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The Arizona Wildcats don't have a game this week, which means they — like the rest of us — will become scoreboard-watchers.

How Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State and USC fare this weekend will determine where the UA plays its first bowl game since 1998.

The Wildcats (6-5 overall, 4-4 Pac-10) already have qualified for the postseason; they will earn an invitation to one of four bowls — Sun, Las Vegas, Emerald or Hawaii.

"Who doesn't want to know where we're going? I haven't run into one particular person who doesn't want to know about it," wide receiver Mike Thomas said.

Still, Arizona's players are admittedly in new territory: The UA played Arizona State the last two years with a bowl game on the line, but their goals were pretty well-defined — win and get in.

This year's team has already cemented a bowl berth, but must defeat Arizona State on Dec. 6 — and get some help — to qualify for the Sun Bowl or the Las Vegas Bowl, the two most prestigious remaining options.

First-place Oregon State must defeat Oregon, and USC must beat Notre Dame on Saturday for Arizona to have a shot at the Sun Bowl. The Trojans must then knock off UCLA in their regular-season finale.

Arizona can also catch a major break if hapless Washington upsets Cal on Dec. 6 in the teams' regular-season finale.

"When you start off at the beginning of the year, you expect that of yourself. You expect to be watching the scoreboard," wide receiver David Roberts said. "I know pretty much what needs to happen with the BCS, the things with Oregon State."

Then there's Arizona State.

The winner of tonight's game between ASU and UCLA will keep its slim bowl chances alive heading into its rivalry game; the loser will be eliminated from postseason contention.

"I want UCLA, but I'm thinking it would be OK if Arizona State wins, too," Roberts said. "That way, we can knock them out."

"When Arizona State comes around," Thomas said, "it's going to be what it's going to be."

The Wildcats are staying positive during the bye week; they may be helpless to affect this weekend's game, but there's still plenty of hope.

"I don't think it's pressure," Roberts said. "This is good for a program that hasn't been to a bowl game in 10 years."