Sports Illustrated's Ben Glicksman previews the Fiesta Bowl between the Arizona Wildcats and Boise State Broncos.

 

 

The VIZIO Fiesta Bowl has a well-earned reputation of being unforgettable, and this New Year's Eve matchup will be no exception. The No. 20 Boise State Broncos and the No. 10 Arizona Wildcats will make history in the 44th Annual VIZIO Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. MST.

"We are thrilled to have two of the top-ranked teams in the country with Boise State and Arizona playing in this year's VIZIO Fiesta Bowl," said Executive Director Mike Nealy. "With Boise State and Arizona's strong fan bases, we couldn't be more excited to welcome the new era of college football and celebrate this milestone on Dec. 31."

Boise State was led to a Mountain West championship by first-year Head Coach Bryan Harsin. The Broncos' high-powered offense, carried by senior quarterback Grant Hendrick, who has thrown for 3387 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, finished the year ranked 9th in points and 26th in passing yards. Following a week one loss to Ole Miss, Boise State went 11-1. The team now looks to add to its eight-game winning streak in the VIZIO Fiesta Bowl.

With the guidance of Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, Arizona finished the regular season as the Pac-12 South Champions. Freshman running back Nick Wilson led the Wildcat offense with 1289 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. The team had an overall record of 10-3 and a Pac-12 record of 7-2.

Kicking off at 2 p.m. MST on Dec. 31, the matchup of these two top-ranked, at-large teams was determined by the new College Football Playoff Selection Committee.

The VIZIO Fiesta Bowl is one of the nation's premier college bowl games and has hosted seven collegiate football national championships in the past 24 years. It is an integral part of college football's postseason, and provides sports enthusiasts and community members with the opportunity to take part in making sports history.

 

 

 

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