Auburn To Face Virginia Tech In Nokia Sugar Bowl
December 05, 2004
AUBURN - Auburn, fresh off a Southeastern Conference Championship, will make its first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game after accepting an invitation Sunday to play in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. The Tigers, who will make their fifth appearance in the Sugar Bowl and first since 1989, will face Virginia Tech in a game played on January 3 at 7 p.m. CT in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
"We are thrilled to be playing in the Sugar Bowl for the first time in more than 15 years," said Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. "We are excited to be representing the Southeastern Conference as its champion. We are looking forward to celebrating a great season with our fans in an outstanding bowl environment in New Orleans."
Due to a limited number of tickets, only those that received a ticket order form will be able to order Sugar Bowl tickets at this time. Tickets are $105, $85 and $75 each. Additional ticket information is available on Auburn's web site, www.auburntigers.com under bowl information. Ticket order information for Auburn employees and
students will be available Monday on the web site. Click here for ticket information.
The Tigers became the first team in school history to achieve a 12-0 record after defeating Tennessee, 38-28, in the SEC Championship Saturday. Auburn won its first SEC title since 1989 and its first outright title since 1987.
Auburn remained third in the BCS Standings released Sunday, trailing Southern California and Oklahoma by .439 and .350 points respectively. The Tigers are third in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls.
In four other appearances in the Sugar Bowl, Auburn has a 1-2-1 record. The Tigers fell to Oklahoma, 40-22 in 1972, defeated Michigan, 9-7 in 1984, tied Syracuse, 16-16 in 1988 and lost to Florida State, 13-7 in 1989.
Auburn will make its fifth bowl appearance in six seasons under Tuberville. The Tigers have won their last two bowl games with a 13-9 victory over Penn State in the 2003 Capital One Bowl and a 28-14 win over Wisconsin in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl last season.
Auburn holds a 2-1-1 series lead over Virginia Tech, although the two teams have not met since 1978, a 18-7 Auburn win in Blacksburg. The two teams first played in 1924, battling to a 0-0 tie. The next season, Auburn defeated the Hokies 19-0 in Auburn. Virginia Tech beat the Tigers, 23-16 in 1975.
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