Chase Field transforms for 35th Annual Rate Bowl college football game [Video]

PHOENIX — Stepping foot into Chase Field the day after Christmas, it was almost unrecognizable.

The field home to the Arizona Diamondbacks was completely changed ahead of the 35th Annual Rate Bowl held in the Valley, turning from a baseball diamond… To a gridiron.

Fiesta Bowl CEO Erik Moses said it took staff ten days to make the transformation using real grass that was locally sourced to cover up the field.

“75,000 square feet of thick cut sod that is put together rolled out and becomes the fantastic football field you see behind me,” Moses said.

Those who have gone to D-Backs games before and attended Thursday’s Bowl game between Kansas State and Rutgers were surprised to see the big transformation.

“I wasn’t sure how they were going to do it,” said Nicole Ewing. “I couldn’t imagine it but it looks great.”

For Suzi Crotty who lives in the Valley, …