Arizona won’t play in the Rose Bowl it coveted at the start the season, but the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, is a nice consolation prize — especially for the Texas natives.
“”It’s special. To go back to a place that I’ve played four times in that dome, growing up,”” said quarterback Nick Foles, who hails from Austin. “”I have a lot of family that hasn’t been able to see me play that will hopefully be able to come to the game, and it will be exciting for all of us from Texas.””
Foles, who owns a 2-1 record in the Alamodome as a starting quarterback for Westlake High School (0-1 as a special teams sophomore), is one of 15 Arizona players who grew up in the Lone Star State.
And when the Wildcats were chosen to take on Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 late Sunday night, those 15 Wildcats couldn’t have been happier.
“”I can’t tell you how excited I am,”” said receiver and Dallas native David Douglas. “”Nick (Foles) and I were both in the car when we found out last night. We both got all our family on (the phone). All my family is either in Texas or Louisiana, so everyone’s real fired up, and it’s a great bowl game, so you couldn’t really ask for anymore.””
Cornerback Trevin Wade lives about an “”hour and fifteen minutes”” from the Alamodome and played in the 65,000-seat dome during his Pop Warner days.
Wade said he has “”20 to 30″” family members going to the game and, like Foles, Douglas and the other Texas natives, had his sights set on the Alamo Bowl for weeks.
“”I was hoping we got this game,”” Wade said. “”Besides my parents, my family members get to see me play probably one time a year, so it’s just real cool that some of the others that couldn’t afford to come get to come out and see me play in person, so it will be real exciting.””
Cornerback Robert Golden said some of the non-Texas players are even being asked to give up their tickets so that the local guys can bring more friends and family members.
There’s always been a rivalry between the California recruits and the Texas recruits. The California guys got to play host in San Diego at the Holiday Bowl in 2009, but the Texas guys get a chance to show “”what Texas is all about,”” Foles said.
“”Us Texas guys get to show them around like they showed us around in Cali, so it will be fun,”” Foles said.
But it’s not just the Texas players who are familiar with the Alamodome. A handful of Wildcats played in the Army All-American Bowl to cap off their high school careers.
Golden played alongside national stars like Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Williams in the All-American game, while safety Adam Hall, wideout Dan Buckner and safety Marquis Flowers also have experience in the Alamodome.
“”I got a chance to watch this game my senior year of high school when we went to the Army game,”” Hall said. “”Missouri played, and I got a chance to see a lot of good things, and I’ve heard great things about the bowl, and we’re really excited.””
Heading to familiar territory goes beyond visiting old stomping grounds, reuniting with family members, the Riverwalk and the Tex-Mex food. So what else is there? Donuts.
“”Round Rock Donuts,”” said a smiling Wade, who was dubbed host of the trip by Foles. “”I brought some of them before, so they’re addicted. Everybody knows about them on the team so far.””
