LAS VEGAS — A Pac-10 Conference team will play in the Las Vegas Bowl through the 2005 season, bowl officials announced Monday.
The Las Vegas Bowl pits the Pac-10's fifth-place finisher against the Mountain West Conference's second-place team. The two conferences have met in the bowl game since 2001.
"The quality of football played in the Pac-10 and the excitement generated on the campuses along with the proximity and easy accessibility to Las Vegas makes this a natural fit," said bowl executive director Tina Kunzer-Murphy.
The 12th Las Vegas Bowl will be televised live on ESPN on Christmas Eve. Participating teams receive $800,000 each.
The Las Vegas Bowl lost sponsor SEGA Sports last year, and bowl officials are still looking for a replacement.
Last year, UCLA defeated New Mexico 27-13 before a crowd of 21,584.