The game was played between Arizona State of the Pac-12 Conference and Fresno State of the Mountain West Conference.[6] This was the fourth all-time meeting against the Sun Devils and the Bulldogs, with Arizona State leading the series, 3–0; this was their first meeting in a bowl game.[6]
Arizona State received and accepted a bid to the Las Vegas Bowl on December 2.[6] The Sun Devils entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (5–4 in conference). The Sun Devils' last Las Vegas Bowl appearance came in 2011.
Fresno State defeated Boise State on December 1 in the 2018 Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game. As the Mountain West champion, they received and accepted a bid to the Las Vegas Bowl on December 2.[6] The Bulldogs entered the bowl with a 11–2 record (7–1 in conference). The Bulldogs' last Las Vegas Bowl appearance came in 2013.