After falling to 10-3 on the season after their 42-39 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, Michigan State has accepted an invitation to the Outback Bowl which takes place on January 2nd from Tampa, Florida.
Their opponents? The Georgia Bulldogs who beat the Spartans 24-12 during the 2009 Capital One Bowl.
Michigan State, who is going to a bowl game for the fifth consecutive year, is expected to get a $7 million dollar payout from the Outback Bowl.
“It’s remarkable what Mark Dantonio has accomplished in five short seasons at Michigan State,” MSU athletic director Mark Hollis said in a press release. “The Spartans are making their third New Year’s Day bowl appearance in the last four years. This promises to be a great matchup, as Georgia went 10-3 during the regular season and won the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division. The last time these two teams met in the 2009 Capital One Bowl the outcome wasn’t decided until the fourth quarter, so we anticipate another competitive game.”
Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio hopes to get his first bowl win as a head coach said he is looking forward to representing the Big Ten in the Outback Bowl. Dantonio is currently 0-4 in bowl games.
“Our focus is on winning our last football game — the bowl game. It’s important for out seniors — the winningest four-year class in Spartan history — to add a bowl victory to its long list of accomplishments.”
The Outback Bowl will start at 1PM ET on January 2nd from Raymond James Stadium. The game will be televised by ABC.
Ref: ESPN, Grand Rapids Press, Outback Bowl (image)