Baylor and Boise State will meet in this year’s edition of the Cactus Bowl, the game that has been around since 1989. For seven years, this game has been played at Chase Field in Phoenix, which is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Football being played in professional baseball stadiums doesn’t always look like the best fan view, but getting to play a bowl in a historic stadium has to be cool for the players.
Boise State vs. Baylor, Cactus Bowl 2016: Time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
College football being played at baseball stadiums lives on.
Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images
Baylor fired Art Briles before the 2016 season amid a university sexual assault scandal. Former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe took over as interim, and things were going quite well until a Week 8 game against Texas, one the Bears lost 35-34. That was the start of a six-game losing streak for Baylor, before which they were undefeated, to bring their 2016 to a 6-6 record.
Boise State was also undefeated until that same week but was upset 30-28 by Wyoming. The Broncos’ latest loss came at the end of the season to Air Force.
How to watch, stream, and listen
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. The announcers are Rece Davis, Joey Galloway, David Pollack, and Molly McGrath.
Radio: Baylor and Boise State
Online streaming: You can catch this game on WatchESPN.
Spread: Boise is currently a 10-point favorite.
Make friends: SB Nation’s One Bronco Nation covers Boise State, while Our Daily Bears covers Baylor.
Three big things to know
1. Boise State’s offense has been exceptional all season. The unit finished fifth in the nation overall, according to S&P+. Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien threw for 3,341 yards and 23 touchdowns on the season.
2. Baylor’s defense hasn’t been all that great. So the unit has a big task ahead of it. Per S&P+, it finished in the 80s both overall and in points per game. The secondary allowed 224 passing yards per game, as well.
3. This will be Jim Grobe’s final game at Baylor. The program brought him as head coach under interesting circumstances, specifying it was a one-year deal. Before taking over the program, Grobe was the head coach at Wake Forest from 2001 to 2013, so he’ll be looking for a new gig after the game.
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