Mizzou Chosen for Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
12/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri has accepted an invitation for its football team to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, as announced today. The bowl game, which began in 1947 as the Tangerine Bowl, will pit the 10-3 and 16th-ranked (CFP) Tigers against the 25th-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-4) in a January 1, 2015 matchup in Orlando, Fla. Kickoff is set for Noon (central time) with the game broadcast on ABC.
Mizzou is fresh off earning its second-straight SEC Eastern Division championship, which marked MU's fifth divisional title since 2007 (tied for most in the nation during that stretch, along with Alabama and Florida State). This will mark Mizzou's 10th bowl game appearance under Head Coach Gary Pinkel (112-66 in 14 years at Mizzou, 185-103-1 overall in 24 seasons), including nine in the last 10 years. Mizzou claimed the 2014 Cotton Bowl trophy with a 41-31 win over Oklahoma State to cap a 12-2 season a year ago.
This will be Mizzou's second appearance in the Citrus Bowl, as the Tigers claimed a 19-17 win on Dec. 19, 1981 over Southern Mississippi, when the bowl was named the Tangerine Bowl. Additionally, Head Coach Gary Pinkel will be making a return trip himself, as he played in the game for Kent State on Dec. 29, 1972, with Tampa taking a 21-18 win.
Football Season ticket holders and Tiger Scholarship Fund donors have an extended priority deadline of tomorrow (Monday) at Noon to place orders for the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Priority requests can be placed through the Mizzou Ticket Office by logging in at www.mutigers.com/myaccount and selecting 'Buy Packages/Tickets' on the home screen. Individuals can then choose the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl and select the number of seats they wish to request. Requests will then be allocated by TSF donor level and priority points prior to the general public sale, which will begin Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Public orders for the Citrus Bowl will begin Monday, 1 p.m. online at www.mutigers.com. Fans may also order over the phone by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Columbia), but are strongly encouraged to order on-line to ensure prompt service.
The Mizzou Alumni Association offers official Mizzou Citrus Bowl travel packages. Fans and alumni interested in the tour options are encouraged to visit the bowl travel website at www.mizzousportstours.com. A variety of packages, options, and amenities are available including game tickets while supplies last. Fans may also call 1-888-659-7158 to book or for more information.
For updated Mizzou Football ticket information, continue to visit mutigers.com, or follow Mizzou Athletics on Twitter at @mutigersdotcom.
Series Information
1943 - Minnesota 26, Mizzou 13 in Minneapolis
1944 - Minnesota 39, Mizzou 27 in Minneapolis
1945 - Minnesota 34, Mizzou 0 in Minneapolis
1961 - Mizzou 6, Minnesota 0 in Minneapolis
1962 - Tie, 0-0, in Minneapolis
1965 - Mizzou 17, Minnesota 6 in Minneapolis
1966 - Mizzou 24, Minnesota 0 in Columbia
1970 - Mizzou 34, Minnesota 12 in Columbia
Mizzou Bowl Annoucement Quotes
Head Coach, Gary Pinkel
Opening statement...
"We're excited and honored to be invited to the prestigious Citrus Bowl. You always want to go to a great bowl game and one that's very well respected. Certainly this one is. It's going to be a great experience for my players, staff and their families. Everybody wants to go to Disney World. We travel great and I know we'll travel well to this great bowl game also. I reflect back a little bit and we finished No. 5 in the nation a year ago, lost a lot of players and people didn't think we had a very good football team (going into 2014). Before you know it as we go through the grind of the schedule in 2014 we win the SEC East Championship and then play the No. 1 team in the nation in the SEC Championship game. Certainly, there's things we have to do to improve our program, but I'm so very proud of my players, coaches and this football program. This is a great opportunity. I'm real excited for our players and we'll certainly be playing this game for the University of Missouri and the SEC. We got a chance to finish strong and we'll be playing a very good football team. It will be fun getting going."
On being picked by the Citrus Bowl committee...
"We're very honored. They had a choice of a lot of different schools that they could've taken inside the SEC and they chose the University of Missouri. That makes me feel pretty well. In the last eight years we've had five 10-plus win seasons. Again, we know we haven't arrived. We saw that last night (vs. Alabama at SEC Championship game). We're building to become great. We're going to work real hard to do that. I think this is a step in respect for our program."
On preparing the team up until the Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl game...
"You've got several weeks here so that's the nice thing about it. We're going to have to get a couple practices in because we don't practice at all or do any kind of football activities during finals week. As we organize our practices we have our first three to four practices as pretty heavy on working with our young players. We make sure our veteran guys get healthy. We have a system in place and a format. I got great kids that want to win and be successful."
On what he has seen from the Minnesota football team...
"I know they're a very well coached football team. I know that they've had great success up there. He (Head Coach Jerry Kill) has done a great job with that program. I've seen them a little bit on TV. Other than that, I don't know a lot about them. They had a great year this season."
On his relationship with Minnesota Head Coach, Jerry Kill...
"I know Jerry really well. He has done a great job. He's very well respected. I've known him over the years and before you know it he's the head coach of Minnesota football. They're a very disciplined and well coached football team. We'll get their best shot and hopefully they can get ours."
Executive Associate Athletics Director, Bryan Maggard
Opening statement...
"On behalf of Mizzou Director of Athletics, Mike Alden, who couldn't be here tonight due to meetings In New York City, head football coach Gary Pinkel and our Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin; I want to welcome everyone and say thank you for taking the time to come out this evening for this opportunity to announce that the Mizzou football program will take on No. 25 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 1, 2015. As a program, we couldn't be more excited to take in this game and be a part of it. This is a wonderful event that's going to take place in the state of Florida. With Coach Pinkel here, I believe this is our 10th bowl game in his 14 seasons. This is absolutely a testament to him and his staff for the wonderful job they've done here. We're very confident that our fans will be very excited to spend some time in the state of Florida during the months of December and January. We look forward to a great following from the nation's most terrific fans."
On the program's expectations of being picked by the Citrus Bowl heading into today...
"We knew going into the game yesterday (Saturday night vs. Alabama at SEC Championship game) that it was one of about 11 options that we'd have. Then after the outcome of the game it narrowed it down and the Citrus Bowl was still one of the options. We also knew that we could've been in the pool of six as well. When we got the call today (by the Citrus Bowl committee) we were certainly excited."
On the University of Missouri's ticket allotment for the game...
"We'll have 8,000 tickets that we'll have access to. At the minimum. Certainly if there's more needed then we'll be able to go that route as well. 8,000 is the number of tickets per team for this bowl.
On learning the news of Mizzou's selection into the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl...
"We got the news about 4:30 today, Coach Pinkel sent out a text message to all of us letting us know that we're going to the Citrus Bowl. Being a part of the Citrus Bowl is a special thing, especially hearing Coach Pinkel talking about it and how he once played in it. There's a lot of tradition behind it, it's a big bowl. Going down to Florida is going to be a lot of fun."
On if he has ever been to Orlando before...
"I've been down a few times. The atmosphere of everyone down there, the hospitality, Disney World, it's going to be a fun time."
On waiting all day to find out their destination...
"You just have to sit back and relax. You have to realize you won the SEC East two years in a row and made it to the SEC Championship two years in a row. We didn't finish but it's still very special to be in the situation we're in. Being able to be in this bowl game will be very special."
On Minnesota...
"I've watched them on TV. They're a Big Ten team; that means their physical. They have a good defensive line, a good defense. Like Coach Pinkel said, they're coached well."
Redshirt sophomore TE Sean Culkin
On returning to Florida for the game...
"My parents will come up for Christmas and friends will come up for the game. I know quite a few people in the Orlando area, have quite a few friends who go to UCF so I'm sure I'll see a lot of friends and family. It's a great opportunity (to play in Florida)."
On Mizzou's bowl selection to the Citrus Bowl...
"It's definitely a big deal. We're just happy to be able to go there. Orlando will be a great place to be, I haven't personally been there before so I'd like to go and see it. I know our team is excited to go."
On the Citrus Bowl picking Mizzou...
"It shows the hard week we put it this season paid off in the end. Of course we wanted to bring home that SEC Championship first and then bring out a bowl championship. It didn't go down like that but that's what we'll be going for."
Redshirt Junior OL Connor McGovern
On playing Minnesota in the bowl game...
"(Minnesota) is a Big Ten team that did really well in their division. It will be a fun game. Being in Orlando will be a lot of fun. It's definitely a good gig going down there for 10 days."
