Arizona @ Purdue preview
Levi's Stadium
FOSTER FARMS BOWL STORYLINES
1. Purdue and Arizona didn't figure to be in contention for a bowl game at the start of the season, but they'll go head-to-head in the Foster Farms Bowl on Dec. 27 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Arizona was picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South, but ended up third after winning five of six conference games from Oct. 7 to Nov. 11. Purdue lost its final seven games last year for its fifth consecutive losing season, and then lost starting quarterback David Blough to a knee injury Nov. 4 against Illinois, but the Boilermakers rallied to win their final two games and qualified for a bowl game for the first time since 2012.
2. Arizona has one of the most exciting players in the nation in sophomore quarterback Khalil Tate, who finished the regular season with 1,353 rushing yards at a nation-leading 10.17 yards per carry. Tate didn't take over full time until the fifth game against Colorado, when starter Brandon Dawkins was injured on a late hit on the opening drive of the game, and the California native proceeded to rush for 327 rushing yards in the 45-42 victory - an FBS rushing record by a quarterback. Tate would total 1,207 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns over a six-game span before Oregon and Arizona State found ways to contain him during the final two games, resulting in losses by the Wildcats.
3. Injuries in the Purdue offensive backfield have opened the door for junior Markell Jones to emerge as the primary ball carrier, and he was exceptional in the final regular-season game, rushing for a career-high 217 yards on 31 carries in the 31-24 victory against Indiana. Jones surpassed D.J. Knox as the leading rusher on the season, and Knox is expected to be limited against Arizona after undergoing thumb surgery shortly after the Indiana game. Tario Fuller and Richie Worship have also played big roles in the running game at various times during the season, but Fuller (ankle) and Worship (knee) are both out for the season, further solidifying Jones as the clear-cut No. 1 ball carrier.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Arizona -3.5
ABOUT ARIZONA (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12): Colin Schooler wasn't a big-time recruit out of Mission Viejo High School in Southern California last year, and didn't receive a Pac-12 scholarship offer until the Wildcats came forward on Dec. 14, 2016. Schooler has rewarded the Wildcats with a fantastic season that resulted in him earning Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Schooler finished 13th in the conference tackles and second among freshmen at 7.3 a game, and his 13.5 tackles for loss also tied for fourth in the Pac-12.
ABOUT PURDUE (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten): The Boilermakers will count on senior linebackers Ja'Whaun Bentley and Danny Ezechukwu to help contain Tate, and they should be especially motivated in their first bowl-game experience. Bentley, who was fifth in the Big Ten and tops on Purdue at 8.1 tackles a game, sat out the final regular-season game against Indiana with a bad ankle, but is expected to be 100 percent against Arizona. Ezechukwu was second on the team with five sacks and tied for the Big Ten lead with three fumble recoveries.
PREDICTION: Arizona 42, Purdue 35