Game Information
Teams: Arizona Wildcats (10-3,7-2 in P12) vs Boise State Broncos (11-2, 7-1 in MWC)
Date/Time: Wednesday December 31, 2014 @ 2:00 p.m. (MST)
Location: Glendale, AZ-Phoenix Stadium (63,400)
Television: ESPN (Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman)
Betting Line: Arizona -3.5
Last Time Out: Arizona lost to Oregon 51-13 in the Pac-12 Championship
Boise St. defeated Fresno St. 28-14 to win the MWC Championship
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Offensive Comparison
The Boise State offense is led by RB Jay Ajayi and QB Grant Hedrick, who provide a solid QB-RB duo for the Broncos. The junior Ajayi has carried the ball 325 times for 1,689 yards and rushed for 25 touchdowns. Ajayi is also the teams’ third leading receiver, reeling in 45 balls for 536 yards and 4 touchdowns. His QB leads the nation in completion percentage, at 70.9%, to go along with his 3,387 yards passing, 22 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Hedrick has also added 752 yards on the ground (a net of 563 after sacks) and 8 touchdowns on the ground. The leading receivers for the Broncos are Shane Williams-Rhodes, who has caught 68 passes for 585 yards and 7 touchdowns, and Thomas Sperbeck, who has caught 39 passes for 678 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Boise State averages 39.8 points per game while gaining 496.1 yards per game, 278.2 passing and 217.8 rushing, in 2014. The 496.1 yards per game is good for 13th in the country, while the passing yards rank 26th and the rushing yards rank 28th. The Broncos has 22 turnovers on the season, 14 interceptions and 8 lost fumbles, which is tied for 74th in the country. The offensive line has had some trouble protecting the QB this year, as they give up two sacks a game, 27 on the season, and are tied for 64th in the country in sacks allowed.
The Arizona Wildcats are also led by a QB-RB duo of QB Anu Solomon and RB Nick Wilson, both freshmen. Solomon, a redshirt freshman, has thrown for 3,458 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, with a completion percentage of 58%. He has also added 482 yards on the ground (a net of 259 after sacks) and 1 touchdown. True freshman RB Nick Wilson has had a stellar first season in Tucson rushing the ball 217 times for 1,289 yards (5.9 ypc) and 15 touchdowns. Wilson also added 12 receptions for 90 yards and 1 touchdown receiving. Arizona has a trio of capable receivers, led by Cayleb Jones who reeled in 65 receptions for 902 yards 9 touchdowns during the regular season.
Arizona averages 34.8 points per game and gain 461.5 yards per game, 277.7 passing and 183.8 rushing, in 2014. The 461. 5 ypg is good for 25th in the country, while the passing yards rank 28th in the country and the rushing yards rank 43rd. The Wildcats take care of the ball and have only 16 turnovers, 8 interceptions and 8 lost fumbles, which tied them for 24th in the country. The offensive line has struggled to protect Solomon this season giving up 32 sacks on the year, 2.46 a game, which ranks them 94th in the country in sacks allowed.
Sep 6, 2014; Boise, ID, USA; Colorado State Rams wide receiver Kyle Plum (26) is taken down by Boise State Broncos safety Darian Thompson (4) during the first quarter verses the Boise State Broncos at Albertsons Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Comparison
The Boise State defense is led by a trio of players who earned all-conference accolades in 2014. DB Darian Thompson is tied for third in the country, and first in the Mountain West, with 7 interceptions on the season, to go along with his 61 tackles, which are second on the Broncos team. LB Tanner Vallejo leads the Broncos with 86 tackles this season and his 15 tackles for loss are good for sixth in the MWC. He has also added 3 fumble recoveries and returned one of them, and one interception, for a touchdown. DL Kamalei Correa leads the MWC with 10 sacks this season and his 17 tackles for loss are good for second in the conference. He is third on the Broncos with 49 tackles and added 2 forced fumbles and a blocked punt during the season.
Boise State is giving up 26.5 points per game while giving up 366.5 yards per game, 225 passing and 141.5 rushing, in 2014. The 366.5 yards per game is good for 39th in the country, while the passing yards rank 60th and the rushing yards rank 37th. The Broncos have forced 29 turnovers this year, 20 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries, which ties them for 10th in the country. The defense gets in the backfield a lot this year, getting 39 sacks and 97 tackles for loss. The 39 sacks are tied for 12th in the country and the 97 TFL is 13th.
The Arizona defense is led by the best linebacker in the nation and once of the better secondary players. LB Scooby Wright leads the Wildcats with 153 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks, and recovered 1 fumble recovery in 2014. His tackles for loss leads the nation, while the total tackles rank 5th in the nation and his sacks rank third. He has also forced 6 forced fumbles, which ties Scooby for second in the country. Wright won the Nagurski, Lombardi, and Butkus awards, as well as, being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year during the award season prior to this game. Safety Jared Tevis has recorded 119 tackles, 4 sacks, and recovered 1 fumble during the regular season. His 119 tackles are good for 38th in the country. Tevis is the leader of the secondary and is all over the field.
Arizona is giving up 27.5 points per game while giving up 448.7 yards per game, 278.3 passing and 170.4 rushing in 2014. The 448.7 yards per game ranks 103rd in the nation, while the passing yards rank 117th and the rush yards rank 72nd. The Wildcats have forced 24 turnovers, 12 interceptions and 12 recovered fumbles, which ties them for 29th in the country. The Arizona defense gets in the backfield this season, getting 37 sacks and 93 tackles for loss. The 37 sacks and 93 TFL both rank 21st in the country.
Nov 28, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Mickey Baucus (68) hoists the territorial cup in celebration after beating the Arizona State Sun Devils 42-35 at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Game Prediction
We have the 9th and 25th ranked scoring offenses in the country going at it in this one and a lot of points are to be expected. Boise State has been here before and Arizona has not. The big difference is going to be the competition both teams are used to facing. The Wildcats faced five ranked opponents this season, Oregon twice, while the Broncos faced just one, Ole Miss, and got easily beaten. Anu Solomon has proven that he doesn’t panic and turn the ball over in big situations and either Scooby Wright or Jared Tevis force a turnover that gives the Wildcats one more possession than the Broncos.
Final Score
Arizona: 49
Boise State: 42