Tulsa Gets Rematch with Iowa State
AutoZone Liberty Bowl officials announced today that the Big XII’s Iowa State Cyclones will square off against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the 54th AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012 at 2:30 p.m. (). The game will be televised by .
It will be the second meeting this year between the two schools. Tulsa and Iowa State opened the 2012 season in Ames, Iowa on Sept. 1 in Ames Iowa, as the Cyclones came away with a 38-23 victory.
Tulsa clinched a spot in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday with a 33-27 victory against in the 2012 Conference Championship Game. Liberty Bowl officials were on hand to present Tulsa its’ invitation following a game that the Hurricane won in overtime.
“We’re excited to be representing Conference as the league champion in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and having the opportunity to play a very good Iowa State team for a second time this season. It’s ironic that we opened the year at Iowa State and now will close the season with the Cyclones. This bowl game has such a tremendous and storied history and the fact that it helps honor all the work done at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital makes it all the more gratifying to be a part of this great bowl experience,” said Tulsa Head Coach Bill Blankenship. “We’re thrilled to be going to Memphis. I attended Tulsa’s appearance in the 2005 Liberty Bowl game as fan, and now I can’t wait to go back with this team. It has been an exciting season for our players, coaches and fans and trust that Golden Hurricane fans will flock to Memphis on New Year’s Eve for what should be a great football game.
“There’s no question that Iowa State is well-coached and obviously, like us, have gone through transition since we met in the season opener. Iowa State has tremendous talent on their football team and played an excellent schedule in the Big Conference. Coach Rhoads has done an outstanding job in his four seasons. It will be a great challenge for our football team,” added Blankenship.
Game tickets are on sale now at TulsaHurricane.com for $55.00. Tickets will also be on sale Monday by calling 918.631.GoTU (4688) or in person at the Donald W. Reynolds Center on the TU campus. Travel packages will be announced in the coming days. In addition, fans unable to attend the game can purchase tickets to send a TU student to the contest.
Tulsa will enter the bowl game with an overall 10-3 record, the ninth 10-win season in school history and the fourth time in the last six years. The Hurricane will be looking for an 11th win at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, a feat that has only happened once before in school history as the 2008 team finished the campaign with an 11-3 mark.
Iowa State finished the regular season with an overall 6-6 record, as the Cyclones also had victories over Iowa, Western Illinois, #13 , Baylor and Kansas.
This matchup will be the second time this year that the Hurricane has faced an opponent twice. Tulsa played on Nov. 17 and again in the C- Championship Game two weeks later. It also marks the first time that Tulsa has played two opponents twice in a season since 1929 when the Hurricane played Phillips University twice and Oklahoma City twice.
The bowl appearance for Tulsa is the 19th in school history and the eighth time in the last 10 years. Iowa State is making the schools’ 12th bowl game appearance and second consecutive bowl. Last year, Tulsa lost in the waning seconds against in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, while Iowa State dropped a 27-13 decision against Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Tulsa will be making its second trip to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Hurricane played in the 2005 contest and defeated Fresno State 31-24, on Dec. 31, 2005.
Updated 12-03-2012
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