BYU vs Arizona Pioneer Bowl

2008 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl

BYU vs. Arizona

You know, it must be pretty hard to sell tickets for a football game in LAS VEGAS…

I mean, I could think of 500 other things I could do instead of going to a college bowl game, but that is just me.

Anyway, this year’s Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl is kinda interesting. It puts together a Pac-10 team against a Mountain West team, which is actually a pretty interesting matchup.

From the Mountain West, we have BYU, who once was talked about a possible undefeated season, which has fallen slightly from grace, and Arizona, from the BCS Conference of the Pac-10. What are their credentials, and who shall win? Let’s look at some resumes.

The MWC has 5 teams that qualified for a bowl, and BYU is the third best out of the conference. In fact, they had a very good year, making noise as a possible undefeated team, and even a chance of forcing the BCS’s hand to put them in a National Championship if they had gone undefeated.

Their 6-2 record is blemished by only TCU and Utah, who are very good teams. Their first win over Northern Iowa was nothing to really put stock into, but then wins over not one, but TWO Pac-10 teams raised interest. When BYU beat Washington and UCLA, there was serious talk that this team was a force to be reckoned with…

Who knew how those same two Pac-10 teams would fall in the gutter?

A shutout on conference foe Wyoming, a win over Utah State from the WAC and another win over New Mexico gave this team a 6-0 start, and the sports media starting singing praises. It was quite possible that BYU was going to certainly be in a BCS bowl, and maybe, just maybe, challenge for a National Title.

Then the dream ended at TCU.

A 32-7 pounding proved that although BYU was good, they were not great enough to remain undefeated, and from there fell from grace. There would be no chance for a national championship for them, and now there was a race to see which non-BCS team would be the one to get that valuable BCS bowl bid. With TCU losing to Oklahoma, and BYU losing to TCU, it seemed that they had to fight to get that BCS spot.

BYU added three more wins, all over lesser foes like UNLV, San Diego State and Colorado State, before facing Air Force and beating them, leaving that last game of so much importance…against Utah. But it was not to be.

Four teams that was on BYU’s schedule will be in a bowl, and the Cougar’s record against them was 2-2. About par for the course, although I give BYU more credit than that.

From the Pac-10, we have Arizona, who was the least of the conference’s teams to qualify for a bowl. At 7-5, the Wildcats went 5-4 in conference play. Two quick wins over Idaho and Toledo were quickly forgotten when Arizona lost to New Mexico.

Three games in, and they were already in trouble.

And as if taking a cue from BYU, they also played UCLA and Washington, defeating them both. Even at 4-1, it wasn’t that impressive. It got worse when they faced and lost to Stanford and fell to 4-2.

Arizona needed a “signature win” to get back on pace, and they found it with a great win over then ranked California. The win put them at 5-2, just one win shy of qualifying for a bowl. But that would have to wait another week, as they lost to USC, only by one possession. There was still signs that this team could still get it together, and they showed it the next game, beating Washington State.

But the season didn’t end so well via the state of Oregon, as Arizona lost to both Oregon and Oregon State back to back. The Wildcats were able to salvage the season in a final win over Arizona State and limped into the post season.

Four teams on that schedule will be in post season, and Arizona’s record against them is 1-3, beating only California, although a good win.

So, who is better?

Well, for BOTH teams, beating UCLA or Washington means nothing since both of those squads stink this year (sadly spoken as a Bruin fan). But I have to wonder if BYU is more battle tested against strong foes than Arizona. Take away California, who else has Arizona beaten of quality? We know BYU lost to Utah and TCU, and has not defeated a ranked foe this year.

This is almost an even fight, but I can’t help but think the game favors BYU, who is quite familiar with the Pac-10. I think BYU wins this by two touchdowns…but we shall see.