we’ll have some ridiculous pre-game national anthem singing going on in Las Vegas tomorrow evening.
Will this be a Bowl in the 2009-2010 season?
Absolutely. The Las Vegas Bowl has been kicking off each December, usually as the very first bowl game, since 1992. The game began as MAC v. Big West (now the Mountain West), but traded the MAC out for the Pac-10, giving the game a significant prestige upgrade. Still, it’s only the Las Vegas Bowl. Who knows, maybe the local economy will collapse and no one will want to gamble anymore. Sound likely to you? I’m betting the Las Vegas Bowl survives for years into the future.
StubHub has tickets available for…
As little as $89. If that seems like a lot, I agree completely. Stay home and watch it on the sponsor’s nice new flat panels.
Why this matchup should never be played under any circumstances
There’s really no reason. This game has become a pretty good one on an annual basis. And for the record, BYU is making quite a habit out of landing in Las Vegas… not sure what that says about BYU, but maybe the folks from Provo just love to gamble even more than the rest of us.
Why this could be a GREAT game
Past history suggests we’ll get a good matchup in this one. Last year, BYU beat UCLA 17-16. In 2006, we had another seemingly great matchup, with BYU facing off against the Oregon Ducks. That one ended in a lopsided romp for the Cougars, smashing the Quack Attack 38-8. And in 2005, Cal beat BYU 35-28. The recent history suggests this one will be a good one.
A relatively well-informed prediction
I’ve had the displeasure of watching BYU defeat Washington this September, and I’ve watched Arizona multiple times throughout the season. Arizona’s got a ton to play for in this one – the Wildcats are in their first bowl game since the 1998 Holiday Bowl. BYU’s got a ton of talent. Max Hall is a solid college quarterback with a bright NFL future if he returns to school for his senior season. The Cougars were the most highly regarded mid-major team heading into the 2008 season, and there was a reason for that.
Ultimately, I see Arizona coming out HUNGRY in this one. The Wildcats love getting their chance to taste bowl victory… but come up just an inch or two short. BYU’s got too much talent in this one. Willie Tuitama will play well for ‘Zona, but Max Hall and the BYU offense will break the Wildcat defense. BYU 38, Arizona 30.
Photo of Las Vegas Snow via the Telegraph (UK).
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