Source: BigTenNetwork.com
Posted: Sunday, December 07, 2008 7:34:00 PM EST
Published: Sunday, December 07, 2008 7:41:38 PM EST
Posted: Sunday, December 07, 2008 7:34:00 PM EST
Published: Sunday, December 07, 2008 7:41:38 PM EST
SPARTANS, BULLDOGS TO TUSSLE IN CAPITAL ONE
EAST LANSING, Mich. – For the first time in nine years, Michigan State (9-3) is headed to a New Year's Day bowl game. The 19th-ranked Spartans have accepted an invitation to play No. 16 Georgia (9-3) in the 63rd annual Capital One Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. The Capital One Bowl will be televised nationally by ABC with kickoff set for 1 p.m. EST.
Michigan State is making its 19th postseason bowl appearance, but its first New Year's Day game since a 37-34 victory over Florida in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl.
"This will be a showcase for two of the best running backs in the country, in Michigan State's Javon Ringer and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno," Florida Citrus Sports Executive Director Steve Hogan said. "Both Michigan State and Georgia have something to prove at 9-3, and conference bragging rights are on the line with the Big Ten winning the bowl's last four games to bring the head-to-head record to 8-8 over the last 16 years."
"We are absolutely thrilled to be headed back to Orlando for an appearance in the Capital One Bowl," MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. "This football team accomplished many things that haven't been done around here for a long time: winning nine games for just the third time since 1966, playing for a share of the Big Ten Conference championship on the last weekend of the regular season, earning a Top 25 ranking for nine of the last 10 weeks and receiving its first New Year's Day bowl bid in nine years. We congratulate head coach Mark Dantonio, the coaching staff and our student-athletes on a job well done. This football program has made tremendous strides in two short years."
"We're building a foundation here and last year, we took the first step with a bowl appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl," Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio said. "We said the next step in the building process was earning a bid to a New Year's Day bowl. Some may have scoffed at that notion, but our players worked extremely hard and made that goal a reality. This team found a way to win close ballgames and put itself in a position to compete for a share of the Big Ten championship in the final week."
Michigan State receives an allotment of 12,000 tickets for the Capital One Bowl. Tickets are priced at $80 each. Fans may order Capital One Bowl tickets online at msuspartans.com.
IOWA TO FACE SOUTH CAROLINA IN OUTBACK
TAMPA, Fla. – Outback Bowl officials today extended invitations to the University of Iowa and the University of South Carolina to meet in the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day in Tampa, Florida. The No. 26 Hawkeyes will face the Gamecocks for the first time in history.
Iowa won five of their final six games including a win over then No. 3 and undefeated Penn State. The Hawkeyes feature RB Shonn Greene, the Big Ten Most Valuable Player, a Doak Walker Award finalist and the nations second leading rusher. The Gamecocks feature the 11th ranked defense in the nation including the third best against the pass. This will be both teams third appearance in the Outback Bowl game. Iowa is 1-1 in the bowl while South Carolina is 2-0.
"We are thrilled to have these two outstanding representatives from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference in our game," stated Jim McVay, Outback Bowl President /CEO. """Both of these teams feature some tremendous players and two of the best coaches in college football. We are very excited about this match-up."
"We couldn't be more pleased," added Outback Bowl Team Selection Chairman Dale Dignum. "We look forward to hosting the teams and their fans for a fantastic week of fun, and what we feel will be a terrific football game."
The Outback Bowl is celebrating its 23rd year and will kickoff at 11 A.M. (ET) on January 1st in Raymond James Stadium. The game is telecast internationally on ESPN TV. Tickets to the Outback Bowl are $65 each and are available at Ticketmaster outlets throughout Florida, via phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available through the Iowa and South Carolina ticket offices. Information on the Outback Bowl game, bowl events, area hotels and the Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater area can be found on the bowl's web site at www.outbackbowl.com.
NU ACCEPTS ALAMO BERTH, TO FACE MISSOURI
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University Director of Athletics Jim Phillips and Valero Alamo Bowl President/CEO Derrick Fox have announced that the University has accepted a bid to play in the 16th annual Valero Alamo Bowl, Monday, Dec. 29 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Wildcats (9-3), the Big Ten Conference representative, will play Missouri (9-4), the Big 12 Conference representative, at 7 p.m. CST (ESPN HD, ESPN Radio, WGN 720 AM, WNUR 89.3 FM) in The Alamodome. The Alamo Bowl has quickly become one of the most popular bowls in the country, producing eight of the top 25 most-watched bowl games in ESPN history while selling out three of the last four years.
"To be certain, we're extremely excited about the opportunity to play in a bowl game, and especially in San Antonio at the Valero Alamo Bowl," said Phillips. "Across the country people rave about the student-athlete and fan experience at the Alamo Bowl. We are honored and enthusiastically accept this wonderful opportunity to travel to San Antonio and represent the Big Ten Conference."
Northwestern gained its bowl berth by producing a nine-win season, its third nine-or-more win season since 1995. Northwestern, which is ranked 20th in the USA Today Coaches' poll and 22nd in the AP poll, finished in fourth place among Big Ten schools with a 5-3 record. The Valero Alamo Bowl pits the fourth selection from the Big Ten vs. the fourth selection from the Big 12. Missouri, which won the Big 12's North Division and fell to Oklahoma in last night's Big 12 title game, finished 9-4 overall and is ranked 23rd in the coaches' poll and 25th in the AP poll.
"We're extremely proud of our football team, which enjoyed one of the best regular seasons in Northwestern history," said head coach Pat Fitzgerald. "We're proud to represent the Big Ten in San Antonio at the Valero Alamo Bowl. We are playing one of the nation's top teams in Missouri, which won the Big 12 North Division and played in its league's conference championship game. Our number-one goal this season was to win our bowl game. Now the opportunity is in front of us and it is time to consistently prepare every day to achieve that goal."
"Pat has done a great job building Northwestern's program in a short amount of time," Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said. "I have great respect for him. Obviously, they're 9-3 and nationally ranked and he's a heck of a young football coach. I know they are one of the top teams in the Big Ten and I think that's going to be a great challenge for us.""
Northwestern fans are urged to purchase their tickets through the Northwestern Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased online at NUsports.com, by calling 847-491-CATS, in person at the ticket office (1501 Central Street, Evanston, Ill. 60208) or by mailing in an application, which will be found on the Northwestern web site starting Monday.
"The ticket offices at the two respective schools have the best available seats for this bowl game," said Phillips. "We've been told that only upper level end zone seats are being sold by the Valero Alamo Bowl and their ticket outlets, so if you're a Wildcat fan and you need tickets, buy your tickets at NUsports.com."
The 'Cats are making their seventh all-time postseason bowl appearance, and their sixth in the last 14 years.
MINNESOTA BACK IN BOWL, TO FACE KANSAS IN INSIGHT
Athletics director Joel Maturi announced Sunday that the University of Minnesota (7-5, 3-5 Big Ten) has accepted an invitation to play the University of Kansas (7-5, 4-4 Big 12) in the 20th annual Insight Bowl on Dec. 31 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (CST) kick off and will be televised nationally by the NFL Network.
Minnesota's invitation to play in the 2008 Insight Bowl marks the Golden Gophers' eighth bowl berth in the last 10 seasons and the program's 13th postseason bowl game overall. It will also be the second Insight Bowl appearance for the Gophers, who faced Texas Tech in the 2006 game.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our football program in the Insight Bowl and I am pleased to accept the invitation on behalf of the University of Minnesota," Maturi said. "The state of Arizona is an outstanding bowl destination for our fans and the hospitality that was extended to our program during our visit in 2006 was exceptional. I encourage our alumni, fans and students to come with us to Tempe and experience what will be an outstanding matchup between two of the nation's top conferences.""
The Minnesota Athletics Ticket Office will begin accepting orders for its allotment of 10,500 tickets beginning at 9 a.m., Monday. All tickets for the game are priced at $55 and football season ticket holders will have until Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. to place orders for priority seating.
The easiest method for ordering tickets is online at www.gophersports.com by clicking on the Buy Tickets tab and selecting "Insight Bowl Tickets." Ticket orders may also be submitted in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Mariucci Arena from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and over the phone by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at (612) 624-8080 inside the metro area or 1-800-U-GOPHER outside the metro area.
To ensure seating in the Minnesota section at Sun Devil Stadium, Gopher fans must make their ticket arrangements through the University's Athletics Ticket Office or online at www.gophersports.com.
The University of Minnesota Athletics Department and the University of Minnesota Alumni Association are also sponsoring the official bowl tour for Gopher fans. The custom tour has been designed by Creative Charters and includes air, hotel and appropriate ground transportation. Additional optional activities will also be organized by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and offered during the tour.
Information on official travel packages is available online at both www.alumni.umn.edu/bowl and www. GopherBowl.com.
Led by the All-Big Ten passing duo of sophomore quarterback Adam Weber and wide receiver Eric Decker, no program in the country enjoyed a bigger turnaround during the 2008 college football season than Minnesota as the Gophers recorded a six-game improvement from 2007 under second-year head coach Tim Brewster.
"We are excited to be selected as the Big Ten's representative in the Insight Bowl and we are looking forward to playing one of the nation's best teams in Kansas on Dec. 31ST in Sun Devil Stadium," Brewster said. "I could not be more proud of what our team has accomplished this season and I am thrilled that all their hard work is being rewarded with an opportunity to play in a tremendous event like the Insight Bowl."
Kansas, which knocked off Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl last season, will be playing in back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks are led by record-setting junior quarterback Todd Reesing and locked up their berth in the Insight bowl with a 40-37 victory over Big 12 North Division Champion Missouri in their regular-season finale.
The 2008 Insight Bowl will be the seventh meeting all time between Minnesota and Kansas in a series that dates all the way back to 1893. The two teams have split their previous six games, but have not met on the gridiron since 1973, when the Jayhawks defeated the Gophers, 34-19, in Lawrence, Kan.
BADGERS OFF TO FLORIDA TO FACE FSU IN CHAMPS SPORTS
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin football team has accepted an invitation to play in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, Dec. 27. The Badgers (7-5) will face Florida State (8-4) of the ACC. The game will be televised by ESPN starting at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the Champs Sports Bowl are $60 a piece and can be ordered online. In person orders at the Wisconsin Athletic Ticket Office and phone orders made to 1.800.GO.BADGERS will be accepted beginning Monday, December 8 at 8:30 am. Please check Bowl Central online at UWBadgers.com for complete ticket ordering details.
This will be the fifth straight bowl game for UW in the state of Florida, including the third time in the last four years the Badgers have played in Orlando. In its two most recent visits to Orlando, the 2006 and 2007 Capital One Bowls, Wisconsin was victorious, defeating Auburn in 2006 and Arkansas in 2007.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Wisconsin and Florida State. UW is 5-2 all-time against teams currently in the ACC. In their last game against an ACC opponent, the Badgers won at North Carolina, 14-5, on Sept. 18, 2005. UW has played an ACC team in a bowl game just once in school history, defeating Duke, 34-20, in the 1995 Hall of Fame Bowl.
This will be Wisconsin's seventh straight season to end in a bowl appearance. That is the longest streak in school history and the second-longest current streak in the Big Ten, trailing only Ohio State. Florida State has the longest bowl streak in the country and will be appearing in a bowl for the 29th straight season.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema will hold a news conference to talk about the Badgers' bowl matchup at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. That news conference will be live-streamed on UWBadgers.com as well as archived on the site.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – For the first time in nine years, Michigan State (9-3) is headed to a New Year's Day bowl game. The 19th-ranked Spartans have accepted an invitation to play No. 16 Georgia (9-3) in the 63rd annual Capital One Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. The Capital One Bowl will be televised nationally by ABC with kickoff set for 1 p.m. EST.
Michigan State is making its 19th postseason bowl appearance, but its first New Year's Day game since a 37-34 victory over Florida in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl.
"This will be a showcase for two of the best running backs in the country, in Michigan State's Javon Ringer and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno," Florida Citrus Sports Executive Director Steve Hogan said. "Both Michigan State and Georgia have something to prove at 9-3, and conference bragging rights are on the line with the Big Ten winning the bowl's last four games to bring the head-to-head record to 8-8 over the last 16 years."
"We are absolutely thrilled to be headed back to Orlando for an appearance in the Capital One Bowl," MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. "This football team accomplished many things that haven't been done around here for a long time: winning nine games for just the third time since 1966, playing for a share of the Big Ten Conference championship on the last weekend of the regular season, earning a Top 25 ranking for nine of the last 10 weeks and receiving its first New Year's Day bowl bid in nine years. We congratulate head coach Mark Dantonio, the coaching staff and our student-athletes on a job well done. This football program has made tremendous strides in two short years."
"We're building a foundation here and last year, we took the first step with a bowl appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl," Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio said. "We said the next step in the building process was earning a bid to a New Year's Day bowl. Some may have scoffed at that notion, but our players worked extremely hard and made that goal a reality. This team found a way to win close ballgames and put itself in a position to compete for a share of the Big Ten championship in the final week."
Michigan State receives an allotment of 12,000 tickets for the Capital One Bowl. Tickets are priced at $80 each. Fans may order Capital One Bowl tickets online at msuspartans.com.
IOWA TO FACE SOUTH CAROLINA IN OUTBACK
TAMPA, Fla. – Outback Bowl officials today extended invitations to the University of Iowa and the University of South Carolina to meet in the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day in Tampa, Florida. The No. 26 Hawkeyes will face the Gamecocks for the first time in history.
Iowa won five of their final six games including a win over then No. 3 and undefeated Penn State. The Hawkeyes feature RB Shonn Greene, the Big Ten Most Valuable Player, a Doak Walker Award finalist and the nations second leading rusher. The Gamecocks feature the 11th ranked defense in the nation including the third best against the pass. This will be both teams third appearance in the Outback Bowl game. Iowa is 1-1 in the bowl while South Carolina is 2-0.
"We are thrilled to have these two outstanding representatives from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference in our game," stated Jim McVay, Outback Bowl President /CEO. """Both of these teams feature some tremendous players and two of the best coaches in college football. We are very excited about this match-up."
"We couldn't be more pleased," added Outback Bowl Team Selection Chairman Dale Dignum. "We look forward to hosting the teams and their fans for a fantastic week of fun, and what we feel will be a terrific football game."
The Outback Bowl is celebrating its 23rd year and will kickoff at 11 A.M. (ET) on January 1st in Raymond James Stadium. The game is telecast internationally on ESPN TV. Tickets to the Outback Bowl are $65 each and are available at Ticketmaster outlets throughout Florida, via phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available through the Iowa and South Carolina ticket offices. Information on the Outback Bowl game, bowl events, area hotels and the Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater area can be found on the bowl's web site at www.outbackbowl.com.
NU ACCEPTS ALAMO BERTH, TO FACE MISSOURI
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University Director of Athletics Jim Phillips and Valero Alamo Bowl President/CEO Derrick Fox have announced that the University has accepted a bid to play in the 16th annual Valero Alamo Bowl, Monday, Dec. 29 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Wildcats (9-3), the Big Ten Conference representative, will play Missouri (9-4), the Big 12 Conference representative, at 7 p.m. CST (ESPN HD, ESPN Radio, WGN 720 AM, WNUR 89.3 FM) in The Alamodome. The Alamo Bowl has quickly become one of the most popular bowls in the country, producing eight of the top 25 most-watched bowl games in ESPN history while selling out three of the last four years.
"To be certain, we're extremely excited about the opportunity to play in a bowl game, and especially in San Antonio at the Valero Alamo Bowl," said Phillips. "Across the country people rave about the student-athlete and fan experience at the Alamo Bowl. We are honored and enthusiastically accept this wonderful opportunity to travel to San Antonio and represent the Big Ten Conference."
Northwestern gained its bowl berth by producing a nine-win season, its third nine-or-more win season since 1995. Northwestern, which is ranked 20th in the USA Today Coaches' poll and 22nd in the AP poll, finished in fourth place among Big Ten schools with a 5-3 record. The Valero Alamo Bowl pits the fourth selection from the Big Ten vs. the fourth selection from the Big 12. Missouri, which won the Big 12's North Division and fell to Oklahoma in last night's Big 12 title game, finished 9-4 overall and is ranked 23rd in the coaches' poll and 25th in the AP poll.
"We're extremely proud of our football team, which enjoyed one of the best regular seasons in Northwestern history," said head coach Pat Fitzgerald. "We're proud to represent the Big Ten in San Antonio at the Valero Alamo Bowl. We are playing one of the nation's top teams in Missouri, which won the Big 12 North Division and played in its league's conference championship game. Our number-one goal this season was to win our bowl game. Now the opportunity is in front of us and it is time to consistently prepare every day to achieve that goal."
"Pat has done a great job building Northwestern's program in a short amount of time," Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said. "I have great respect for him. Obviously, they're 9-3 and nationally ranked and he's a heck of a young football coach. I know they are one of the top teams in the Big Ten and I think that's going to be a great challenge for us.""
Northwestern fans are urged to purchase their tickets through the Northwestern Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased online at NUsports.com, by calling 847-491-CATS, in person at the ticket office (1501 Central Street, Evanston, Ill. 60208) or by mailing in an application, which will be found on the Northwestern web site starting Monday.
"The ticket offices at the two respective schools have the best available seats for this bowl game," said Phillips. "We've been told that only upper level end zone seats are being sold by the Valero Alamo Bowl and their ticket outlets, so if you're a Wildcat fan and you need tickets, buy your tickets at NUsports.com."
The 'Cats are making their seventh all-time postseason bowl appearance, and their sixth in the last 14 years.
MINNESOTA BACK IN BOWL, TO FACE KANSAS IN INSIGHT
Athletics director Joel Maturi announced Sunday that the University of Minnesota (7-5, 3-5 Big Ten) has accepted an invitation to play the University of Kansas (7-5, 4-4 Big 12) in the 20th annual Insight Bowl on Dec. 31 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (CST) kick off and will be televised nationally by the NFL Network.
Minnesota's invitation to play in the 2008 Insight Bowl marks the Golden Gophers' eighth bowl berth in the last 10 seasons and the program's 13th postseason bowl game overall. It will also be the second Insight Bowl appearance for the Gophers, who faced Texas Tech in the 2006 game.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our football program in the Insight Bowl and I am pleased to accept the invitation on behalf of the University of Minnesota," Maturi said. "The state of Arizona is an outstanding bowl destination for our fans and the hospitality that was extended to our program during our visit in 2006 was exceptional. I encourage our alumni, fans and students to come with us to Tempe and experience what will be an outstanding matchup between two of the nation's top conferences.""
The Minnesota Athletics Ticket Office will begin accepting orders for its allotment of 10,500 tickets beginning at 9 a.m., Monday. All tickets for the game are priced at $55 and football season ticket holders will have until Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. to place orders for priority seating.
The easiest method for ordering tickets is online at www.gophersports.com by clicking on the Buy Tickets tab and selecting "Insight Bowl Tickets." Ticket orders may also be submitted in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Mariucci Arena from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and over the phone by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at (612) 624-8080 inside the metro area or 1-800-U-GOPHER outside the metro area.
To ensure seating in the Minnesota section at Sun Devil Stadium, Gopher fans must make their ticket arrangements through the University's Athletics Ticket Office or online at www.gophersports.com.
The University of Minnesota Athletics Department and the University of Minnesota Alumni Association are also sponsoring the official bowl tour for Gopher fans. The custom tour has been designed by Creative Charters and includes air, hotel and appropriate ground transportation. Additional optional activities will also be organized by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and offered during the tour.
Information on official travel packages is available online at both www.alumni.umn.edu/bowl and www. GopherBowl.com.
Led by the All-Big Ten passing duo of sophomore quarterback Adam Weber and wide receiver Eric Decker, no program in the country enjoyed a bigger turnaround during the 2008 college football season than Minnesota as the Gophers recorded a six-game improvement from 2007 under second-year head coach Tim Brewster.
"We are excited to be selected as the Big Ten's representative in the Insight Bowl and we are looking forward to playing one of the nation's best teams in Kansas on Dec. 31ST in Sun Devil Stadium," Brewster said. "I could not be more proud of what our team has accomplished this season and I am thrilled that all their hard work is being rewarded with an opportunity to play in a tremendous event like the Insight Bowl."
Kansas, which knocked off Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl last season, will be playing in back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks are led by record-setting junior quarterback Todd Reesing and locked up their berth in the Insight bowl with a 40-37 victory over Big 12 North Division Champion Missouri in their regular-season finale.
The 2008 Insight Bowl will be the seventh meeting all time between Minnesota and Kansas in a series that dates all the way back to 1893. The two teams have split their previous six games, but have not met on the gridiron since 1973, when the Jayhawks defeated the Gophers, 34-19, in Lawrence, Kan.
BADGERS OFF TO FLORIDA TO FACE FSU IN CHAMPS SPORTS
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin football team has accepted an invitation to play in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, Dec. 27. The Badgers (7-5) will face Florida State (8-4) of the ACC. The game will be televised by ESPN starting at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the Champs Sports Bowl are $60 a piece and can be ordered online. In person orders at the Wisconsin Athletic Ticket Office and phone orders made to 1.800.GO.BADGERS will be accepted beginning Monday, December 8 at 8:30 am. Please check Bowl Central online at UWBadgers.com for complete ticket ordering details.
This will be the fifth straight bowl game for UW in the state of Florida, including the third time in the last four years the Badgers have played in Orlando. In its two most recent visits to Orlando, the 2006 and 2007 Capital One Bowls, Wisconsin was victorious, defeating Auburn in 2006 and Arkansas in 2007.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Wisconsin and Florida State. UW is 5-2 all-time against teams currently in the ACC. In their last game against an ACC opponent, the Badgers won at North Carolina, 14-5, on Sept. 18, 2005. UW has played an ACC team in a bowl game just once in school history, defeating Duke, 34-20, in the 1995 Hall of Fame Bowl.
This will be Wisconsin's seventh straight season to end in a bowl appearance. That is the longest streak in school history and the second-longest current streak in the Big Ten, trailing only Ohio State. Florida State has the longest bowl streak in the country and will be appearing in a bowl for the 29th straight season.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema will hold a news conference to talk about the Badgers' bowl matchup at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. That news conference will be live-streamed on UWBadgers.com as well as archived on the site.
