The Arizona Wildcats won’t have to travel far for their biggest bowl game in two decades.
The UA will play Boise State in the Vizio Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
The 10-3 Wildcats — winners of the Pac-12 South — will play the 11-2 Broncos — the Mountain West Conference champions.
Arizona finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, ensuring a spot in one of the “Access Bowls” also called the “New Year’s Six Bowls.”
The appearance in the Fiesta Bowl will be Arizona’s first in the game since beating Miami 29-0 on New Year’s Day in 1994.
Boise State last played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 and defeated TCU 17-10. The Broncos also played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2007 and topped Oklahoma 43-42 in overtime.
Arizona and Boise State have never played each other.
The UA’s bowl appearance is its third straight, following the New Mexico Bowl in 2012 and the Advocare V100 Bowl last season.
It’s just the second time in program history the Wildcats have gone to three straight bowls. The UA went to the Las Vegas Bowl in 2008, the Holiday Bowl in 2009 and the Alamo Bowl in 2010.
The Wildcats entered the week ranked No. 7 in the committee’s rankings and fell three spots following their 51-13 loss to Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Had the Wildcats fallen out of the top 11, the UA would have headed to one of the Pac-12 affiliated bowls, most likely the Alamo or Foster Farms Bowls.
The Wildcats, who will hold their team banquet later today, will begin on-campus preparations for the game sometime in the next 10 days. The UA will head to Glendale on Dec. 26 for pre-bowl festivities and bowl practices.
The Fiesta Bowl Parade is set for Dec. 27.
