LAS VEGAS – Boasting two ranked teams for the first time since the event was founded, the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas will feature Mountain West Conference selection BYU (10-2 overall/7-1 MWC) against Pac-10 Conference representative Oregon State (8-4/6-3 Pac-10) on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 5 p.m. PT, Executive Director Tina Kunzer-Murphy announced Sunday.
The Cougars, who are the highest-ranked team to ever play in the game at No. 15 in the AP and 14 in the coaches’ poll, will be making their fifth consecutive trip to the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and look for their third victory in the game. The No. 16/20 Beavers make their second-ever trip to the bowl after having defeated New Mexico 55-14 in 2003. OSU will be the first ranked Pac-10 team in the bowl’s history and its eight wins coming in are the most any Pac-10 team has had playing in Las Vegas. One of those victories came right here over UNLV on September 12.
The MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, which is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Last year, the 17th edition of the Las Vegas Bowl attracted 40,047 fans to Sam Boyd Stadium, which marked the game’s fourth consecutive sellout as Arizona defeated BYU 31-21.
Since the first Las Vegas Bowl was played in 1992, six of the current nine MWC teams have appeared in the game a combined 13 times, compiling a 7-6 record, including a 2-2 mark by BYU. Oregon State is one of six Pac-10 teams to take part in the annual event and the conference has forged a 5-4 overall record in Las Vegas. The MWC and Pac-10 have met the last seven seasons in the bowl, with the MWC winning four times.
While BYU and OSU will face each other in a bowl game for the first time, it marks the ninth meeting between the two programs in a series that dates back to 1955. The Beavers lead 5-3 all-time and won the most-recent meeting 10-7 in Provo in 1986.
“Our committee is thrilled to be offering the best matchup we’ve seen in nearly two decades of putting on this game,” Kunzer-Murphy said. “We can’t wait to host two exciting, ranked teams in front of what we hope will be another sold-out crowd on December 22nd. BYU has been a wildly popular program for our game and head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s team won their way back to our city with its victory over Utah to close the season.
“On the Pac-10 side, we feel fortunate to be hosting a team with such a strong record in 2009 and that came within just a few points of winning its conference championship. Head coach Mike Riley’s program drew a big crowd when it was here in September and we know those fans will have a great time here for bowl week.”
A limited number of tickets ($30, $50 and $100 along with group packages) remain for the 2009 MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and can be purchased by phone at (702) 732-3912 or online at www.unlvtickets.com. Additional information about the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas can be found at the official Web site www.maacobowllv.com.
18 comments
pfbeaver says:
Dec 7, 2009
I must be confused… I thought that who went to which bowl games were determined by in conference wins and losses. Are the pac-10 bowl games determined by in and out of conference wins and losses? Is the rose bowl the only bowl in our conference that is determined only by in conference wins and losses? How are these things figured out, because from my current understanding I can not see how USC can be going to the Emerald bowl….
Thanks for the help.
ckirkpatrick says:
Dec 7, 2009
Yes and no about the Rose Bowl being the only game determined with wins and losses. The multiple-team tie threw everything off.
Arizona won its way in to the Holiday. It beat OSU.
The Sun Bowl could take Stanford or OSU, but has a no-repeat clause. Thus Stanford wins out.
The Emerald and Las Vegas can switch to make each other's bowl better. The Emerald originally wanted Cal. But when USC came available, it basically traded with the Las Vegas.
Next year, it all gets crazy. All games have picks. So this is what is going to happen at every slot but the Rose Bowl from now on.
WebTraveler says:
Dec 7, 2009
So unless you are #1, you compete in a popularity contest? That means the small market Beavers will always be battling uphill in these contests. I can't see why OSU would ever go for a deal like this. Maybe the other 9 teams wanted this.
ckirkpatrick says:
Dec 7, 2009
It's a Pac-10 thing, not an OSU thing about the new arrangement.
If you are battling USC, USC will win in the picks. However, OSU's history of traveling well will trump UCLA, Cal, Stanford, ASU and Arizona since some situations.
BeaverDon says:
Dec 7, 2009
Cliff,
Every year I hear about "OSU's history of traveling well" I have yet to see this "history" make any difference on our selection for a Bowl. I agree wit Eeb Traveler, it is a popularity contest. TV has much more pull than how well a teams fans travel
ckirkpatrick says:
Dec 7, 2009
This is the first year OSU was "bumped" from a bowl. And it's the Emerald Bowl, a game it was at two years ago. Unless you have ties to the Bay Area, or would rather drive to a game, wouldn't anyone want to go to Las Vegas anyway?
Really, none of this is an issue. It's another game against a good team, a highly ranked team. It's going to be a big TV draw and crowd draw.
Anything lower than the Holiday Bowl, which it hasn't been in, is another postseson game.
WebTraveler says:
Dec 7, 2009
In theory OSU failed to convince the Holiday Bowl with the 2nd place tie. The Sun Bowl was still tied with Stanford and took Stanford. The Emerald Bowl passed and now the Las Vegas Bowl.
I realize that the Sun Bowl has a clause to prevent duplication, but they had the option to take the Beavers and passed.
I just worry that every year we're going to be battling the USCs for the prime position. Heck, when UW and UCLA turn things around – and they will in time, they will be much bigger markets to contend with.
RMD says:
Dec 7, 2009
I like the match up between BYU and the Beavs, but I also think the Beavs get the short end of the stick every year. Like the ref said after the UW?Beav game a couple of years ago when the brutally botched a call: It's just OSU. I think that is the mentality in the Pac-10 when it comes to the Beavs. No one will ever cut us a break because we're just not glamorous enough. And enough with the "UA beat us" talk…the Holiday Bowl has discounted that numerous times in the past. UA and Neb will be a snooze fest (UA vs OK would have been interesting: Stoops vs Stoops)
Go Beavs!
philsenkopf says:
Dec 7, 2009
this seems like such a disappintment -to be so close to the top of the mountian – and get the vegas bowl is tough to take. if you watched the Airzona/USC game, OSU sure looked like the league's second place team!
angrybeaver says:
Dec 7, 2009
After some thought, I like this bowl better than the Emerald.
http://angrybeavers.wordpress.com/
aaron_ says:
Dec 7, 2009
this bowl is absolutley better than the Emerald bowl. The Vegas atmosphere, the decent size crowd, and the good opponent. BYU v OSU will be one of the better bowl games this year. GO Beavs.
JuneauJim says:
Dec 7, 2009
In 1986 when the Beavs beat BYU, was Bronco Mendenhall playing
Safety for OSU? I think so. He was also an assistant coach at OSU. He might have even been coaching for New Mexico as an assistant last time we went to Vegas Bowl and crushed New Mexico.
I think this is a way more interesting matchup than playing Boston College. Yes it isn't the Holiday Bowl, but we didn't beat Arizona either.
tmiller41 says:
Dec 7, 2009
I can't wait. Just got my setup to go watch the Vegas Bowl. Any chance I get to see more Beaver football is just gravy. UofO, well, they are who they are and more power to them. Doesn't mean I have to watch them on TV. Anyone know much about the venue to Sam Boyd Stadium since this will be my first trip? It will be my first time in Vegas in 20 plus years but at least I'll have my Garmin, which should help. Look forward to seeing everyone there.
BeaverDon says:
Dec 7, 2009
Cliff,
What's with the "A limited number of tickets ($30, $50 and $100 along with group packages) remain" OSU is required to sell 12,000 of them.
ckirkpatrick says:
Dec 7, 2009
There are 12,000 tickets for OSU fans to buy. Tickets for this game have been going on for a while. It appears that the Las Vegas Bowl has done a good job of selling the game to the locals, be in individuals or groups.
WebTraveler says:
Dec 7, 2009
I recall that it is a pretty small stadium.
beeverluv says:
Dec 7, 2009
This is great! With all the whining about the Holiday Bowl miss and USC getting to play football in a baseball stadium we end up playing the de facto Pac 10 #2 bowl anyway. Because of east coast bias and the stupidity that is name recognition in bowl selection, Las Vegas ends up with a top bowl game. Good for them too. The only difference is the early date. But TCU/BSU was one of the most compelling bowl games last year, and it was also early.
Why would we want to play scrubs like NU, BC or OU? I know… it sounds weird to me also as I read it back to myself. This will probably be the only year that sentence will be valid.
march541 says:
Dec 7, 2009
There is no doubt from my perspective that the Vegas bowl is better than the Emerald Bowl. Logistics, parking and motels and getting around is terrible in Frisco and the ball park stinks as both teams sit on the same side. The Beavs
have a really quality opponent with a former beav as their head coach. They had better bring their A game and figure out how to score red zone touchdowns as
BYU with Hall figures to put a lot of points up!! That old Quizz against the stone wall and Kahut with his 3's is a recipe for a loss. These illegal procedure penalties in the red zone MUST CEASE!!