Sun Devils to face Wisconsin in Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 30
Dec 5, 2021, 1:28 PM | Updated: Dec 6, 2021, 7:49 am
Head coach Herm Edwards of the Arizona State Sun Devils watches from the sidelines during the third quarter of the Territorial Cup game against the Arizona Wildcats at Sun Devil Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Arizona State football’s final game of the 2021 season will be in the Las Vegas Bowl against Wisconsin from the Big Ten.
The game is set to kick off at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 30 from the Sin City.
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We have a matchup! Get ready to see @BadgerFootball and @ASUFootball battle it out in @AllegiantStadm at 7:30 PM PT on ESPN. Get your tickets now!
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— SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (@LasVegasBowl) December 5, 2021
The Sun Devils enter the matchup at 8-4, their best regular season record since 2014.
However, given its strong corps of returning starters and a 5-1 start, ASU failing to be in the mix for a spot in the Rose Bowl was a shortcoming this year.
Utah won the Pac-12 title Friday evening.
Despite falling short of Rose Bowl aspirations, the Sun Devils have a chance to win its second bowl game since 2014 after finishing the year with three wins in four weeks.
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As cornerback Chase Lucas said following his team’s victory over Arizona in the Territorial Cup, “We’ve got another game to worry about now.”
The Las Vegas Bowl will be the final game in an ASU uniform for Lucas and many graduate students who returned after 2020’s COVID-19-shortened campaign. That list includes cornerback Jack Jones, defensive linemen D.J. Davidson and Tyler Johnson, linebacker Kyle Soelle plus offensive tackle Kellen Diesch.
Redshirt senior running back Rachaad White will not play.
The Sun Devils played the Wildcats without key defensive starter safety Evan Fields, along with linebackers Darien Butler and Merlin Robertson due to injuries in the regular-season finale. Their availability will be something to monitor.
The Badgers also enter the matchup at 8-4. After a 1-3 start with each loss against ranked opponents, Wisconsin took off with seven straight wins before falling to Minnesota last week.
Wisconsin allowed just 16.42 points per game through 12 contests including 10 or fewer five times.
The Badgers run the ball effectively as well, gaining 215.4 yards per week on nearly five yards per carry.
This will be ASU’s second trip to the Las Vegas Bowl in four years.
The Sun Devils fell to Fresno State 31-20 in 2018.
