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A few come to mind, including "Adia Barnes Bowl" and "Sonny Dykes Bowl."Ìý

Barnes, a San Diego native who is considered one of the best players in UA women's basketball history, is in her first season as SMU's women's basketball coach following a rollercoaster tenure at her alma mater.Ìý

Barnes led the Wildcats to a national championship appearance in 2021 and won the WNIT in 2019 — both teams led by star guard Aari McDonald. After Arizona's magical run in ’21, despite the Wildcats signing multiple highly touted recruits, the Barnes-led UA women's basketball team struggled to make it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before missing the postseason in her final season as head coach. She left Arizona for SMU earlier in 2025 after nine seasons at the UA.Ìý

Dykes was Arizona's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2007-09, before he became a head coach at Louisiana Tech, Cal, SMU and TCU.Ìý

The most fitting nickname for the upcoming Holiday Bowl is the Bobby Watters Bowl. Watters is the only player to play for both Arizona and SMU. He played quarterback for the Mustangs and Wildcats.Ìý

Watters grew up in Garland, Texas, and was a star quarterback for Lakeview Central High School, graduating in 1984. Even though he grew up in the Dallas area, "at the time, I was a huge Alabama fan because that's where my family was from. I enjoyed watching SMU, but I had no affiliation there."

Watters considered playing football at several schools, including Notre Dame, but his mother "was in the final stages of breast cancer and the decision to play at SMU was to stay close to home and spend time with her."

Watters joined SMU in the wake of the program's "Pony Express" offense that was led by running backs Eric Dickerson and Craig James. The Mustangs lost to BYU in the Holiday Bowl, 46-45, in 1980, prior to Watters' arrival.Ìý

Watters played three seasons at SMU from 1984-86 and passed for 2,114 yards, 14 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He became SMU's starter in 1986 and was one of the top passers in the Southwest Conference.Ìý

Watters was forced to transfer in 1987 after the NCAA shuttered the SMU football program with a "death penalty" for the ’87 and ’88 seasons, after the Mustangs committed multiple NCAA violations, including pay-for-play. SMU struggled as a program for more than two decades and didn't have a winning season until 2009.

When Watters examined his options, he committed to Arizona to replace multi-year starter Alfred Jenkins, who graduated and was drafted by the Washington Redskins.Ìý

Two weeks before he committed to Arizona, Watters' mother lost her battle to breast cancer.Ìý

"It was a bittersweet time," Watters said. "I'm glad I made the decision to stay there and spend some quality time with her before she unfortunately passed away."Ìý

Watters joined the UA football program when Dick Tomey, the winningest head coach in Arizona history, took over for Larry Smith. He played in three games, but suffered a thumb injury and received a medical redshirt to return for the ’88 season. Watters' replacement, Ronald Veal, split time with the former SMU quarterback in ’88. The Wildcats went 11-8-3 and didn't qualify for the postseason in the two seasons he played in Tucson.Ìý

After his football-playing career concluded, Watters — "besides take a lot of Advil for the aches and pains," he joked — started his career in the health care industry and "manages care services to help injured workers and help them get back gainful employment."

"I miss football more than I miss anything else," Watters added.Ìý

Leading up to the "Bobby Watters Bowl," the former Arizona and SMU quarterback joined ESPN Tucson's "Spears & Ali" to talk about his college football journey, his time at the UA and which team he'll be rooting for when the Wildcats and Mustangs square off in San Diego.

How do you look back on your college football career, and how you went from SMU to Arizona?

A: "It was an unusual journey. Being a part of the death penalty and transferring before what would've been my senior year. Fortunately, going to Tucson was a terrific experience and it was a great experience playing in the Pac-10. I had tremendous teammates and coaching staff. All in all, I had the best of both worlds, albeit through an unfortunate situation at SMU."

How was it playing for SMU when the program received the death penalty?

A: "It was interesting, to say the least. We were a good program with a ton of athletes, but there was just a black cloud that was hanging over us in the two years building up to the decision to shut down the program. It was very difficult. It was difficult at that stage in my college career.

"I was looking at leaving Dallas and being somewhere I've never been and have a whole new experience. Fortunately, the people in Tucson were phenomenal, the coaches and teammates. It was a smooth transition. All in all, I'm glad I did it. It was just a very challenging situation at that time."

Was it widely known that SMU players were getting paid by the program?Ìý

A: "It was an unspoken secret. You knew it was out there. It was just something that unfortunately was kind of hush-hush. In all candor, there were so many programs that were doing similar things and made offers to many of us when we were being recruited by other colleges. SMU just got caught and tried to keep doing it and it caught up to them."Ìý

Why was Arizona the right fit for you to finish your football career?

A: "In all candor, Alfred Jenkins graduated, and there was a hole at the starting quarterback position. Going into what was my senior year — even though I got injured and a medical redshirt and played a fifth year at Arizona — I looked at Notre Dame, West Virginia, Texas A&M, but all of those programs had returning quarterbacks, and they were all seniors.

"That time of my college career, it made more sense to go to a school that needed an experienced quarterback that could step in and start. It made the most sense. Fortunately, it turned out to be a great decision for me. I have fond and great memories football there and traveling throughout the Pac-10 back in the day with UCLA and USC."Ìý

How was it playing for Tomey?

A: "Dick Tomey was a great leader. He wasn't just a great coach, he cared about you as an individual and he took the time to get to know what made each player tick and he played to those strengths.

"He knew how to bring a team together and play as a whole. Take out the individuals and everybody just play for a common goal. Unfortunately, it was the first year that he was there, so it was an evolution and it turned out to be really great for the program.

"We were a great school, but the first couple years that I played for him, it was a transition for the program. He was a great man and I'm really glad I got to play for him."Ìý

When you attend the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium, are you going to have a jersey that is both an Arizona and SMU jersey? Would you wear both UA and SMU garb? Are you going to be cheering at all times?

A: "I considered doing that. My best friend and I are going out to the game this week. When it was announced, it was bittersweet. I was super excited for both programs, playing in a fun bowl game like the Holiday Bowl. I'm just disappointed we're playing each other.

"I'm torn. I guess from a positive perspective, I'll be pulling for the winner either way. I guess in a perfect world, they could tie. It'll be tough. It's one of those games that'll be fine, but I guess I can't say I'm rooting for one or the other. I hope both teams have a great game.

"I hope whoever wins does it in a fashion that makes both programs look good and respectable. ... I guess where most of the Arizona and SMU fans are sitting and sit right in the middle."Ìý