Who is playing in the 2025 Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl? Maybe an Arizona school vs. who knows
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As the countdown to Bowl Selection Sunday on Dec. 7 hits the final three regular season playing dates, the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl still looks like a good bet to get either 7-3 Arizona or 7-3 Arizona State. Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas said it could come down to whoever wins that Nov. 28 game in Tempe.
As is almost always the case in late November, the picture on the 17-team ACC side of the equation is murkier, with five teams appearing in eight different projections. SMU is the one team that appeared three times, though Olivas thinks the Mustangs could end up in a bowl that picks ahead of the Sun Bowl, notably the Holiday Bowl.
Pac-12 Legacy: Arizona or Arizona State
While every projection save one (USA TODAY is picking a rematch of last year’s Louisville-Washington game, which almost certainly won’t happen) has Arizona and Arizona State, Olivas also mentioned Cal, a team currently playing in the ACC but one that does not play every ACC team.
Washington could also fall to the Sun Bowl, though contractually the Sun Bowl doesn’t have to take the Huskies because they were here last year.
Arizona and Arizona State have the advantage of being in reasonable driving distance for their fan bases.
“They hopefully would come spend one or two nights if we get either one of those, that would be great,” Olivas said.
The Sun Bowl picks a Pac-12 Legacy team after the Holiday and Alamo bowls make their selections, and obviously after the playoff teams are brackets.
ACC: Jump ball
As for the ACC side (which doesn’t include Pac-12 Legacy schools Cal, which is a potential Sun Bowl team, and Stanford), there are four 7-3 teams behind the big three of Georgia Tech, Virginia and Miami: Pitt, SMU, Louisville and Wake Forest.
The Sun Bowl would like the Texas team SMU if it becomes available, which might happen if it splits with Louisville and Cal (the likely result) and probably would if its swept by those two. Though at that point the Sun Bowl might consider other options.
Clemson and Wake Forest are each 5-5 and good bets to get to six wins and bowl eligibility, and the Sun Bowl has often opted for name brand teams.
“Virginia Tech, Pitt, Duke, Wake Forest,” Olivas said. “Clemson and Florida State might be options. There’s a lot of teams.”
Olivas is heading to watch two games this weekend, Friday’s Florida State at North Carolina State game in Raleigh and Saturday’s Duke at North Carolina game in Chapel Hill.
The Sun Bowl is in a pool with the Duke Mayo and Pinstripes bowls, after the Pop Tarts, Holiday and Gator bowls, and after at least one ACC team (possibly two) is selected for the playoffs.
This weekend’s games could change the picture, but what is more likely is that there is gong to be plenty of uncertainty heading into the final games of the regular season in a week and a half.
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl projections
ESPN:
Kyle Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Arizona State
Mark Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Arizona
USA TODAY: Louisville vs. Washington (a rematch of last year’s game)
Athlon: SMU vs. Arizona
Sports Illustrated: Georgia Tech vs. Arizona
College Football News: SMU vs Arizona State
CBS Sports: SMU vs. Arizona
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Who is playing in the 2025 Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl? Much still TBD
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