"We are thrilled for the honor to represent the MAC at the Arizona Bowl against an incredibly talented team in San Jose State," Neu said. "Our team has . . .
San Jose State (7-0) is ranked No. 19 in the latest AP poll and defeated Boise State in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game. Ball State (6-1) just handed No. 23 Buffalo its first loss to win the program's first MAC Championship since 1996, completing a remarkable turnaround in Neu's fifth season at his alma mater.
The Cardinals are now set for their 10th bowl appearance in program history and their first since the GoDaddy Bowl following the 2013 season.
Ball State enters the game riding a six-game winning streak. A seventh straight win would mean the program's first bowl victory.
The Arizona Bowl has billed the first-ever matchup between the programs as one that could be "the Group of 5 game of the year." The bowl is in its sixth season.
"We are thrilled to invite these two Conference Champions to the Arizona Bowl to battle it out one last time this season," Adair said. "The adversity that each of these teams have had to overcome to win their Conference Championship matches is unprecedented. We know that they will both be determined to finish their historic seasons with a win at the Arizona Bowl ensuring that this game will be competitive until the end."
Fans will not be permitted to attend this year's game because of regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.