Michigan leaped past Michigan State and Northwestern to get the January 1 bowl game and will face South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.
This is a rematch of the 2013 game in which the Gamecocks scored late to beat U-M 33-28. The 'Cocks got a six-yard completion to Ace Sanders on a fourth-and-three play on the game winning drive after quarterback Devin Gardner's third touchdown pass of the game had given Michigan a 28-27 lead. South Carolina scored to win it on a long touchdown pass in the waning seconds.
Denard Robinson ran for 100 yards on 23 carries playing primarily at running back.
The game also featured 'The Hit.' South Carolina end Jadeveon Clowney hit running back Vincent Smith and knocked his helmet off at 8:21 of the fourth quarter, a replay that's been seen over and over.
The Wolverines finished 8-4 this year. South Carolina also finished 8-4 with its best win over N.C. State. It will be only the fourth time these teams have played in more than 125 seasons of their football history, with South Carolina having won in 1980 at Ann Arbor, U-M at Carolina in 1985.
“We are very excited to extend an invitation to the University of Michigan and the University of South Carolina to play in this year’s Outback Bowl,” Outback Bowl Chairman Todd Buchanan said. “These are two exciting teams and a quality match-up that fans are really going to enjoy watching on New Year’s Day. We look forward to hosting the Wolverine and Gamecock teams and their fans, and ensure them they will have an amazing and memorable experience in the Tampa Bay area.”
“Michigan proudly accepts the invitation to have our student-athletes, coaches and fans experience the Outback Bowl this holiday season,” Michigan A.D. Warde Manuel said in a statement. “On our previous five trips to Tampa, the Outback Bowl staff has provided a first-class, memorable experience for everyone associated with our program.”
“We are honored to represent our University and the Big Ten Conference in the tradition-laden Outback Bowl in Tampa,” head coach Jim Harbaugh added. “Our players and staff are excited to face an excellent SEC opponent and look forward to the competition on New Year’s Day.”
The Outback Bowl will be played on January 1st at 12:00 PM ET at Raymond James Stadium. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster at (813) 287-8844 or 1-800-745-3000 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet in the state of Florida.
Watch for more on this development ...
NOTES
• Michigan has played in 11 different bowl games during his history, winning 21 times, which is the 17th highest total among FBS school.
• U-M has compiled an 8-5 record against the SEC in bowl games.· This will be the 35th time that Michigan faces an SEC school (25-8-1 mark), with the program starting and finishing the 2017 season against the conference; opened the year with a 33-17 victory over Florida in the AdvoCare Classic in Dallas, Texas
.· This is the 17th time that the Wolverines have played a bowl game in the state of Florida (9-7 record).
• Outback Bowl Ticket InformationTickets to the 2018 Outback Bowl will be available for purchase by the general public on a first-come, first-served basis on Monday at 8:30 a.m. EST. Football season ticket holders and donors to Michigan Athletics who submitted their pre-order by the November 29 deadline will have seat locations assigned according to priority point total. To order bowl tickets, visit mgoblue.com/tickets or call the Michigan Athletic Ticket Office at 866-296-MTIX or 734-764-0247. Phone orders or in-person orders will be taken weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
• Official Outback Bowl Tour and Tailgate InformationThe Alumni Association of the University of Michigan is once again hosting the only official University of Michigan Outback Bowl Tour and Tailgate. There are flexible travel packages available as well as a pre-game tailgate. Information and registration for all bowl events is available at umalumni.com/bowltour. Call 877.513.2320 with questions or to make a reservation over the phone.
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