The college football bowl schedule and College Football Playoff bracket is finalized and bowl season is officially underway.
Arizona went 4-8 this year and didnβt qualify for a bowl game in head coach Brent Brennanβs first season, but thereβs still plenty of UA and Southern Arizona connections this bowl season between ex-Wildcats and Tucson natives β and the local Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop.
Hereβs our guide for the college football postseason for Tucsonans. All kickoff times are local times.
Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez is unhappy with an intentional grounding penalty call during a JSU game against South Carolina on Nov. 4, 2023, in Columbia, South Carolina.
Cure Bowl
Matchup: Ohio vs. Jacksonville State
Where: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
When: 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20
TV: ESPN
The rundown: Jacksonville State, the Conference USA champion, was led by former Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez, who went 27-10 in three seasons. Rodriguez helped JSU to the programβs first-ever bowl win at the FBS level last season with a 34-31 overtime victory over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl. It was Rodriguezβs first bowl win since coaching Arizona to a win over the New Mexico Lobos in the 2015 New Mexico Bowl. Former Catalina Foothills star and UA quarterback Rhett Rodriguez is an offensive analyst at JSU. On Thursday, Rodriguez was named head coach at West Virginia 17 years after his first stint at WVU.
Texas defensive lineman Alfred Collins (95) and defensive lineman Bill Norton (15) celebrate a stop against Georgia running back Nate Frazier (3) in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 19, 2024.
CFP First Round
Matchup: No. 12 Clemson vs. No. 5 Texas
Where: Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (Austin, Texas)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
TV: TNT/Max
The rundown: Former Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen is in his first season as Texasβ linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator after two seasons in Tucson. The Longhorns also have former Arizona nose tackle Bill Norton, who has 11 tackles in seven games. Norton played 20 snaps in the Texasβ loss to Georgia β Nortonβs former team β in the SEC championship.
Ohio Stateβs Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates a win after a game against Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in South Bend, Ind.
CFP First Round
Matchup: No. 9 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Ohio State
Where: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
When: 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21
TV: ESPN/ABC
The rundown: Ohio State safety and Salpointe Catholic product Lathan Ransom is one of the Buckeyesβ top defenders with 56 tackles, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception this season. Other Salpointe Catholic connections this bowl season include defensive end Elijah Rushing (Oregon), defensive back Cruz Rushing (Oregon), defensive end Keona Davis (Nebraska), quarterback Treyson Bourguet (BYU), wide receiver Coben Bourguet (Arizona State) and offensive linemen Jonah Miller (UTSA), Bruno Fina (Duke) and Luis Cordova (Arizona State).
San Jose State head coach Ken Niumatalolo, right, speaks with an official during the first half against Washington State, Sept. 20, 2024, in Pullman, Wash.
Hawaii Bowl
Matchup: South Florida vs. San Jose State
Where: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24
TV: ESPN/ABC
The rundown: Arizona head coach Brent Brennan can watch his previous team play in the postseason a year after leading the Spartans to the Hawaii Bowl. San Jose State is led by head coach Ken Niumatalolo, who interviewed for the Arizona head coaching vacancy in 2018 and was a part of coaching carousel after Nick Sabanβs retirement in January. San Jose Stateβs spread-and-shred offense, coordinated by Craig Stutzmann, ranks 50th in college football. The Spartansβ top playmaker is wide receiver Nick Nash, one of three Biletnikoff Award finalists along with UA star Tetairoa McMillan.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has some thoughts after the Buffaloes picked up a penalty late in the third quarter of their game at Arizona on Oct. 19. CU improved to 5-2 with the 34-7 win.
Alamo Bowl
Matchup: No. 17 BYU vs. No. 23 Colorado
Where: Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas)
When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
TV: ABC
The rundown: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has the Buffaloes bowling for the first time since 2020, when the Buffaloes lost to Tucson native Bijan Robinson and the Texas Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl. This yearβs rendition of the Alamo Bowl will be the last time Heisman Trophy hopeful Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders suit up for CU before becoming high draft picks. If Colorado wins, itβll be the third straight victory for Pac-12-affiliated schools in the Alamo Bowl. Arizona won the Alamo Bowl last season, the first postseason victory for the Wildcats since 2015. The UA lost to BYU and Colorado by a combined 75-26 this season.
Kym Adair, Arizona Bowl executive director, left, takes a selfie with Kate Brock-Calhoun, a board member, before the introduction of the new sponsor for the Arizona Bowl during a press conference at Arizona Stadium in Tucson on May 6, 2024. Famous rapper Snoop Dogg and his alcoholic drink brand "Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop," co-founded by Dr. Dre and named after the duo's mid-1990s popular hit, is the latest sponsor of the Arizona Bowl.
Arizona Bowl
Matchup: Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado State
Where: Arizona Stadium
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
TV: The CW
The rundown: Colorado State returns to the Arizona Bowl for the first time since the inaugural Arizona Bowl, when it was sponsored by Nova Home Loans. Nearly a decade later, the bowl game is now sponsored by hip-hop icon, spokesman and endorsement mogul Snoop Dogg, who was a correspondent during NBCβs coverage of the Olympics this summer and is a coach on βThe Voice,β and his alcoholic drink βGin & Juice by Dre and Snoop.β Itβs the first time an alcohol brand is sponsoring a college football bowl game. The Arizona Bowl has generated nearly $150 million in economic impact in Southern Arizona; roughly $6 million has been donated to local charities.
Washington head coach Jedd Fisch watches from the sideline during the second half against Iowa, Oct. 12, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Sun Bowl
Matchup: Louisville vs. Washington
Where: Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
When: Noon Tuesday, Dec. 31
TV: CBS
The rundown: Former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch is back in Texas for the postseason a year after leading the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a win in the Alamo Bowl. Several ex-Wildcats have contributed in their first season in Seattle, including running back Jonah Coleman, who has 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. Colemanβs 10 rushing touchdowns is just one shy of Arizonaβs team total this season. Freshman quarterback and former UA signee Demond Williams completed 17 of 20 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown in the regular-season finale against top-ranked Oregon.
Texas State quarterback Jordan McCloud (3) during the first half against Arizona State in San Marcos, Texas, Sept. 12, 2024.Β
First Responder Bowl
Matchup: North Texas vs. Texas State
Where: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
When: 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3
TV: ESPN
The rundown: Former Arizona quarterback Jordan McCloud, after thriving last season at James Madison, is now at his fourth school in six years. McCloud is quarterbacking the fifth-best offense in college football and is 80 yards shy from eclipsing 3,000 passing yards for the second straight season. In his six-year college career between his stops at South Florida, Arizona, James Madison and now Texas State, McCloud has 9,828 yards, 87 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.
Peach Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal)
Matchup: No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas/Clemson
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
When: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1
TV: ESPN
The rundown: Even though ESPN mistakenly put Arizonaβs βBlock Aβ logo in its breakdown of the CFP this week, the Wildcats arenβt in the playoff, but itβs more bulletin board material for an ASU team that was voted to finish last in the Big 12 and is now three wins away from claiming a national championship. ASU has flown under the radar all season. That appears to be the case again for the Big 12 champion despite earning a first-round bye. Former Marana star and ASU backup quarterback Trenton Bourguet is returning to the same stadium where he led Tucson Turf Elite to a 7-on-7 national championship in 2018.
