The Las Vegas Bowl from A to Z

By Ron Kantowski (contact)

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Chris Morris

David Hasselhoff.

Two things you can count on at this time of the year in Las Vegas are somebody ringing the bell for the Salvation Army outside of Albertsons and BYU coming to town for a football game. The Cougars will make their fourth consecutive appearance in the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl at 5 tonight at a sold-out Sam Boyd Stadium. They’ll represent the Mountain West Conference against upstart Arizona of the Pac-10, which probably won’t be wearing its rainbow shades, as the song says, because it’ll be cold and dark at kickoff time. Actually, there is a third thing you can count on in Las Vegas during this time of the year: The Sun’s annual A-to-Z look at the Las Vegas Bowl, which tonight celebrates its 17th anniversary.

• A •

is for Antolin, as in Keola, the former Bishop Gorman standout who has rushed for 525 yards as a true freshman for Arizona.

• B •

is for Ball State, David Letterman’s favorite team, which lost 42-33 to Utah State in Las Vegas Bowl II and 18-15 to UNR in Las Vegas Bowl V.

• C •

is for Calvillo, as in Anthony, the MVP of Las Vegas Bowl II for Utah State still throwing touchdown passes north of the border for the Montreal Alouettes.

• D •

is for doubleheader, which is what Arizona fans will get today. The Wildcats basketball team will play UNLV at noon at the Thomas & Mack Center.

• E •

is for ESPN Regional, which owns the Las Vegas Bowl.

• F •

is for familiarity. Tonight’s game will be the 22nd meeting between Arizona and BYU, with the Wildcats holding an 11-9-1 series edge.

• G •

is for Gronkowski, as in Rob, Arizona’s tight end, and brother Chris, the Wildcats’ H-back. That’s a lot of Gronkowski.

• H •

is for The Hoff. Actor David Hasselhoff will sing the national anthem before tonight’s game.

• I •

is for Las Vegas Bowl I. Bowling Green edged UNR in a 35-34 thriller voted one of the best bowl games of the season by the Los Angeles Times and ESPN.

• J •

is for Jason, as in Thomas, the former UNLV quarterback who had his finest moment in Las Vegas Bowl IX, passing the Rebels to an easy win against heavily favored Arkansas.

• K •

is for Katie, as in Hnida, the New Mexico kicker who became the first woman to appear in a bowl game when her extra-point attempt against UCLA was blocked in Las Vegas Bowl XI.

• L •

is for LaVell, as in Edwards, the legendary BYU coach who once said Cougars fans travel with the Ten Commandments and a $20 bill — and don’t break either.

• M •

is for Manumaleuna, as in Eathyn, the BYU player who blocked a 28-yard field-goal attempt on the last play of the game to give the Cougars a 17-16 victory against UCLA in last year’s Las Vegas Bowl.

• N •

is for Nevada-Reno. The Wolf Pack is 1-2 in three Las Vegas Bowl appearances.

• O •

is for overtime. Toledo and UNR played the first overtime game in NCAA Division I-A football history in Las Vegas Bowl IV.

• P •

is for points. Lots of ’em. Arizona averages 37 and BYU 35.

• Q •

is for quack, the sound all those Oregon fans made before getting plucked by BYU in Las Vegas Bowl XV.

• R •

is for rubber match. Arizona and BYU will meet for the third season straight, with each having won at home.

• S •

is for sellout. This will be the fourth consecutive Las Vegas Bowl sellout, with BYU being mostly responsible for all of them.

• T •

is for Tuitama, as in Willie, the talented Arizona quarterback who has thrown only eight interceptions.

• U •

is for Utah and upset, which the Utes did to Carson Palmer and USC in Las Vegas Bowl X.

• V •

is for victorious, which is how UNLV emerged from Las Vegas Bowls III and IX.

• W •

is for Wasean, as in Tait, the Toledo Rocket named MVP of Las Vegas Bowl IV.

• X •

is (sort of) for Max, as in Hall, the BYU quarterback.

• Y •

is for “The Y,” the big letter on BYU’s helmets. Y? Because we love sellouts.

Z •

is for Zendejas, as in Max, Arizona’s all-time leading scorer. He graduated in 1985, but you try coming up with a ‘Z.’