Fiesta Bowl 2014: Preview and Prediction for Boise State vs. Arizona

It didn't take long for Bryan Harsin to return Boise State to the Fiesta Bowl. 

In his first season after taking over for Chris Petersen, who rose the Broncos to national status and won two Fiesta Bowls during his impressive reign, the 38-year-old rising star led his team to an 11-2 record, a Mountain West title and the "Group of Five" bid. 

Now comes the real question. Can he replicate Petersen's postseason magic? 

It won't be easy. The Broncos are in Glendale up against No. 10 Arizona, who were a win against Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game away from seriously entering the conversation for the inaugural College Football Playoff.

The Wildcats couldn't beat Oregon for a second time, but they are undoubtedly a dangerous squad on both sides of the ball.  

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

Time: 4 p.m. ET

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Odds: Arizona (-4), via Odds Shark

Key Matchup: Jay Ajayi vs. Scooby Wright III

Otto Kitsinger/Associated Press

While quarterback Grant Hedrick is plenty capable of moving the ball through the air, Boise State would much rather establish the ground game. The Broncos, per Team Rankings, run the ball on 56.57 percent of their plays, which is the 37th-most in the country. 

It's no wonder why, either. Running back Jay Ajayi is a stud. Leading the nation in carries (325), the versatile junior workhorse has compiled 1,689 rushing yards (5.2 YPC), 536 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns from scrimmage. 

Ajayi, who will be playing in his last collegiate game before entering the NFL draft a year early, talked about the physical way he approaches the game, via the Idaho Statesman's Brian Murphy.

"I've never wanted to be tackled," Ajayi said. "When it came to college, I just started to build a physical mindset where, 'Hey, let's dish out some punishment, too.' Being able to do that, it's really just been a huge part of my game. I definitely enjoy bringing contact on the field."

On the other side of the ball, the Wildcats allow 4.1 yards per carry, an unspectacular number that ranks them 52nd in the country. However, they have a playmaker who tends to render those kind of numbers meaningless. 

Sophomore Scooby Wright is a machine. Finishing ninth in Heisman Trophy voting (higher than any other defensive player), he led the nation in total tackles (153) while tallying 14.0 sacks, 27.0 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

He plays with a relentless, magnet-to-the-ball nature, and it's going to be entertaining to watch him ram horns with Ajayi.

Prediction

Arizona was embarrassed by Oregon during its last game, so it will be out to make a major statement in one of the biggest bowls of the year. 

Quarterback Anu Solomon was painfully inefficient down the stretch, completing just 48.6 percent of his throws in the team's final six games. However, many of those contests came against the Pac-12's premier defenses while Boise State has allowed opponents to complete a healthy 57.5 percent of their passes.

With nearly a month to prepare, Solomon will be able to do just enough while Wright will slow down the Broncos running game and force Hedrick (eight interceptions in Boise State's two losses) into a couple of costly turnovers. 

Prediction: Arizona 34, Boise State 31