Big Ten sends seven schools to bowl games
From the Big Ten
Rosemont, Ill. – Seven Big Ten schools were selected for bowl competition on Sunday night, including two teams earning Bowl Championship Series (BCS) berths. Big Ten Champion Michigan State will represent the conference in the historic 100th edition of the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO and Ohio State is headed to the Discover Orange Bowl. In addition, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin collected bids to postseason contests.
After winning the Big Ten Football Championship Game to secure the Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy, Michigan State will take on Stanford in the Rose Bowl Game. Kickoff of the 2014 contest is set for 5:10 p.m. ET on Jan. 1. The Spartans are heading to Pasadena for the first time since the 1988 Rose Bowl Game and competing in the contest for the fifth time in program history. Michigan State has advanced to a program-record seven straight postseason contests and is making its 24th bowl appearance in team history. The Spartans are 3-2 against Stanford, having last played the Cardinal in the 1996 Sun Bowl.
Ohio State makes its first official BCS appearance since the 2010 Rose Bowl Game when it heads to the Orange Bowl to take on Clemson. The game will be contested in Miami Gardens, Fla. at 8:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 3. The Buckeyes will be making their 43rd official appearance in postseason competition, having last appeared in the 2012 Gator Bowl. Ohio State will officially appear in its ninth BCS contest and will take part in the Orange Bowl for just the second time after winning the 1977 game. The only previous meeting between Ohio State and Clemson was in the 1978 Gator Bowl.
Wisconsin heads to the Capital One Bowl for the first time since the 2007 game and will face South Carolina at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 1, in Orlando, Fla. The Badgers are taking part in postseason play for a school-record 12th straight season and are making their 25th bowl appearance. Wisconsin will make its third trip to the Capital One Bowl, with consecutive victories following the 2005 and 2006 seasons. The New Year’s Day matchup will mark the Badgers’ first meeting with South Carolina.
Iowa returns to the bowl scene with its fifth bowl berth in the last six seasons and will take on LSU in the Outback Bowl at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 1 in Tampa, Fla. The Hawkeyes will make their 27th postseason appearance overall, having won three of their last four bowl contests. Iowa will make its fourth trip to the Outback Bowl, including victories in 2004 and 2009. The Hawkeyes have faced LSU just once in program history, knocking off the Tigers on a last-second touchdown in the 2005 Capital One Bowl.
Michigan heads to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl for the first time in team history and will face Kansas State. The game is slated for Dec. 28, with kick scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET in Tempe, Ariz. The Wolverines will take part in postseason competition for the fourth straight season and 43rd time in program history. The postseason contest will be the first meeting between Michigan and Kansas State.
Nebraska will face Georgia in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl at 12 p.m. ET on Jan. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Huskers will make their 50th bowl appearance and seventh straight. Nebraska will take part in the Gator Bowl for the second time in school history after defeating Clemson in the 2009 contest. The Huskers have faced Georgia twice, including last season’s meeting in the Capital One Bowl.
Minnesota will take part in the Texas Bowl for the second straight season and will face Syracuse on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. ET in Houston, Texas. The Gophers will be making their 16th postseason appearance and second straight bowl trip. Minnesota has faced the Orange four times in program history, owning a 3-1 mark, most recently a victory in 2012.
