As a large swath of the country experiences bitter cold weather, Arizona’s sunshine is drawing college football fans to the state for bowl games.

While the matchups are a huge boost to the economy, the gridiron isn’t the only tourist attraction according to Fiesta Bowl chief marketing officer Jose Moreno.

“They’re coming to the zoo. They’re coming to the botanical gardens. They’re coming to experience all that our state has to offer,” he said. “They’re making trips up to Sedona to the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff because we can provide that while [they’re] here. You’re not going to be stuck inside your hotel room dealing with snow or frigid cold.”   

According to Moreno, some of the teams playing also have sizeable fan bases living in the state as so many residents are transplants to Arizona from other parts of the United States.

Upcoming matchups

• Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix —  Wisconsin v. Oklahoma State - Tues., Dec. 27 at 8:15 p.m.
• Arizona Bowl in Tucson — Ohio v. Wyoming - Fri., Dec 30 at 2:30 p.m.
• Fiesta Bowl in Glendale — Michigan v. TCU - Sat., Dec 31at 2 p.m.