Arizona State To Play Texas Tech In The Holiday Bowl Dec. 30
TEMPE, Ariz. – The 2013 Pac-12 South Champion Arizona State Sun Devils will face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the 36th National University Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Diego, 2013 Bowl President Bill Geppert announced Sunday.
ASU will play in its third consecutive bowl game for the first time since 2005-07, and its 27th overall, at Qualcomm Stadium at 7:15 pm PT on ESPN. This will be the Sun Devils’ fourth appearance in the Holiday Bowl and its first since being Pac-10 co-Champions in 2007.
"The annual goal for every college football team is to have a successful season and earn a reward to play in a bowl game," Pac-12 Coach of the Year Todd Graham said. "We are very proud to have reached that goal by participating in The Holiday Bowl against a worthy opponent such as Texas Tech. It will be an honor to travel to and participate in this wonderful bowl experience in one of America's greatest cities. It will be our pleasure to fulfill all of the expectations of The Holiday Bowl committee and of their community and to represent the Sun Devil Nation with class and character. Also, the San Diego area is a recruiting priority of ours so it will be an opportunity for us to bring our product to Southern California. And the Sun Devil fans, which have been so good to us all season, can get to San Diego on an easy flight or in a short drive."
Led by coach Graham, two-time Pac-12 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Will Sutton, and a school record-tying 17 All-Pac-12 honorees, the No. 16 Sun Devils won the Pac-12 South Championship with a 10-3 record, including a conference-best eight regular season Pac-12 wins and its second consecutive Territorial Cup® victory.
“This is a great reward for our football student-athletes and coaches, who gave us one of the most impressive and exciting seasons in recent memory,” Dr. James Rund, Interim Athletics Director and ASU Senior Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Services, said. “We have a passionate fan base in southern California, and there are more than 18,500 Arizona State University alumni living in that area, including 6,000 in San Diego. We are excited for Sun Devil Nation to enjoy a great game against Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl.”
The Sun Devils are 1-0 all-time against Texas Tech with a 31-13 home win over the Red Raiders in 1999. The 2013 matchup between the Sun Devils and Texas Tech features a Red Raider offense that averages 392 passing yards per game, the second most in the nation, and an ASU defense that ranks in the top eight in the nation in interceptions, turnovers forced and sacks.
Since coach Graham’s arrival in 2011, the Sun Devils have become one of the nation’s least penalized teams as they rank fourth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game and seventh in total number of penalties per game.
The Sun Devils are ranked in the top 10 nationally in eight statistical categories and have scored more than 50 points in six games this season under coach Graham and offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.
ASU is 0-3 in previous Holiday Bowls with a 18-17 loss to Arkansas in 1985, a 34-27 loss to Kansas State in 2002 and a 52-34 loss to Texas in 2007. Two Sun Devils have been named the Holiday Bowl Defensive Player of the Game, including Greg Battle in 1985 and Terrell Suggs in 2002.
Coach Graham is 4-1 in bowl games in his career and has won in his past three appearances, including a 62-28 win over Navy in the 2012 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in his first season at ASU. The Sun Devils are 13-12-1 all-time in bowl appearances.
Student tickets will be available on Monday, Dec. 9, at 9 am for student season ticket holders and student Sun Devil Club members before becoming available to all students on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 9 a.m. Students may purchase one ticket for as low as $40 by visiting the Sun Devil Ticket Office or calling 480-727-0000.
Sun Devil fans that support Sun Devil Athletics with football season tickets and/or contributions to the Sun Devil Club are rewarded with the exclusive right to request bowl tickets until 5 pm on Dec. 13.
The general public will have the opportunity to sign up for a waiting list on thesundevils.com to request bowl tickets starting on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 8 am, and tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis following the allocation of priority requests. Season ticket holders, Sun Devil Club members and students DO NOT need to sign up for the waiting list. Should tickets remain after all pre-orders are fulfilled, they will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Dec. 19. All general public orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis.
Please consult the sundevils.com/bowlticketFAQ for more ticket information. Sign in to SunDevilTickets.com, call 480-965-5333 or contact your sales representative to reserve bowl tickets.
Please visit sundevilclubtravel.com for information regarding Sun Devil Club bowl travel packages.