2017 Cactus Bowl invites UCLA, Kansas State to Phoenix

The 2017 Cactus Bowl will feature top NFL quarterback prospect Josh Rosen and the UCLA Bruins squaring off against the Kansas State Wildcats.

The game at Chase Field on Tuesday, Dec. 26, will feature differing styles of offense.

UCLA, which fired coach Jim Mora Jr. and will be coached by interim Jedd Fisch, went 6-6 this season, finishing fourth place in the Pac-12 South. Rosen threw for 3,717 yards this year and completed 63 percent of his passes for 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while the ground game only rolled up 1,444 yards over the season.

Rosen is expected to play in the team’s bowl game.

The Bruins lost three of their last five, including losses to then-No. 11 USC and No. 12 Washington.

Their Cactus Bowl opponents feature a run-heavy style and only accounted for 2,180 passing yards over the season. Six Kansas State players rushed for more than 200 yards on the year, including three quarterbacks. Running back Alex Barnes led the way with 702 yards on the ground.

Kansas State won four of its final five games this year, including a 45-40 upset of then-No. 13 Oklahoma State.

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