A four-loss clash of teams tops a day with a pair of bowl games, when the 22nd-ranked Arizona Wildcats take on the 20th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. This is the thirty-second edition of the Holiday Bowl and a rematch of the 1998 edition, where the Wildcats posted a narrow 23-20 victory over the Huskers.

Both teams enjoyed more success than projected; with Arizona finishing third in the Pac Ten, and Nebraska coming very close to a win over the third-place Longhorns in the Big Twelve Championship Game. Of course, the headliner here is Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who became the first player in college football history to win Player of the Year, and nearly took the Heisman as well. Arizona sports a potent offense, which makes for a very intriguing game-in-game against Nebraska’s defense.

Mere moments separated the Nebraska Cornhuskers from sending the entire BCS equation into total chaos when they fell to the Texas Longhorns in the Big Twelve Title Game, via a field goal. Despite the 13-12 loss, many people opened their eyes to this once historic program as they physically managed the Longhorns virtually all night. At 9-4, it’s fair to say that Bo Pelini’s team is in time to return to the lofty position the program once held. Led by one of the nastiest defenses in the country, the Huskers have shown that they are not to be taken lightly. Nebraska ranks second in the nation in points allowed, at just 11.2 points per game, and ninth in total defense at 284.5 yards per game.

This unit has proven to be equally efficient against their run and pass, holding the opposition to just 95.5 rushing yards and 189.1 passing yards per game. He’s also been used to making big plays, with a very impressive 19 interceptions and 42 sacks. For a perfect example of this group’s abilities, check out the Texas game. The Longhorns came into that matchup averaging a staggering 43.0 points and 451.6 yards per game, but they held to season lows of 13 points and 202 total yards. The aforementioned Suh proved worth all the publicity he’s been getting, racking up 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks in that game. On the season, the National Player of the Year has amassed a remarkable 82 tackles, 23 of which were for loss, and twelve sacks, unheard of for a defensive tackle.

While Suh and his minions have given Pelini plenty to talk about, the offense is still a work in progress as they average just 317.2 yards per game. In fact, this unit has been down for the last five games, failing to produce more than 270 yards in all but one of those outings. This unit’s struggles come from quarterback Zac Lee, who has only completed thirteen touchdowns to ten interceptions, completing 58.8% of his attempts. As a result, Pelini has had to lean heavily on his running game, where Roy Helu Jr. has been the focal point of the offense, recording 1,139 rushing yards and ten touchdowns.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, the Arizona Wildcats are also a team that has stood out in 2009. Mike Stoops’ boys had a chance to wrest the Pac Ten title from him, but they fell short of their goal in a brilliant 44-41 double. loss in overtime to eventual conference champion Oregon. Despite that heartbreaking loss, the Wildcats managed to persevere, winning their final two games of the regular season, including a 21-17 win over USC. At 8-4, the Wildcats have an improved offense to thank for their 22nd-place finish. Sophomore quarterback Nick Foles took over as the starter early in the season and never dropped the ball, completing 66.0% of his passes for 19 touchdowns and outstanding eight interceptions.

The first-year starter received excellent protection early on; since he was only fired nine times in the entire season. Juron Criner has been the receiver of many of Foels’ passes, racking up 43 receptions for 580 yards and nine touchdowns, taking advantage of his 6-4 frame in the red zone. Foles is complemented by a solid running game, producing 168.3 yards on 5.0 yards per carry. The combination of Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin has amassed 1,127 yards and nine touchdowns, with both players a threat to break a twenty-yard run.

However, Stoops may be without Grigsby for tonight’s contest as he has been questioned with a sore shoulder. The Wildcats have continued their stellar play on the defensive side of the ball in 2009 as they rank 21st in the nation allowing just 315.8 yards per game. They have sacked the quarterback a solid 34 times, leading to 19 takeaways. Defensive linemen Earl Mitchell and Ricky Elmore have been the standouts in this unit, combining for seventeen sacks and 24 tackles for loss.