Report: Boise State evaluating roster status ahead of Arizona Bowl

The Arizona Bowl is in jeopardy, according to SportsIllustrated’s Ross Dellenger.

The Boise State football team is currently determining whether they have enough players to continue. Rapid surges of COVID-19 cases have thrown the bowl season for a loop already and could leave Central Michigan without an opponent.

The Arizona Bowl between Central Michigan and Boise State is set for 2 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve. However, if Boise State can’t play, we could see Central Michigan make the four-hour drive from Tucson, Arizona, to El Paso, Texas. Washington State is in El Paso and opponent-less.

Reports first surfaced Sunday night that Miami had to drop out due to a slew of positive COVID-19 test results and related quarantines. Brett McMurphy added that it’s “unknown” if a replacement will be found for the Cougars, who arrived in El Paso on Sunday.

In a subsequent interview, Sun Bowl executive director Bernie Olivas said he thinks they will not be able to find a replacement in time for the Dec. 31 matchup.

Central Michigan went 8-4 this season, one win behind Northern Illinois in the MAC. Boise State finished with a 7-5 record in the Mountain West.

Cougars push for replacement in Sun Bowl

Head coach Jake Dickert and the Washington State Cougars are looking for an opponent in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Their opponents, the Miami Hurricanes, dropped out due to COVID-19 complications. Now, an unlikely candidate is vying for an opportunity.

Stephen F. Austin, an FCS school playing in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), went 8-4 this season. They lost a close, 35-28 game to Incarnate Ward in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. The Lumberjacks played one Power Five school this season — Texas Tech — and played them close, losing 28-22.

“I’m always looking for an excuse to visit the Lucchese boot factory in El Paso, Texas!” Stephen F. Austin head coach Colby Carthel said on Twitter of the famous bootmaker in Texas. “Stephen F Austin versus Washington State in the Sun Bowl! Let’s make this happen…”

Although Memphis, SMU and East Carolina lost bowl game opportunities due to COVID-19 issues with their opponents, they declared their season complete and are not candidates to step in.

On3’s Simon Gibbs contributed to this report.