VS.

For a team not given much of a chance, Nebraska was just one second away from pulling off a major upset and clinching a BCS bowl berth and Arizona can certainly relate. Led by stingy defenses, the 20th-ranked Cornhuskers and the 22nd-ranked Wildcats meet in San Diego’s Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in a matchup featuring teams that just missed out on playing in BCS bowls.

8:00 PM ET, December 30, 2009
Qualcomm Stadium , SAN DIEGO, CA
ESPN

No.20 Arizona Wildcats entered a home game against then-No. 11 Oregon on Nov. 21 with first place in the Pac-10 on the line, as well as the inside track to the Rose Bowl. Arizona was on the verge of pulling off the upset, leading 31-24 in the final minute, but the Ducks scored on an eight-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left and went on to win 44-41 in two overtimes. The Wildcats bounced back with wins over rival Arizona State and then-No. 20 USC to finish tied for second in the Pac-10. Arizona, picked in the preseason to finish eighth in the conference, has won its most games since the 1998 team went 12-1, including a 23-20 victory over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl. Arizona’s offensive line is now faced with the biggest challenge of trying to contain Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska, and prevent him from causing too much havoc. The Wildcats’ line has done a good job of protecting sophomore QB Nick Foles, allowing 11 sacks, tied for 10th-fewest in the FBS. Foles took over as the starter in the Pac-10 opener and would finish as the conference’s fourth-rated passer. He is joined in the backfield by RB Nic Grigsby and RB Keola Antolin, who have combined for 1,100 yards and nine scores. Arizona’s strong defensive play is a big reason for its success. The Wildcats are 21st in the FBS in total defense (315.8 ypg), and have yielded two touchdowns or fewer in four of their last five games. Arizona now focuses on frustrating a Nebraska team that often has struggled to move the ball. Other players involve in the attack are QB Matt Scott, WR Terrell Turner and WR Juron Criner. This game will be without a doubt the best challenge for Arizona on offense.

No.22 Nebraska Cornhuskers finished with an overall record of 9-4 and earned a spot in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 5 against then-No. 3 Texas after winning the North Division for the first time since 2006. The heavily favored Longhorns were expected to roll to victory and earn a spot in the BCS title game, but the Huskers nearly spoiled those plans. With Nebraska leading 12-10 in the final moments, Texas QB Colt McCoy scrambled and threw the ball out of bounds as time expired. The Huskers stormed the field in celebration, but the officials reviewed the play and added one more second. Hunter Lawrence made a 46-yard field goal on the game’s final play for a 13-12 Texas win, snapping Nebraska’s five-game winning streak. The Huskers arrive in San Diego boasting one of the best defenses in the nation. Nebraska is second in the Football Bowl Subdivision in points allowed at 11.2 per game and ninth in total defense, giving up an average of 284.5 yards. The Huskers held Texas to 202 total yards even though it had been averaging 451.6 yards and 43.0 points. One of the biggest reasons for Nebraska’s success has been the play of DT Ndamukong Suh. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive tackle finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, took home four other prestigious awards and was a unanimous first-team All-American. Suh, leading the Huskers with 82 tackles, 12 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, put on his best performance in the Big 12 title game. Facing a barrage of double-team blocks, Suh matched a career high with 12 tackles — nine for zero or negative yards — and had 4 1/2 sacks. So basically the only strategy the huskers have will be to defend their field at all cost. Players involved in offense will be QB Zac Lee, QB Cody Green, RB Roy Helu Jr., RB Rex Burkhead, WR Niles Paul and WR Curenski Gilleylen but I know the Cornhuskers game will revolve around Suh and the rest of the defensive line, it will be their only chance to take the bowl home.

GAME ODDS

ARIZONA -1½
NEBRASKA 40

THE CHALLENGE IS SET, A BIG OFFENSE AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES I HAVE SEEN IN YEARS. EXPERTS USUALLY SAY THE SAME THING, A GREAT DEFENSE SHOULD BEAT ANY OFFENSE, REGARDLESS OF HOW GOOD THEY ARE OR HOW MANY TDS THEY CAN SCORE, THE SOLUTION TO ARIZONA’S PROBLEM WILL BE TO DEFEND AND DEFEND UNTIL THEY CAN APPROACH AND SCORE THEMSELVES. MY PICK WILL BE ARIZONA WILDCATS -1½.

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