The 2025 college football season delivered one of the most balanced years in recent memory for the state of Arizona. Both Arizona State and the University of Arizona finished with winning records and will enter bowl season with storylines that highlight growth as well as possible new expectations for the future. The final chapter of the 2025 CFB season now comes down to how the Sun Devils and Wildcats perform under postseason lights.

Arizona State vs Duke (Sun Bowl)

Arizona State closed its regular season at 8-4, a solid season, yet slightly underwhelming in comparison to their CFB Playoff appearance in 2024. The Sun Devils battled early inconsistencies but matured as the year progressed, picking up meaningful conference wins and developing a clearer offensive identity. Although Arizona State dropped the Territorial Cup to Arizona in a game that stung late in the season, the team responded with enough confidence to earn a spot in one of college football’s longest-running postseason events. ASU is officially headed to the 2025 “Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl” where they will take on Duke in a matchup that rewards them with a national broadcast stage and an opportunity to finish the season at nine wins.

The Sun Bowl is significant for Arizona State because it represents a chance to validate the strides the program has made throughout the season. Young talent has emerged, veteran leaders have taken noticeable steps, and the Sun Devils are beginning to resemble the type of team Dillingham envisioned when he first arrived. ASU will likely showcase its up-tempo offensive approach and an improving defensive front that created issues for opponents throughout conference play. The game also gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate players who will take on larger roles next fall, especially with several upperclassmen preparing for the NFL Draft. For ASU, they will be without the incredible young duo of QB Sam Leavitt (transfer portal) and WR Jordyn Tyson, who will forgo his final game with the Sun Devils as he prepares for the NFL Draft. For a rebuilding program, the postseason spotlight matters, and Arizona State enters El Paso with something real to prove.

UofA vs SMU (Holiday Bowl)

Across the state, Arizona completed a 9-3 regular season that positions the Wildcats as one of the more intriguing emerging programs in the country. The Wildcats took control of the Territorial Cup behind a dominant defensive performance that created five takeaways and set the tone for their fifth straight victory to close the season. Arizona will travel to San Diego for the 2026 Holiday Bowl where they will face SMU in a matchup that pairs two balanced offenses and two coaching staffs known for creativity.

For Arizona, the Holiday Bowl means more than just another postseason appearance. It gives the program a chance to secure a ten-win season, a milestone that remains rare in school history. It also offers Brennan a national stage to showcase the culture he has built, a culture that emphasizes player development, defensive consistency, and the ability to finish games in critical moments. The Wildcats ended the regular season with momentum that few programs could match, and they enter the Holiday Bowl confident in their ability to compete with a high-powered SMU team. With recruiting improving and roster stability trending upward, Arizona views this postseason opportunity as both a reward and a launching point for what might come next.

Together, Arizona State and Arizona have given the state a postseason to be proud of. For the Sun Devils, it is a chance to reinforce their upward trajectory in a new conference. For the Wildcats, it is an opportunity to cement themselves as a rising national brand with a double-digit win total on the line. As bowl season approaches, Arizona football finds itself in the spotlight, and fans across the valley and beyond will be watching closely to see how both programs close out their 2025 campaigns.