Arizona’s march to bowl season already has a destination attached to it, at least in CBS Sports’ latest projection.
After Brent Brennan’s team knocked off Iowa State on Saturday night to reach win No. 6, the Wildcats are officially bowl eligible for the second straight season. That hadn’t happened in back-to-back years since 2014 and 2015, and Arizona’s current run has it sitting at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play.
CBS Sports has Arizona headed to the Las Vegas Bowl, where it would meet No. 16 Tennessee on New Year’s Eve at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
It would be a first-time football matchup between the Wildcats and Volunteers. Arizona has been to the Las Vegas Bowl once before and made the most of it, beating No.
17 BYU 31-21 in front of 40,000 fans on Dec. 20, 2008.
Tennessee enters the projection at 6-2 after a painful road loss at South Carolina. The Vols were up 24-17 in the fourth quarter, then saw the Gamecocks tie it after Tennessee was stopped on fourth-and-1 before a fumble handed South Carolina the chance to win it with a field goal.
Arizona’s postseason outlook is part of a crowded Big 12 picture in CBS Sports’ bowl predictions. The league has 12 teams projected into bowl games, including two in the College Football Playoff: BYU as the No. 8 seed against No.
9 LSU and Utah as the No. 3 seed against No. 11 Notre Dame.
The rest of the Big 12 projections are West Virginia in the Independence Bowl against Cal, Baylor in the Poinsettia Bowl against Oregon State, UCF in the Armed Forces Bowl against Army, Cincinnati in the Cactus Bowl against Michigan, Texas Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against SMU, Houston in the Alamo Bowl against Oregon, Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma, Iowa State in the First Responder Bowl against North Texas, and Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl against Mississippi State.
For Arizona, the bowl buzz is arriving alongside a strong stretch on the field. The Wildcats have won three straight Big 12 games, beating Cincinnati by 27 at home, West Virginia by 21 on the road, and then Iowa State by 36 in a homecoming win on Saturday.
Now comes the biggest test left on the schedule: a road trip to Lubbock to face No. 13 Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders slipped five spots from No. 8 to No. 13 after a 37-24 loss at Cincinnati on Saturday night. Texas Tech also owns a 28-26 win over then-No. 22 Houston and has been convincing in other spots, rolling past Arizona State 53-25 at home and Colorado 29-7 on the road.
A win for Arizona on Halloween would strengthen its push toward the Big 12 championship game and keep the Wildcats in the conversation for an outside College Football Playoff bid.
Arizona and Texas Tech will kick off at 9:00 AM MST on Saturday, Oct. 31, on ESPN.
In Other News...
Arizona Put Iowa State In A Spot No Big 12 Team Wants
Arizona set the tone immediately after the bye, and Iowa State spent the rest of the afternoon trying to climb out of the hole. The Wildcats scored on their first two possessions and carried a 25-3 lead into halftime, a fast start that put the Cyclones on their heels and made the rest of the game feel like an uphill battle from the outset.
The second half brought a change at quarterback for Iowa State, with Connor Moberly taking over for Jaylen Raynor, but the offense never found enough rhythm to threaten a comeback. Now the Cyclones have to turn the page quickly, because Oklahoma State is next on the schedule at home, and there is little margin for another slow start in Big 12 play. [Read more 🡒]
Arizonas Sudden Playoff Push Just Got A Lot More Real
ESPNs updated FPI after Week 8 gave college footballs postseason picture another shakeup, and Arizonas rise has become impossible to ignore. The Wildcats are getting more attention across the sport after breaking into the AP top 25, a sign that their season has moved from pleasant surprise to genuine national relevance as the numbers start to sort contenders from the rest of the pack.
The latest model adjustments show how quickly momentum can change once a team strings together meaningful wins, and Arizona is now part of that conversation in a real way. With the playoff race still fluid and bowl positioning shifting every week, the Wildcats have given themselves a much more interesting path than anyone would have projected a month ago, even if there is still work ahead before the picture fully comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces Its Toughest Test Yet In Hostile Lubbock
Arizona heads into Lubbock with plenty on the line after a decisive win over Iowa State, and the Wildcats have earned a seat in the conversation at 6-1. Texas Tech is in the same position record-wise, but the setting changes everything. The Red Raiders have built a strong home winning streak at Galaxy Stadium, and oddsmakers have made them a 4.5-point favorite in a matchup that feels like one of the biggest measuring sticks on Arizonas schedule.
History does not offer much comfort for the Wildcats in this spot, either. Arizona has struggled badly in Lubbock over the years, and the trip has been one of the most difficult on the calendar for this program. Texas Tech is also trying to steady itself after a recent loss to Cincinnati that could matter in the playoff picture, which adds another layer to a game where both teams arrive with momentum, pressure and a lot still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]