The 2021 Las Vegas Bowl was a college footballbowl game played on December 30, 2021, with kickoff at 10:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. local PST) on ESPN.[4] It was the 29th edition of the Las Vegas Bowl (after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Sponsored by roofing distribution company , the game was officially known as the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
The bowl featured Wisconsin of the Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) and Arizona State of the Pac-12 Conference. This was the fifth meeting between the two programs, with Arizona State holding a 3–1 edge in previous meetings, the most recent occurring in 2013.[5] This was Wisconsin's first trip to the Las Vegas Bowl. This was Arizona State's third trip to the Las Vegas Bowl. They lost their two previous trips (2011 to Boise State, and 2018 to Fresno State).
Wisconsin, 8-4 (6-3 in conference play), has won six bowl games out of the last appearances. All-America linebacker Leo Chenal and freshman All-American tailback Braelon Allen are top players for the Badgers.
Arizona State entered the bowl with an 8–4 record overall, and a 6–3 record in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils finished in second place in the conference's South Division, tied with UCLA.