Air Force vs. South Alabama, Arizona Bowl 2015: Schedule, scores, and more

Also, head over here for the fully updated bowl season calendar as it fills in, from the New Orleans Bowl through the Rose Bowl. We’ll also add picks, scores, and more to that calendar over time.

The second-ever Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl will get underway on the Friday before New Year’s from Tucson.

The game’s tie-ins are the Mountain West and Conference USA, with the Sun Belt serving as an alternate if one of those two conferences doesn’t have enough bowl eligible teams to fill their slots. However, that already happened in the one year that the bowl has existed, as two Mountain West teams played in the inaugural game in Tucson. The last time this happened in a non-championship game was the 1979 Orange Bowl, so at least the Arizona Bowl is in good company there.

Here is everything you need to know in preparation for this year’s Arizona Bowl:

Date and time: Friday, Dec. 30, 2-4 p.m.

TV channel: TBA

Location: Tucson, Ariz.

Stadium: Arizona Stadium

Last year’s score: Nevada 28, Colorado State 23

Last year’s attendance: 20,425

Teams with the most all-time appearances: Clemson, 8

Teams with the most all-time wins: LSU, 5

Air Force (9-3, 5-3 in Mountain West)

Air Force’s season has been all about streaks. The Falcons started 2016 hot, beating Navy to reach 4-0 on the year, before losing their next three, including close Ls to New Mexico and Hawaii. Then they went on another tear, finishing up with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy (the three-way, service academy rivalry trophy) for the fourth time in seven years and head coach Troy Calhoun’s seventh season with eight or more wins.

The Falcons have one of the country’s best rush defenses, ranking in the top 20 in S&P+ and yards allowed per play on the ground. Their offense remains exactly as you’d expect for an academy (as far as the overall production goes), again ranking in the top five in total rushing attempts and yards per pass. The Falcons are efficient on the ground and, once they get defenses to commit resources to the run, explosive through the air.

One star player to watch out for is running back Timothy McVey (yeah, that’s his name), who’s among the Mountain West’s leaders in yards per carry and rushing touchdowns and also one of AF’s best pass catchers.

South Alabama (6-6, 2-6 in Sun Belt)

South Alabama may be 2-6 in conference play, but the Jaguars have successfully earned a bowl bid for the 2016 season. The clincher was a last-game victory against New Mexico State. It probably turned out to help that a cancelled game against LSU became one against FCS Presbyterian, which the Jaguars won in November.

The Jaguars opened their season with a pretty impressive victory by beating Mississippi State on its home turf, 21-20. The victory marked the first win for South Alabama over an SEC school in program history. After that win, the Jaguars struggled throughout the season. South Alabama went 2-2 in its next four games, including wins over Nicholls State and another upset over No. 19 San Diego State. The Jaguars then lost three out of their next four games, including a loss to Idaho on Nov. 26.

South Alabama’s offense is led by quarterback Dallas Davis, who leads the team with over 2,200 yards and nine touchdowns. Davis has struggled with turnovers this season, having thrown nine interceptions on the season.

It’s no secret that South Alabama has had its ups and downs in 2016, but the wins over Mississippi State and San Diego State are definitely résumé boosters. South Alabama’s Joey Jones is in his fifth season as head coach.