For the 2003 bowl season the Silicon Valley Classic had contractual tie-ins with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10). The SVC organizers had a choice between UCLA and the Washington Huskies, both of whom finished the season 6–6 and bowl eligible, to represent the Pac-10. The SVC invited UCLA, citing UCLA's victory against Washington earlier in the season.[4]
Since the beginning of the bowl in 2000, the Fresno State Bulldogs represented the WAC. Fresno State and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane finished the season tied for second in the WAC and available for the SVC. Fresno State returned to the SVC for the fourth straight year, while Tulsa went to the Humanitarian Bowl.[5]