The Auburn Tigers are going bowling. Here’s what to know about matchup with Minnesota
Ninth-ranked Auburn will travel to the Sunshine State for its bowl game.
The Tigers were selected to play in the Outback Bowl against Minnesota at 1 p.m. EST on New Year’s Day.
Most bowl projections had Auburn playing in either the Citrus Bowl or the Outback Bowl. Auburn had an outside shot at the Cotton Bowl or the Orange Bowl, two New Year’s Six bowls, but needed several upsets in Saturday’s conference championships for that to happen. Instead, the Tigers will travel to Tampa, Fla., their second trip to the state of Florida this year after their 24-13 loss to Florida in The Swamp.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Auburn did keep rival Alabama from a New Year’s Six bowl, though. Alabama fell to No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings following the Tigers’ 48-45 Iron Bowl win, a game that featured four made kicks by Anders Carlson and one costly missed kick by the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide will play in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan.
“When you look at this whole season, we knew it was going to be a gauntlet,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said after the Tigers’ Iron Bowl win. “We played the toughest schedule in college football. Our guys hung in there. At times it was tough, they never flinched.”
According to Winsipedia, this will be the first-ever matchup between Auburn and Minnesota. The Tigers have played in the Outback Bowl four times, and hold a 2-2 record. Auburn’s previous two Outback Bowl appearances also went to overtime.
Here’s how the Tigers fared in each of their previous Outback Bowl appearances:
- 2015: Winsonsin defeats Auburn 34-31 in overtime
- 2010: Auburn defeats Northwestern 38-35 in overtime
- 1996: Penn State defeats Auburn 43-14
- 1990: Auburn defeats Ohio State 31-14
More Auburn Tigers coverage from the L-E
- Kick sixes, pick sixes and other observations from the Tigers’ win over Alabama
- Tigers kicker Anders Carlson broke his slump, and had a big day against the Crimson Tide
- Linebacker Zakoby McClain returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown vs. the Tide
- Guerry Clegg says the Tigers’ Iron Bowl win just bought Malzahn more time
Keep up with the Tigers
- Twitter: @JoshDMixon; @wareagleaxtra; @guerryclegg
- Facebook: War Eagle Extra
- Web: www.ledger-enquirer.com
