Miami, the Mid-American Conference runner-up, is making its 17th all-time bowl appearance and its sixth consecutive postseason trip in a full season. The RedHawks compete in a bowl game for the sixth straight year, dating back to the 2020 LendingTree Bowl, and enter with a 9-7 record all-time in bowl games. Miami has reached bowl eligibility in nine of the past 10 seasons.
The RedHawks (7-6) rallied from an 0-3 start to the season to finish 6-2 in MAC play and advance to their third straight MAC Championship Game. Miami becomes just the second team in Arizona Bowl history to make back-to-back appearances, coming off a dominant victory over Colorado State in the 2024 edition of the game.
Fresno State (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West) returns to the postseason for a fifth consecutive year under first-year head coach Matt Entz. The Bulldogs arrive in Tucson built around a stout defense, allowing just 293.5 yards per game — the program’s lowest figure in a season since at least 1992.
The Arizona Bowl is owned and operated by TD4Tucson, a Tucson-based nonprofit organization, and provides a postseason experience focused on student-athletes, fans and the local community. The game has gained national recognition for its unique presentation and charitable mission since its inception.
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