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LAS VEGAS -- Boasting two ranked teams for the first time since the event was founded, the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas will feature Mountain West Conference selection BYU (10-2 overall/7-1 MWC) against Pac-10 Conference representative Oregon State (8-4/6-3 Pac-10) on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 5 p.m. PT, Executive Director Tina Kunzer-Murphy announced Dec. 6.
The Cougars, who are the highest-ranked team to ever play in the game at No. 15 in the AP and 14 in the coaches' poll, will be making their fifth consecutive trip to the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and look for their third victory in the game. The No. 16/20 Beavers make their second-ever trip to the bowl after having defeated New Mexico 55-14 in 2003. OSU will be the first ranked Pac-10 team in the bowl's history and its eight wins coming in are the most any Pac-10 team has had playing in Las Vegas. One of those victories came right here over UNLV on September 12.
The MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, which is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Last year, the 17th edition of the Las Vegas Bowl attracted 40,047 fans to Sam Boyd Stadium, which marked the game's fourth consecutive sellout as Arizona defeated BYU 31-21.
Since the first Las Vegas Bowl was played in 1992, six of the current nine MWC teams have appeared in the game a combined 13 times, compiling a 7-6 record, including a 2-2 mark by BYU. Oregon State is one of six Pac-10 teams to take part in the annual event and the conference has forged a 5-4 overall record in Las Vegas. The MWC and Pac-10 have met the last seven seasons in the bowl, with the MWC winning four times.
While BYU and OSU will face each other in a bowl game for the first time, it marks the ninth meeting between the two programs in a series that dates back to 1955. The Beavers lead 5-3 all-time and won the most-recent meeting 10-7 in Provo in 1986.
"Our committee is thrilled to be offering the best matchup we've seen in nearly two decades of putting on this game," Kunzer-Murphy said. "We can't wait to host two exciting, ranked teams in front of what we hope will be another sold-out crowd on December 22nd. BYU has been a wildly popular program for our game and head coach Bronco Mendenhall's team won their way back to our city with its victory over Utah to close the season.
"On the Pac-10 side, we feel fortunate to be hosting a team with such a strong record in 2009 and that came within just a few points of winning its conference championship. Head coach Mike Riley's program drew a big crowd when it was here in September and we know those fans will have a great time here for bowl week."
A limited number of tickets ($30, $50 and $100 along with group packages) remain for the 2009 MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and can be purchased by phone at 702-732-3912 or online at www.unlvtickets.com. Additional information about the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas can be found at the official website www.maacobowllv.com.
BYU ATHLETICS DIRECTOR TOM HOLMOE:
"The MAACO Bowl Las Vegas has been very good to BYU. Tina Kunzer-Murphy and her committee do an outstanding job of making it a first-class bowl experience for everyone involved. We are excited to earn a fifth straight bowl invitation with our fourth consecutive 10-win season under Coach Mendenhall. This year's contest between two nationally ranked teams should be one of the best bowl matchups around."
BYU HEAD COACH BRONCO MENDENHALL:
"We look forward to the opportunity to play in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and face Oregon State," said Mendenhall, an Oregon State alumnus and former defensive coordinator with the Beavers. "I'm proud of what our seniors and our team have accomplished this year. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Mike Riley and his wife Dee and the job Mike has done at Oregon State."
OREGON STATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR BOB DE CAROLIS:
"The Oregon State University football team is excited about returning to Las Vegas to play in a great bowl game. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2003 and look forward to another memorable trip to play a great opponent."
OREGON STATE HEAD COACH MIKE RILEY:
"I think this is one of the more intriguing bowl games of this year. There are many connections between Oregon State and BYU, of course obviously Coach Mendenhall played for the Beavers, but there are other ties to both programs as well. This will be a great showcase for two of the best quarterbacks in the country on a national stage in Max Hall and Sean Canfield. I'm very excited about playing BYU and it will be a tremendous challenge for our team."
