CFB Bowl Preview 2025: Trust & Will Holiday Bowl

By Simon Carroll

Bowl season is in full swing and we will be previewing some of the bigger matchups over the next couple of weeks. This year’s Trust & Will Holiday Bowl will be contested between the Arizona Wildcats and SMU Mustangs. Simon Carroll takes a look at the key matchups.

Where and When

The Arizona Wildcats take on the SMU Mustangs in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl at SnapDragon Stadium, San Diego, California on Friday 2nd January at 8pm ET/1am UK time (Saturday morning). The game is being broadcast by FOX in America, and unavailable for UK fans.

Story So Far...

The last non-playoff bowl game of the 2025 season, the Holiday Bowl has a long history dating back to 1978. Traditionally sporting teams from the ACC and the Pac-12, the bowl game has had to get a little more creative with it’s invites since conference realignment has distorted geographical footprints of conferences. Partnering with a range of sponsors throughout it’s tenure, the game linked with ‘Trust & Will’ for this season, a ‘a digital estate planning and probate company’ based in the bowl’s home city of San Diego.

The Holiday Bowl has always done a good job of signing off the college football season in style, and they usually featured BYU. Who could forget the ‘Miracle Bowl’ of 1980, when the Cougars overcame a 20-point lead with less than three minutes on the clock to beat SMU? Or in 1984, when despite winning the National Championship, the same team were compelled to play in the mid-tier Holiday bowl due to a contractual obligation?

Let’s hope we have similar drama to start 2026. SMU will be hoping to avoid a similar fate to that 1980 contest, the only previous time they’ve played in this game. Since entering the ACC the Mustangs have gone from strength to strength, making the playoffs in 2024 and backing it up with another eight wins this year. Head Coach Rhett Lashlee committed himself to the Ponies earlier this month amidst interest from other parties, and considering the amount of money knocking about in Dallas, you’d figure SMU are well set as college football heads into a more fiscally-focused era.

They’re up against Arizona, who certainly outplayed predictions in 2025. The Wildcats finished the season ranked #17 in the nation, largely thanks to the play of star quarterback Noah Fifita. Fifita has shined in Brent Brennan’s offense, a head coach who was on the hotseat when the season began but made a mockery of the pressure by winning nine games. Arizona have won five games in a row, lost two of their three games by one score, and in a parallel universe could have been fighting for a national title right now.

As far as matchups go, bowl games don’t come as intriguing as this one.

The Quarterbacks

ARIZONA: NOAH FIFITA

The aformentioned Fifita has taken his game to a new level this year, literally dragging the Wildcats kicking and screaming to victory on occasion. A quarterback who does a great job stepping up into the pocket, Fifita is ultra-careful with the football, recording a 25-5 TD:INT ratio along with 2,6777 yards on the season.

With the news that he intends to return to Tucson for one more year, Fifita will be able to add to his already gaudy career numbers that currently stand at 8,632 yards and 69 touchdowns. Considering the NIL opportunities available elsewhere, that’s a level of loyalty that is hard to find in today’s game. Fifita will be determined to finish a strong year with one final victory back in his home state.

SMU: KEVIN JENNINGS

At the start of 2024, Kevin Jennings was a backup quarterback preparing to support Preston Stone as the Mustangs embarked on life in the ACC. That lasted about half a game, before Stone was benched and Jennings took SMU to the playoffs in his first season as a starter.

2025 didn’t quite hit the heights for the Ponies, but Jennings delivered an almost identical season to the one prior, once again throwing for 3,100+ yards and matching his touchdown total of 25. When afforded protection, Jennings can carve defenses up, and he steps up in the biggest of games; see the 365 yard performance in a losing effort against Miami for the best example. With Jennings looking like he’s returning for next year, SMU will be well set for another push at conference honours and more.

Who to Watch

ARIZONA

Treydan Stukes, Cornerback – There were rumours that Treydan Stukes may opt out of the Holiday Bowl, but those suggestions seem to have gone quiet. and the Wildcats’ star corner will wear the famous navy and cardinal for one final time before embarking on an NFL career. Thriving as the nickel in Danny Gonzales’ scheme, Stukes has cemented himself as one of the best defensive backs in Arizona history, adding to his tenacious tackling with impact interceptions – his four takeawys and six pass breakups leading the team. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will need to account for him every time he looks to the middle of the field.

SMU

Isaiah Smith, Edge – With three of Jennings’ top four targets opting out of the explosive passing game, let’s focus on a name on defense that has flown a little under the radar this year. A three-star edge rusher that turned down up to twenty offers from other power programs, Isaiah Smith left DC in 2022 and has made Dallas his home. Friday will be his 53rd and final game for the Mustangs, and he’s improved statistically each season, becoming one of the best pass rushers in the ACC in 2025. 17 TFL’s and 8.5 sacks show he knows his way into the backfield – he’ll be on NFL scouts’ radars in this game and beyond.

Prediction

Another tough one to figure out, these two teams have fared remarkably similar in 2025. Both boast productive pocket passers who have been the cataslyst for their succes, and both will be back in 2025, making these two programs one to watch out for next season.

For me, Arizona has the edge in the secondary, a key component when combatting these prolific passing games. Add to that SMU’s missing weapons on offense, and I think the Wildcats will just about edge it and give Brent Brennan the first ten-win season of his career.

ARIZONA 28-24 SMU

Mock Draft

SIMON CARROLL

LEAD WRITER, HEAD OF CONTENT

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, COVERS COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOR DAZN AND THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION.

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