Music City Bowl (12/31) - Vanderbilt vs. Boston College [ESPN] - 3:30 p.m. ET
Vanderbilt will make its first football postseason appearance in 26 years on New Year's Eve in Nashville when it plays Boston College in the 11th Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl at LP Field.
Vanderbilt accepted an invitation to the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Sunday afternoon. Kickoff for the game is 2:30 p.m., CT.
The Commodores, 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference, will face a Boston College squad that advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Tampa, Fla. The Eagles, 9-4 overall, lost to Virginia Tech Saturday in the ACC title game.
By accepting a bid to the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, Bobby Johnson's Commodores will play in a postseason game with its roots tied to the Vanderbilt campus. The first Music City Bowl, matching Virginia Tech and Alabama on Dec. 29, 1998, was played at Vanderbilt Stadium before the game was moved to a newly constructed downtown stadium now known as LP Field.
Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor for University Affairs and Athletics David Williams II confirmed the Music City Bowl invitation and university acceptance.
"On behalf of the entire Commodore Nation, its players and coaches, its Board of Trust, students, staff, faculty, alumni and fans, I am delighted to accept the invitation to play in the 2008 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl on New Year's Eve," Williams said. "As a member of the Vanderbilt and Nashville families, I am thrilled that our football team will be able to play here at LP Field so that so many of our loyal fans will have the opportunity to see Vanderbilt's return to bowl play.
"I know Coach Johnson and his staff as well as all of our student athletes are excited to represent this fine university and great city in one of America's great bowl games. I would like to congratulate Bobby, the coaching staff and all the players for returning Vanderbilt to postseason play and thank the members of the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl board and selection committee for honoring us by selecting our team. We are honored to play and represent the SEC in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl on Dec. 31," Williams added.
The Commodores are 1-1-1 all-time in bowls, with their last appearance coming in the 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. Vanderbilt won its first bowl – against Auburn in the 1955 Gator Bowl – then tied Texas Tech in the 1974 Peach Bowl in Atlanta and lost a shootout to Air Force in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
Johnson can't wait to lead his Commodores into the cross-town game. A former I-AA national coach of the year, standout player at Clemson and veteran of more than three decades of collegiate coaching, Johnson has never played or coached in a bowl.
"I'm excited, our staff is excited and our players are excited about getting a chance to experience a bowl game," Johnson said. "Getting to play in the Gaylord Music City Bowl is a fantastic reward for this football team and Vanderbilt University.
"I think it will also mean a great deal to our fans. After supporting the Commodores as they have for so many years, I'm extremely happy for all of them. They probably deserve this bowl as much as my team does. I sure hope to see all of them at LP Field," Johnson added.
Tickets to the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl range from $50-70, and are available at Vanderbilt's official athletic website, www.vucommodores.com.
Vanderbilt and Boston College have met twice previously, with the Eagles holding a 2-0 advantage from games played in 1962 and 1963.
Chick-fil-A Bowl (12/31) - LSU vs. Georgia Tech [ESPN] - 7:30 p.m. ET
BATON ROUGE -- The LSU football team will cap its 2008 season with an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl as the Tigers will travel to Atlanta to face 14th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Georgia Dome. The game, which is scheduled for New Year’s Eve, will be televised by ESPN and will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CST.
LSU (7-5) will be playing in a school-record ninth straight bowl game, a streak that began with a victory over the Yellow Jackets in the 2000 Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The Tigers will be making their fifth appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and are 4-0 all-time in their previous appearances.
Last year, the Tigers won the school’s third national title with a 38-24 win over top-ranked Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game in New Orleans. LSU will be the first reigning national champion to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
“We are excited to have this great opportunity to play one of the best teams in the country in Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl,” LSU Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said upon accepting the invite from the bowl. I’m very familiar with them. They have an outstanding coach in Paul Johnson and he’s done a remarkable job there. This will be a great challenge for our team, one that I think Coach Miles and our players will be very excited to play and will give tremendous effort and represent the state of Louisiana to the fullest.
“In my conversation with Coach Miles before the bowl selection was done, he wanted to play the highest ranked team that we could play. He thought that would be the best thing for this team and the program. He felt it was something he could use to motivate his team to play well and he’s really excited to play Georgia Tech.”
LSU has won three consecutive bowl games – all under head coach Les Miles -- dating back to the 2005 Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over No. 9 Miami. Miles guided the Tigers to a 2007 Sugar Bowl win over No. 11 Notre Dame and led LSU to its third national championship with a 38-24 triumph over No. 1 Ohio State in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
LSU played in the very first Chick-fil-A Bowl (formerly Peach Bowl) in 1968 when the Tigers posted a 31-27 win over Florida State. The Tigers, behind a second half rally sparked by quarterback Rohan Davey, beat Georgia Tech, 28-14, in the game in 2000; backup Matt Flynn guided the Tigers to a 40-3 victory over No. 9 Miami in the 2005 Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Georgia Tech (9-3) brings in one of the nation’s elite rushing attacks under first-year head coach Paul Johnson. The Yellow Jackets rank third in the nation in rushing yards per game (283.3) and are one of the few teams to run the triple-option in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Georgia Tech, which is coming off a 45-42 win over Georgia in its last game, has won three of its last four games. Other notable wins for the Yellow Jackets this year include a 19-16 win over Boston College, a 38-7 victory over Mississippi State, and a 31-28 win over Florida State.
Tickets to the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl are available for as low as $60 on www.LSUsports.net and through the LSU Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-960-TKTS or 225-578-2184.
LSU Director of Athletics Joe Alleva
Opening Statement... On behalf of LSU, I want to accept your invitation and tell you how excited we are to have this great opportunity to play one of the best teams in the country in Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. I'm very familiar with them. They have an outstanding coach in Paul Johnson and he's done a remarkable job there. This will be a great challenge for our team, one that I think Coach Miles and our players will be very excited to play and will give tremendous effort and represent the state of Louisiana to the fullest."
In my conversation with Coach Miles before the bowl selection was done, he wanted to play the highest ranked team that we could play. He thought that would be the best thing for this team and the program. He felt it was something he could use to motivate his team to play well and he's really excited to play Georgia Tech."
On the opportunity to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl after a rough end to the season... "Obviously, it was a tough way to end the season, but this is an outstanding bowl to go to. It will be on national television on New Year's Eve. It has no competition for air time so a lot of America will be watching the game. It's a tough matchup; Georgia Tech is a tough team – they had over 400 yards rushing against Georgia. I think it's going to be a really outstanding game, but I feel really confident that our team is going to step up and play really well and be really motivated to play this game."
On playing a team from the ACC, his former conference... "I know a lot about Georgia Tech. (Georgia Tech Head Coach) Paul Johnson has done an amazing job there. He has a different kind of offense that is hard to prepare for because you don't see it very often. He's done a terrific job there and he should be commended for it."
DE Tyson Jackson
On if the team has scouted Georgia Tech at all ... “Not right now. We have to get in the film room and watch a lot of film on those guys to see the type of tendencies they have. We know they have a great offense that we are about to face. They have a running-type of offense, so we need to sit down with our coaches and watch Georgia Tech for a long time to see how we can prepare.”
On being selected to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl ... “It is a plus. It shows that people still have respect for our program and for our school. We still have another opportunity to go out and represent LSU, so that is a big positive on our end. We just have to go out and prepare well and hopefully play a good game against Georgia Tech. I am really pleased with the bowl game. We played there a few years ago against Miami, and we did a good job in that game. Hopefully those same types of tendencies can happen again and we will prepare well and go out and play a good game.”
On the atmosphere of the Chick-fil-A Bowl ... “It was a really big atmosphere. With us and Miami being there a few years ago it was a lot of people and fans for both sides. The environment was really nice. It will be an interesting game with the ACC and SEC pairing up again in a bowl game. It will be a really nice matchup.”
On if the game will essentially be a home game for Georgia Tech ... “They will have a lot of fans, but I know our fans well. They will be out there traveling with us, no matter what and no matter where the place is. I expect a pretty large turnout from our fans, so it should balance out pretty equally.”
On playing as a road team since Georgia Tech is from Atlanta ... “It should give us extra motivation since we are going into their territory. That type of motivation for a game should help us get ready for the game.”
On if he watched the LSU-Georgia Tech bowl game in 2000 ... “I did watch the game. I was pretty young back then. I was still in high school, watching LSU play Georgia Tech. It was a really good game back then, and LSU came out, had a really good game and won it. It was very exciting in 2000.”
On playing in the BCS National Championship Game last season to playing in the Chick-fil-A Bowl this season ... “Last year was a wonderful thing to happen, but this year is still good that we have a nice bowl game with the Chick-fil-A Bowl. It is an exciting time to go out, represent LSU and play a good team like Georgia Tech. We will go out there and show everyone that we are still capable, still fighting and still hungry.”
On if he heard before Sunday that LSU was heading to the Chick-fil-A Bowl ... “I heard a lot of rumors and speculation that we were going to the Chick-fil-A Bowl. A lot of guys want to go there and have a good time. With it being in Atlanta, a really good city, and in that type of atmosphere, it will be really good for us to play in that dome. We just found out a few minutes ago that it has been confirmed.”
On if the team is excited to play again ... “My teammates are really excited to play again, especially against a team like Georgia Tech with good a offense and defense and a good coach. Our guys will be fired up.”
On if he has watched Georgia Tech play at all this season ... “I caught a Thursday game with them versus Miami, and it was a pretty good game. They were running the ball over Miami’s defense. It is a really good offense that Georgia Tech has, and the defense is really solid. We will have a big challenge ahead of us.”
LB Darry Beckwith
On the past week leading up to the bowl announcement... “We’ve just been getting our minds refocused. It’s the last little time away from football. We’re just getting ready for finals, studying and relaxing. Guys who are injured or nicked are getting treatment. We’re continuing to work out and stay conditioned. Now, we found out that we are playing Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. We will start putting our focus on them and hope that we can just go out with a win and play hard.”
On playing a very good opponent in Georgia Tech... “It’s a great feeling. Anytime you go to a bowl game, it’s a great accomplishment. Those guys (Georgia Tech) had a great year for their first-year head coach (Paul Johnson), and it’s going to be a wonderful football game. It’s going to be exciting for the fans and the players.”
On if the team sees the bowl as a chance to redeem itself... “You work hard all year to accomplish certain things, and any team across America that is not going to a bowl game would love to be in our shoes or Georgia Tech’s shoes. To play in this caliber of a game on ESPN primetime will be a great feeling. We just want to go out and perform well and put a full, complete game together.”
On if the extra game is more important to get younger guys extra practice time or to end on a good note... “I would say a little bit of both. You want to end your season with a win and for the seniors, end their careers off with a win. For the younger guys, this will be a jumpstart to their careers and for next fall.”
On the Georgia Tech offense... “They have a pretty potent offense. The last time I’ve seen an option offense was at Parkview Baptist (high school). As far as a college football team running it, I have not seen it, and those guys have great athletes. When you get that type of system and type of offense with the athletes that they have at running back and quarterback, it can be dangerous.”
DT Marlon Favorite
On if the team will be excited for the bowl game... “Of course. Atlanta is a beautiful city. We are going to have a great time out there. The fans are nice. The LSU fans are always happy with whatever bowl game we’re playing in. It’s going to be a competitive game. Georgia Tech is a pretty good team. It’s a lot to look forward to.”
On winning bowl games very decisively in recent years... “I credit that to the time that we have to prepare, the coaching staff, the players’ effort and everybody really looking forward to playing in a bowl game. It’s an honor to play in a bowl game. A lot of teams across the nation do not have this opportunity, so we don’t take that for granted. We look at the fact that the bowl game is lagniappe, it’s extra. We look at the fact that we are playing at a prestigious bowl, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which is pretty big.”
On if he sees this bowl game as an opportunity to give the younger guys momentum... “Most definitely. We (the seniors) have an opportunity to leave LSU as the most winningest class. That’s something we can leave with the younger guys. Winning a national championship and playing in three BCS bowls is something to leave with the younger guys. The wisdom and experience that we had here at LSU is always something you want to leave with the younger guys. It makes them work hard for next year.”
Outback Bowl (1/1) - South Carolina vs. Iowa [ESPN] - 11:00 a.m. ET
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The University of South Carolina football team has been invited to participate in the 23rd annual Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1, 2009, it was announced Sunday.
The Gamecocks (7-5, 4-4 SEC) will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten) at Raymond James Stadium. Game time is set for 11 a.m. ET and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN. It will be the first meeting ever on the gridiron between these two flagship state institutions.
The 2009 Outback Bowl will mark Carolina's 14th bowl appearance overall. The Gamecocks are 4-9 in their previous 13 bowl games. After losing each of their first eight bowl contests, the Gamecocks have won four of their last five bowl games, including a 44-36 win over Houston in the 2006 Liberty Bowl in their most recent bowl appearance.
At 7-5, the Gamecocks are bowl-eligible for the fifth straight year. It's the first time Carolina has posted a .500 or better record in five straight seasons since they had a school-record seven straight years of .500 or better records from 1928-1934. It also marks the third time they will go bowling under head coach Steve Spurrier in four seasons. The Gamecocks were bowl-eligible at 6-6 in 2007 but did not receive a bowl invitation.
The January 1st game will mark the third time the Gamecocks have appeared in the Outback Bowl. They are 2-0 in their previous Outback Bowl appearances, defeating Ohio State in back-to-back matchups following the 2000 and 2001 seasons under head coach Lou Holtz. The Gamecocks were 24-7 winners over the Buckeyes in the 2001 Outback Bowl to finish the season with an 8-4 record, then kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to capture the 2002 Outback Bowl by a 31-28 score to finish that season with a 9-3 record.
Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier has directed his teams to a 7-7 bowl record during his career. He was 0-1 in bowl games while coaching at Duke, was 6-5 in bowl games as the head coach at Florida, including a 52-20 win over Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl to capture the national championship, and is 1-1 in two bowl games while guiding the Gamecocks. He becomes the just the third coach in Carolina history, joining Jim Carlen and Joe Morrison, to take the Gamecocks to three bowl games in his career.
This is the 115th season of intercollegiate football at the University of South Carolina, dating back to 1892. It is the 102nd-consecutive year in which South Carolina has competed on the gridiron. The University did not field a team in either 1893 or 1906. Carolina owns an all-time record of 528-528-44.
Gamecock fans are encouraged to travel to Tampa with Gamecock Sports Travel. Packages including accommodations at the Gamecock Headquarters hotel, the Marriott Waterside, are available now.
To book on-line, log on to totalsportstravel.com/southcarolina or call 888-367-8781.
Capital One Bowl (1/1) - Georgia vs. Michigan State [ABC] - 1:00 p.m. ET
ATHENS -- The Georgia Bulldogs (9-3) were extended, and accepted, a Capital One Bowl invitation Sunday to face Michigan State from the Big Ten in Orlando on Jan. 1, 2009. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ABC.
This will mark the 20th anniversary of Georgia's only encounter with the Spartans which took place in the 1989 Gator Bowl game in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs came out on top, 34-27, in Vince Dooley's final game as head coach.
The Bulldogs have played in the Orlando bowl game on four previous occasions: lost to Miami (Ohio), 21-10, in Dec. 21, 1974, Tangerine Bowl; tied Florida State, 17-17, in the Dec. 22, 1984, Citrus Bowl; defeated Ohio State, 21-14, in the Jan. 1, 1993, Florida Citrus Bowl; and defeated Purdue, 34-27, in the Jan. 1, 2004, Capital One Bowl.
"We are overjoyed with the selection of our team to represent the Southeastern Conference in the Capital One Bowl," said UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans. "It's an opportunity to return to one of the great destination cities in the country and face a quality opponent from the Big Ten in Michigan State. And it's an opportunity to earn another ten-win season for our team. We are greatly appreciative of the Capital One Bowl for the invitation and look forward to bringing our team and fans to Orlando over the holidays."
"I'm really happy and proud for our team and especially our seniors to have this great opportunity," said UGA head coach Mark Richt. "I know our team and coaches will prepare well to represent the Southeastern Conference against Michigan State who I'm sure will be ready to play as well. Our last trip to the Capital One Bowl was one of the great bowl experiences we've ever had and I know our team and fans are looking forward to returning to Orlando."
The Bulldogs are currently 17th in the USA Today/Coaches poll and 16th in the AP poll. The Spartans are 18th in the USA Today/Coaches poll and 19th in the AP poll.
This will be Georgia's 44rd bowl game - sixth most of any team in the country.
During a bowl teleconference Sunday, Richt said the Capital One Bowl has been one of the greatest bowl experiences Georgia has had in his eight seasons.
"First of all, we're thrilled about the opportunity to play in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando and face a great top 25 team in Michigan State. We've already had a couple of practices not knowing who we were playing and now we can practice with more of a purpose knowing it will be Michigan State."
Georgia (9-3) is the last Southeastern Conference team to win the Capital One Bowl, beating Purdue 34-27 in overtime in 2004. Since then, the Big Ten representative has won four in a row over the SEC opponent. Conference pride is always an intriguing element in bowl games, according to Richt.
"I think the players take pride in that," said Richt. "I know when we played Arizona State from the Pac-10 this year, our guys took pride in being from the SEC. I'm sure that will come up again, I'm sure Michigan State will be doing the same. It will be a big motivating factor."
Richt said he has caught some of the Spartans highlights including their outstanding running back Javon Ringer.
"I know they had a fantastic year, I vote in the coaches poll, and I have seen Javon run around and score touchdowns on the highlights," said Richt. "I'm looking forward to seeing them and what they are all about. It will be one of the storylines, to have two of the best running backs in the country in the same game."
Ringer along with Georgia sophomore Knowshon Moreno are two of the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award which goes to the nation's top running back.
"This is the last game of the 2008 season but the fact that it's Jan. 1, it's 2009, and although it's not a new season, hopefully it will spring us forward in the New Year on a positive note," said Richt.
Liberty Bowl (1/2) - Kentucky vs. East Carolina [ESPN] - 5:00 p.m. ET
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky football team will be trying for a school record third-consecutive bowl victory as the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the East Carolina Pirates, the Conference USA champion.
The game will be Friday, Jan. 2, at 5 p.m. EST (4 p.m. CST in Memphis) at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN. The Liberty Bowl is celebrating its 50th year, but will be playing host to Kentucky for the first time.
"We are honored to be selected to participate in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl," said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. "This is a great opportunity for our young people to experience the hospitality of the city of Memphis.
"Our experience in back-to-back bowls shows the tremendous fan support given to Kentucky athletics, and specifically to Kentucky football. I congratulate Coach Rich Brooks, our seniors and all of the Wildcats as we try for a third-consecutive bowl win."
Three-straight bowl wins is something never accomplished in school history. The Wildcats knocked off Clemson, 28-20, in the 2006 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, and then followed with a 35-28 win over Florida State in the 2007 Music City Bowl.
Just by playing in the game, the Wildcats duplicate a feat done only once before in school annals – participating in a third-consecutive post-season game. The 1949-50-51 teams played in the Orange, Sugar and Cotton bowls respectively, winning the last two.
This will be the 13th post-season appearance in school history, with the Wildcats carrying a 7-5 record in bowl games.
Kentucky comes into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl with a 6-6 record, marking the first time since 1954-55-56 that the Wildcats have won six games in three consecutive seasons. The Wildcats overcame massive graduation losses from last year and injuries to key players this season in qualifying for a bowl game.
UK will enter the bowl with a 13-game non-conference winning streak, the third-longest active streak in the nation behind Boston College (21) and Louisiana State (18). The 13-game streak is the school's longest since a 17-game non-conference win stretch from 1954-60.
This will be the second meeting between Kentucky and East Carolina. The Wildcats defeated the Pirates, 6-3, in Lexington in the 1993 season. Ironically, it was that victory that gave UK its sixth win of the year and put the Wildcats into the '93 Peach Bowl.
East Carolina has a 9-4 record this year. Coach Skip Holtz led his team to season-opening victories over ranked foes in Virginia Tech and West Virginia. The opening stretch put the Pirates among the nation's top-25 ranked teams. East Carolina closed the regular season with three consecutive wins, including a 27-24 triumph at Tulsa on Saturday in the Conference USA championship game.
Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks will be participating in his third Liberty Bowl. He played in the game as a senior in 1962, helping Oregon State to a 6-0 win over Villanova. In 1976, in his last game as a collegiate assistant coach, Brooks' UCLA squad was defeated by the Paul "Bear" Bryant-coached Alabama Crimson Tide, 36-6.
"It's great that we're playing in the 50th anniversary of a game that I actually played in when the game originated in Philadelphia," said Brooks. "I think it's an honor to play a conference champion, particularly one that was as hot to start the season as East Carolina was, and the way they finished the year will be a great test for our program.
"East Carolina is an outstanding team," Brooks continued. "They had two of the most impressive wins that anybody had all year when they beat Virginia Tech and West Virginia back-to-back, and they beat a very good Tulsa team in their championship game. They've got an outstanding defense and an experienced quarterback. We'll have to play very well to have a chance to win the game."
Sugar Bowl (1/2) - Alabama vs. Utah [FOX] - 8:00 p.m. ET
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama football team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl, it was announced Sunday. Alabama will be playing in its NCAA-leading 56th bowl game and second BCS bowl.
Alabama (12-1 overall, 8-0 in the Southeastern Conference) will meet the Utah Utes (12-0 overall, 8-0 Mountain West Conference) in the 2009 Sugar Bowl on Friday, January 2, 2009, with kickoff time schedule for 7 p.m. Central Time at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, La. The game will be nationally televised by FOX Sports and will mark UA’s 10th national television appearance this year.
“First of all, let me thank everyone on the Sugar Bowl Committee, the City of New Orleans, and anyone that supports the Allstate Sugar Bowl for inviting the University of Alabama,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Sunday night. “Our players are excited about coming. Our fans are excited are coming. This is a great opportunity for us to take part in a great event that has tremendous tradition. Personally, I’ve been involved here twice before, event thought it’s a different school. There is no question this is a first-class event with first-class people and a great game.
“I’d also like to congratulate Utah and their team and Coach (Kyle) Whittingham on their season. They have done an outstanding job this season in all that they have accomplished. It’s not easy to win 12 games in a season and go undefeated and it happens less and less. Certainly, their team has done an outstanding job and is a fantastic opponent for us. It’s going to be a very competitive game and we are certainly looking forward to it.”
Alabama will be playing in its 13th Sugar Bowl, more than any other bowl in school history. The Crimson Tide has posted an 8-4 record in its previous 12 Sugar Bowl and clinched national championships with Sugar Bowl wins in 1962, 1979, 1980 and 1993. Alabama’s last Sugar Bowl appearance came on January 1, 1993, when the Crimson Tide knocked off No. 1 Miami, 34-13, to earn the school’s 12th national championship following a perfect 13-0 season in 1992.
"We can't be more excited than with the matchup we've been able to put together here,” Paul Hoolahan, Sugar Bowl Chief Executive Officer, said. “This is a dream come true. This is the 75th anniversary of the (first) playing of the Sugar Bowl Classic and to be able to bring back a school with the history and tradition and the long-term association with the Sugar Bowl that Alabama has had is just a remarkable occurrence for us. It's a gift from heaven as far as we're concerned. It's a great, great situation to a have such a highly ranked team and such a deserving team. Needless to say, we're equally as impressed with the opponent, another highly ranked team."
Alabama has played in more bowl games (56) and earned more bowl wins (31) than any team in college football history. The Crimson Tide has posted a 31-21-3 (.590) all-time bowl record and has made 34 of its 56 appearances in the Sugar (13), Orange (8), Cotton (7) and Rose (6) bowls. Alabama’s only other BCS bowl appearance was a 35-34 overtime loss to Michigan in the 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami.
AT&T Cotton Bowl (1/2) - Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech [FOX] - 2:00 p.m. ET
OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss will be returning to postseason play, as the Rebels accepted an invitation to the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Sunday. No. 20 Ole Miss is matched up with No. 8 Texas Tech, Jan. 2, 2009 at 1 p.m. CT in a FOX televised game from Dallas.
"We are honored to be chosen to participate in the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic," said Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone. "Being in the Cotton Bowl is perfect recognition of the accomplishments this outstanding football team worked so hard for this year."
Houston Nutt becomes just the fifth Ole Miss head coach to guide the Rebels to a bowl in his first season at the helm. With an 8-4 regular-season record and a 5-3 mark in the SEC, Nutt revived a Rebel squad that was coming off four straight losing seasons and a 3-8 campaign with no conference wins in 2007. It marked the team's best improvement from one season to the next since legendary Ole Miss Coach John Vaught's debut in 1947.
Projected to place fifth in the SEC Western Division in the preseason, the Rebels finished second in the West, knocked off the last two national champions on the road in No. 4 Florida and No. 18 LSU and ended the year on a five-game win streak.
"I'm so excited to take this team to a bowl game," Nutt said. "I missed the bowl game last year, so I'm doubly excited. Rick Baker and the entire staff at the Cotton Bowl do a tremendous job. They are very hospitable, and the team has such a great time.
"Bowl people talk about how well they run the bowl. The Cotton Bowl is such a famous and historic bowl game. We are very proud to take Ole Miss to the Cotton Bowl."
The Rebels' last bowl bid came five years ago and ironically in the Cotton Bowl, in a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State. Ole Miss will be appearing in its fourth Cotton Bowl Classic, posting a 2-1 record. The Rebels defeated TCU 14-13 in the 1956 game and dropped a 12-7 decision to Texas in 1962.
Ole Miss is continuing a rich bowl tradition with its 32nd all-time appearance, which is tied with Miami (Fla.) for 17th on the NCAA Division I-A's list of all-time bowl berths. The Rebels are 19-12 in bowl games, with the 19 wins tied for the 12th most in college football.
Ole Miss is 6-1 in its last seven bowl games dating back to a 13-0 win over Air Force in the 1992 Liberty Bowl. The Rebels' only loss during that span came during the 2000 Music City Bowl, falling 49-38 to West Virginia.
This encounter will mark the third bowl meeting between Ole Miss and Texas Tech, who ended the regular season with an 11-1 record. With this game, the Red Raiders will tie the Texas Longhorns and the Air Force Falcons as the Rebels' most frequent bowl opponent. The teams' other two postseason battles occurred at the Independence Bowl with Ole Miss prevailing both times, 20-17 in 1986 and 35-18 in 1998.
Including the regular season, the all-time series is tied at 2-2. Texas Tech won both games of a home-at-home series in 2002 and 2003.
The Rebels are 6-2 in bowl games against the Big XII Conference and have won five straight. This matchup will mark Ole Miss' fifth bowl game against a Big XII team in its last six bowl appearances and third straight.
BCS Title Game (1/8) - Florida vs. Oklahoma [FOX] - 8:00 p.m. ET
Florida was an up-and-coming power and Oklahoma was a declining one when Bob Stoops made his move. He left his post as Gators defensive coordinator to take his first head-coaching job with the Sooners.
Ten years later, both programs are on top. On Sunday, they earned their invitations to play for the BCS national championship on Jan. 8 in Miami.
As expected, the final BCS standings had Oklahoma at No. 1 and Florida at No. 2 -- the reverse order of their rankings in the Associated Press poll -- setting up the first meeting between these storied programs.
"Nine weeks ago our team got together and said let's make every game count," Gators coach Urban Meyer said, speaking of Florida's rebound from its only loss, in September to Mississippi.
Tim Tebow and the Gators did just that. So did Oklahoma, which bounced back from a loss in October to Texas.
Two teams with one loss each doesn't normally make for a debate-free lead-up to the title game, but even President-elect Barack Obama -- outspokenly in favor of a playoff for college football -- might have to agree that both these teams belong.
Florida (12-1) has averaged 49 points a game in the nine games since its only lost. Oklahoma (12-1) became the first team since 1919 to score 60-plus in five straight games.
Other teams had their chances this season, and also finished with one loss: Texas, Southern California, Alabama, Texas Tech and Penn State.
Of them, Texas had the best argument for why it should've been playing for the title. The Longhorns finished in a three-way tie in the nation's toughest division -- the Big 12 South -- but were denied a spot in the title game because of the tiebreaker, which looks to the BCS standings.
Oklahoma won the tiebreaker. Texas protested.
"They went to a system we all agreed upon before the season," Stoops said. "If someone didn't like it, they should have decided to change it before the season, and I'd have played by whatever rules they wanted to play by."
Instead, Texas finished third in the BCS and AP rankings and will play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
And who outside of Texas would argue that this title game is a dream matchup, with tons of entertainment potential?
"Oklahoma's a traditional power just like Florida is now," said Steve Spurrier, the former Gators coach who brought Stoops on as his defensive coordinator in 1996.
Stoops' arrival in Gainesville came a year after the Gators got pounded 62-24 by Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl with the national title on the line. The boost the new defensive coordinator provided was a perfect complement to Spurrier's Fun 'N' Gun, and the Gators won their first national title.
Fast forward to 2000: In his second year at Oklahoma, Stoops led the Sooners to their seventh national championship and their first since 1985.
But when Spurrier left Florida after the 2001 season, most Gators felt it was just a matter of getting Stoops on the first flight back home. Who wouldn't take the sun and fun of Florida over the grit and dust of Norman, right?
Stoops declined, though, saying he had everything a coach could ever ask for at Oklahoma -- nice campus, good boosters, fantastic resources and, yes, even more tradition than they had at Florida.
"He'd only been there three years, he was building it up," Spurrier said. "He had a wonderful situation there. No reason to get out of there."
The Gators ended up hiring Ron Zook, then three years later, turned to Meyer.
Meyer made the Gators forget about Stoops. He's trying to lead Florida to its second title in three years.
Stoops, meanwhile, has put Oklahoma in the conversation almost every year since he arrived. He is going for his first national title since that 13-2 win over Florida State to end the 2000 season.
The winner will join LSU as the second team with two BCS championships this decade and will also stake a pretty good claim on being called the best program of the 2000s.
The game could also include a Heisman Trophy winner.
Tebow is in position to become the only player to win the award twice, following Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is widely considered his biggest competition. If either wins, it would mark two Heismans for his respective program this decade, as well. (Jason White won it in 2003 for the Sooners.)
Oklahoma has the top-ranked scoring offense in the country, scoring an NCAA-record 702 points this season. The Gators are ranked third.
It's the kind of game that will send defensive coordinators running for cover. On the other hand, Spurrier, the former Gators quarterback and `ball coach,' will probably love this one.
"I guess you naturally pull for your alma mater," he said. "But I pull for 'Stoopsie' all the time. It'll be a little bit of both. Should be a good game."
Gator Ticket Office Announces Ticket Ordering Information for BCS National Championship Football Game
The University of Florida football team has accepted an invitation to play in the 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship Game on FOX on Jan. 8, 2009, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, FL. The Gators will be making their 18th straight bowl appearance, which ranks first in the SEC and second nationally.
The Gator Ticket Office will begin taking orders for the BCS National Championship Game on Sun., Dec. 7, 2008, starting at 9 p.m. Football Booster season ticket holders can order online at GatorZone.com, by calling the G.A.T.O.R.S. phone system at (877) 428-6742 (toll-free) or locally at (352) 384-3261, by visiting the Gator Ticket Office or by mailing their order in.
THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERING BOWL TICKETS IS 11:59 P.M. , WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008. All orders MUST be received by the Ticket Office by this time.
Tickets are $175 each and football season ticket holders are allowed to order ONLY if they meet the minimum point cut-off, and within the limits listed below for each priority.
The booster priority point cutoff for the BCS National Championship Game is 510 points for boosters and 130 points for UF faculty/staff.
Bull Gator (510 points and above) 8 tickets Bull Gator (386 – 509 points) 4 tickets Bull Gator (385 points and below) 2 tickets * Grand Gator 2/4 tickets * Scholarship Club 2/4 tickets Scholarship Partner 2 tickets All other Booster Season Ticket Holders 2 tickets UF Faculty/Staff 2 tickets
* If the number of season tickets is only two, only two bowl tickets can be ordered.
All tickets will be sent via first-class US mail the week of December 15 to those boosters who qualify and purchase their tickets.
UF Students will have an opportunity to enter the 2009 BCS National Championship Football Bowl Game Lottery to have a right to purchase bowl tickets. This lottery registration period for all UF students will begin Wednesday, Dec. 10 at noon EST and will run through 11:59 p.m. , Fri. , Dec. 12, 2008. Tickets are $175 each and are limited to one (1) per full-time, UF student.
This BCS Bowl Game Student Lottery will be done by a classification system, just like the student season football ticket lottery is. Students will be prioritized based on their UF credit hours earned and then be randomly selected from the pool of registered students. Students who have earned 90 or more UF credit hours have the best chance of being selected a winner of the lottery.
Students will visit gatorzone.com/tickets/students to pre-pay for their tickets and enter the student lottery. All UF students who register for the lottery will be sent an email to their Gatorlink email address by Mon. , Dec. 15 to let them know if they have or have not won the lottery.
Students who are declared winners of the lottery MUST pick up their student ticket voucher at the Student Ticket Office, Tues. , Dec. 16 through Thurs. , Dec. 18. Students must bring two forms of ID with them to pick up their voucher (Gator1 ID and a drivers’ license), and also their ticket at the bowl site in Miami on game night. All UF students will be sent a detailed email to their Gatorlink email address detailing these procedures.