Arizona Bowl: Wyoming (8-4, Mountain West) vs. Toledo (11-2, Mid-American), Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
Line: Wyoming by 3½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Toledo leads 2-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Wyoming looks to send coach Craig Bohl out as a winner after 42 years of coaching — the last 10 in Laramie — against a Toledo team playing in its third straight bowl game. Bohl has the Cowboys on the cusp of their best season since finishing 10-2 in 1992 and will be replaced by defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel next season. Wyoming is playing in a third straight bowl game for the first time in program history. The Cowboys lost last year’s Arizona Bowl 30-27 to Ohio after winning the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Toledo won 11 of its final 12 games this season and beat Liberty 21-19 in last year’s Boca Raton Bowl.
KEY MATCHUP
Toledo’s run defense vs. Wyoming defense. Toledo RB Peny Boone, the MAC offensive player of the year, entered the transfer portal and won’t play after finishing 11th in the FBS with 107.7 rushing yards per game. Jacquez Stuart could get the bulk of the carries after rushing for 575 yards and five TDs during the regular season. Wyoming was solid against the run this season, holding six teams to under 100 yards, including three of the last four.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toledo: QB Tucker Gleason. The sophomore will take over the offense after Dequan Finn entered the transfer portal and announced his intention to play at Baylor. A Georgia Tech transfer, Gleason threw for 529 yards and rushed for 132 while accounting for three touchdowns in two games this season after Finn was injured.
Wyoming: RB Harrison Waylee. The junior ran for 856 yards and five touchdowns, finishing 23rd in the FBS with 95.1 yards per game. Waylee had 195 yards rushing against New Mexico on Sept. 30, a week after running for 156 against Appalachian State.
FACTS & FIGURES
Wyoming will be without offensive coordinator Tim Polasek, who was hired as North Dakota State’s head coach. … The Rockets won 11 consecutive games after losing their opener at Illinois. The streak ended with a loss to Miami (Ohio) in the MAC championship.. … The Cowboys beat Texas Tech and Fresno State this season when both teams were ranked in the AP Top 25. … Toledo is 12-8 all-time in bowl games, including last year’s 21-19 victory over Liberty at the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. Wyoming is 9-9 all-time in bowl games. … The Cowboys were tied for eighth nationally with a turnover of 0.83 per game.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
