Arizona’s latest bowl projection comes with a marquee opponent from the SEC, but the Wildcats have bigger business in front of them before anyone can start booking travel.
CBS has Arizona headed to the Las Vegas Bowl, where it would meet South Carolina in a first-ever matchup between the programs. The game is slated for New Year’s Eve at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Arizona is 7-2 and 4-2 in Big 12 play after surviving TCU on Friday night. The Wildcats escaped a potentially damaging home loss thanks to a perfectly executed pooch kick that set up a game-winning field goal in the final minute.
That result keeps Brent Brennan’s team in the mix for the Big 12 championship game, though the path gets much tougher this weekend. Arizona hosts Utah on Saturday in Tucson, and the Utes arrive as the No. 2 team in the country after beating BYU in the Holy War, 28-20.
Utah is 9-0 and has already beaten two ranked opponents, topping Houston 21-13 and BYU 28-20, with both wins coming at home. Saturday’s trip to Tucson will be Utah’s first road game against a ranked opponent this season.
The Utes have paired that unbeaten record with a defense that has been one of the best in the country, holding every opponent under 25 points. Arizona, meanwhile, brings an offense capable of big plays and has shown it can move the ball against strong defensive teams, but this matchup presents a different level of challenge.
If the Wildcats do land in Las Vegas, they’d be looking to add to a strong history there. Arizona is 1-0 all-time in the Las Vegas Bowl, having beaten No. 17 BYU, 31-21, in December 2008.
South Carolina would bring plenty of momentum of its own. The Gamecocks are 6-3 and have won four straight in SEC play, including victories at then No.
16 Florida and at home against then No. 11 Tennessee.
They’re coming off a 17-9 win over Texas A&M and travel to Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.
Arizona is one of 11 Big 12 teams with a bowl projection in CBS’s latest set, and the league’s postseason picture also includes two teams in the CFP: BYU as the No. 11 seed against No. 6 Alabama, and Utah as the No. 2 seed against No. 7 UCLA.
The rest of the projected Big 12 bowl teams are UCF in the Independence Bowl against Washington, Arizona State in the Poinsettia Bowl against Fresno State, West Virginia in the Armed Forces Bowl against Army, Cincinnati in the Cactus Bowl against Michigan, Houston in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against SMU, Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl against USC, Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl against Missouri, and Baylor in the Liberty Bowl against Auburn.
For Arizona, though, everything still runs through Saturday night. The Wildcats and Utes kick off at 5:30 PM MST on Nov. 14, with FOX carrying the game.
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