2009 Holiday Bowl - Arizona vs. Nebraska

The 2009 Holiday Bowl Preview - Arizona vs. Nebraska

2009 Holiday Bowl

Arizona (8-4) vs. Nebraska (9-4)

San Diego, CA, Dec. 30, 8 pm, ESPN

Scroll Down For Bowl Histories & Best Moments

- Free Expert Football Predictions For This Game
- Get Tickets For The Holiday Bowl

Team Pages and 2009 Season
Arizona | Nebraska  

- 2008 CFN Holiday Bowl Preview
- 2007 CFN Holiday Bowl Preview
- 2006 CFN Holiday Bowl Preview

National Rankings
A		N
40th	Total Offense	102nd
21st	Total Defense	9th
41st	Scoring Offense	80th
46th	Scoring Defense	2nd
47th	Rushing Offense	68th
22nd	Run Defense	11th
39th	Passing Offense	101st
42nd	Passing Defense	25th
59th	Turnover Margin	45th

Position Ratings relative to each other
A	5 highest 1 lowest	N
4	Quarterbacks	2
3	RBs	3.5
3.5	Receivers	2
4	O Line	3.5
4.5	D Line	5
4	Linebackers	4
4.5	Secondary	4
4.5	Spec Teams	4
3.5	Coaching	4

Holiday Bowl History

2008	Oregon 42, Oklahoma St 31
2007	Texas 52, Arizona State 34
2006	California 45, Texas A&M 10
2005	Oklahoma 17, Oregon 14
2004	Texas Tech 45, California 31
2003	Washington State 28, Texas 20
2002	Kansas St 34, Arizona State 27
2001	Texas 47, Washington 43
2000	Oregon 35, Texas 30
1999	Kansas State 24, Washington 20
1998	Arizona 23, Nebraska 20
1997	Colorado St. 35, Missouri 24
1996	Colorado 33, Washington 21
1995	Kansas St. 54, Colorado St. 21
1994	Michigan 24, Colorado St. 14
1993	Ohio State 28, BYU 21
1992	Hawaii 27, Illinois 17
1991	BYU 13, Iowa 13
1990	Texas A&M 65, BYU 14
1989	Penn State 50, BYU 39
1988	Oklahoma St 62, Wyoming 14
1987	Iowa 20, Wyoming 19
1986	Iowa 39, San Diego State 38
1985	Arkansas 18, Arizona State 17
1984	BYU 24, Michigan 17
1983	BYU 21, Missouri 17
1982	Ohio State 47, BYU 17
1981	BYU 38, Washington State 36
1980	BYU 46, SMU 45
1979	Indiana 38, BYU 37
1978	Navy 23, BYU 16
2008	Maryland 42, Georgia Tech 35

It’s been an interesting decade (plus a wee bit more) since these two faced off in the 1998 Holiday Bowl.

Arizona’s 23-20 win over the Huskers to cap off a 12-1 season was supposed to be a springboard for a program that had never been to a Rose Bowl and appeared ready to become a major player in the Pac 10. Instead, the Cats went nine years in a row without a winning season before going 8-5 last year with a Las Vegas Bowl win over BYU.

The 1998 Huskers were a year removed from a second straight national championship, and they followed up the loss by being Nebraska again with 33 wins over the next three years before falling into the Bill Callahan abyss. It’s not like the Huskers were bad, but they weren’t special like they were for the so many years. And then came Bo Pelini, and now this game might be the moment when Nebraska makes its case that it’s on the way to being among the elite again.

The key for Nebraska will be to find production on both sides of the ball at the same time. The offense was strong under Callahan, but the defense was a disaster. The defense has turned into a national title-caliber rock under Pelini, but the offense has sputtered. This year, had the Huskers had any semblance of an offense, it would’ve beaten Texas, Virginia Tech, and Iowa State and would’ve been off to the Fiesta Bowl. But the defense has been able to carry the team to the edge of a strong ten-win season.

Considering the offense ranked 102nd in the nation in yards and scored 142 points against the three Sun Belt teams on the slate and 177 in the other ten games, the defense has been nothing short of phenomenal. Led by Heisman finalist, Ndamukong Suh, and with an aggressive back seven that doesn’t allow much of anything through the air, the Blackshirts need to step up yet again after coming within a few feet and a millisecond from ruining the Texas national title dreams.

But Arizona has a defense of its own.

The Wildcats finished 21st in the nation in total defense while the team found the resolve and toughness to come up with close win after close win to get to the program’s best bowl game since 1998. After a decent 6-2 start, playtime appeared to be over with at Cal, Oregon, at Arizona State and at USC to close out the year. The Cats pushed the Bears in a tough loss, lost a double-overtime thriller to the Ducks, got by the Sun Devils thanks to a muffed punt return, and stunned USC to earn the No. 2 spot in the Pac 10 pecking order. Seven Wildcat games were decided by eight points or fewer, and now it’s time to see if the Pac 10’s most balanced team can close out strong.

The Holiday used to be the best bowl game of the non-BCS season with six straight thrillers from 1998 to 2003, and then the game became average with only one of the last five decided by fewer than 11 points. With the Big 12 getting far better bowl slots then the Pac 10, this is the West Coast league’s must-win bowl game. A win for Arizona would make it three Pac 10 wins in four years, while a Nebraska win would get the Big Red hype machine started for 2010.

Players to Watch: In case you had other plans on the night of the Big 12 Championship, or if you were busy watching the ACC Championship, or if you haven’t paid much attention to the Big 12 or Nebraska football over the last few seasons, Ndamukong Suh is the rare defensive tackle who can make a game exciting. Unlike other star players on the inside who are anchors or do things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, Suh makes things happen like a linebacker from the middle of the line. Extremely athletic, he can drop into pass coverage or get into the backfield with equal ease, and now that the spotlight is on after the brilliant performance against Texas, and a fourth place finish in the Heisman race, the Arizona offensive line must come up with a few ideas to keep No. 93 from destroying the Wildcat backfield.

Hoping to not be under pressure all game long is Nick Foles, one of the Pac 10’s best and most unappreciated quarterbacks this year. The 6-5, 235-pound transfer from Michigan State had to work his way into the starting lineup, but once there he was able to show off his live arm starting in the fourth game of the season. After getting a little bit of duty early on, he shocked Oregon State with 254 yards and three touchdowns and the gig was his finishing the year with 19 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Five of those picks came in two games, Washington and UCLA, and they weren’t necessarily his fault. Against the heavy Husker pass rush, Foles’ decision-making ability will have to be flawless.

On the other side, Nebraska’s Zac Lee is absolutely, positively the starter … sort of. The junior was red-hot in the second half in the key win over Missouri, throwing three touchdown passes, and he threw just three scoring passes in the remaining seven games he played in. He’s not bad on short to midrange passes, but he hasn’t been allowed to be much of a quarterback considering the make-up of the team. His job is to keep the chains moving, not to turn the ball over, and let the defense take care of everything else, but he threw three picks against Iowa State and three against Nebraska. That’s why ...

Nebraska will win if ... it doesn’t turn the ball over. Not surprisingly, the two games that Lee threw three picks in turned out to be the team’s two losses over the final seven games. The Huskers destroyed the Iowa State offense but lost because the offense gave the ball away eight times including five fumbles. The three interceptions against Texas were a killer, the two interceptions against Virginia Tech didn’t help, and the two turnovers against Texas Tech made it a blowout. The formula is simple. Keep the game close, let the defense win the field position battle, take advantage of the opportunities when they’re there, and rely on Alex Henery to kick lots and lots of field goals. Getting Roy Helu and the running game involved early is a must, too.

Arizona will win if ... it wins the field position battle. The Nebraska special teams are strong thanks to Henery and return man Niles Paul , but the Cats might have an advantage here highlighted by kickoff returner Travis Cobb and a nice punt return game. It’s not like the Husker offense is going to crank out many, if any, drives of 70-plus yards on a defense that allows just 112 rushing yards per game and will get to Lee on a regular basis. The same formula for Nebraska should work for Arizona, but with far more offensive pop and just as aggressive a defense, this is a more complete team. The Cats don’t give it away too often, and as long as they keep the field tilted to Nebraska’s side and don’t lose the turnover margin be too much, if at all, they should be able to pull out the tight game.

What will happen: If you’re expecting a shootout, look elsewhere. With two strong defenses with excellent pass rushes, this will be a chess match of field position and with a few chances needing to be taken on both sides. Nebraska will open things up a bit, it’ll have to, but that will lead to a few key turnovers, Foles will outplay Lee, and Arizona will have its biggest win in the Mike Stoops era.

CFN Prediction: Arizona 19 … Nebraska 16 ... Line: Arizona -2

- Free Expert Football Predictions For This Game
- Get Tickets For The Holiday Bowl

Best Wildcat Bowl Moment: Although the Wildcats have yet to appear in the Rose Bowl, they were pretty formidable between 1986 and 1998, winning five games in eight tries. The pinnacle was the 1994 Fiesta Bowl spanking of No. 10 Miami. Arizona created four turnovers and got 142 yards on the ground from Chuck Levy, pitching the only shutout in Fiesta Bowl history.

Best Husker Bowl Moment: Nebraska’s massive bowl resume includes an unheard of 30 New Year’s Day appearances. You can go in so many directions with this question, such as pasting No. 2 Alabama in the 1972 Orange Bowl, pounding Notre Dame 40-6 in the 1973 Orange Bowl in Bob Devaney’s final game, breaking a seven-game bowl slide, or winning the national title with a win over Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl. However, no game stands out more than the 62-24 demolition of Florida in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. In a match up of No. 1 vs. No. 2, the Huskers rushed for a bowl-record 524 yards, putting forth one of the most dominant big game performances the sport has ever witnessed.

Arizona Bowl History (6-7-1)

2008	Las Vegas	Arizona 31, BYU 21
1998	Holiday	Arizona 23, Nebraska 20
1997	Insight.com	Arizona 20, New Mexico 14
1994	Freedom	Utah 16, Arizona 13
1993	Fiesta	Arizona 29, Miami 0
1992	John Hancock	Baylor 20, Arizona 15
1990	Aloha	Syracuse 28, Arizona 0
1989	Copper	Arizona 17, NC State 10
1986	Aloha	Arizona 30, North Carolina 21
1985	Sun	Arizona 13, Georgia 13
1979	Fiesta	Pittsburgh 16, Arizona 10
1968	Sun	Auburn 34, Arizona 10
1948	Salad	Drake 14, Arizona 13
1921	San Diego East-West Christmas Classic	Centre 38, Arizona 0

Nebraska Bowl History (23-22)

2008	Gator	Nebraska 26, Clemson 21
2006	Cotton	Auburn 17, Nebraska 14
2005	Alamo	Nebraska 32, Michigan 28
2003	Alamo	Nebraska 17, Michigan St 3
2002	Indep.	Mississippi 27, Nebraska 23
2001	Rose	Miami 37, Nebraska 14
2000	Alamo	Nebraska 62, Northwestern 17
1999	Fiesta	Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
1998	Holiday	Arizona 23, Nebraska 20
1997	Orange	Nebraska 42, Tennessee 17
1996	Orange	Nebraska 41, Virginia Tech 21
1995	Fiesta	Nebraska 62, Florida 24
1994	Orange	Nebraska 24, Miami 17
1993	Orange	Florida State 18, Nebraska 16
1992	Orange	Florida State 27, Nebraska 14
1991	Orange	Miami 22, Nebraska 0
1990	Citrus	Georgia Tech 45, Nebraska 21
1989	Fiesta	Florida State 45, Nebraska 21
1988	Orange	Miami 23, Nebraska 3
1987	Fiesta	Florida State 31, Nebraska 28
1986	Sugar	Nebraska 30, LSU 15
1985	Fiesta	Michigan 27, Nebraska 23
1984	Sugar	Nebraska 28, Louisiana State 10
1983	Orange	Miami 31, Nebraska 30
1982	Orange	Nebraska 21, LSU 20
1981	Orange	Clemson 22, Nebraska 15
1980	Sun	Nebraska 31, Miss State 17
1979	Cotton	Houston 17, Nebraska 14
1978	Orange	Oklahoma 31, Nebraska 24
1977	Liberty	Nebraska 21, North Carolina 17
1976	Blue bonnet	Nebraska 27, Texas Tech 2
1975	Fiesta	Arizona St 17, Nebraska 14
1974	Sugar	Nebraska 13, Florida 10
1973	Cotton	Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1972	Orange	Nebraska 40, Notre Dame 6
1971	Orange	Nebraska 38, Alabama 6
1970	Orange	Nebraska 17, LSU 12
1969	Sun	Nebraska 45, Georgia 6
1966	Sugar	Alabama 34, Nebraska 7
1965	Orange	Alabama 39, Nebraska 28
1964	Cotton	Arkansas 10, Nebraska 7
1963	Orange	Nebraska 13, Auburn 7
1962	Gotham	Nebraska 36, Miami 34
1954	Orange	Duke 34, Nebraska 7
1940	Rose	Stanford 21, Nebraska 13