Michigan vs. Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl

Michigan's football team will play on New Year's Day once again. The Wolverines will face Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl Jan. 1, their first bowl game appearance since beating Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl.

Michigan will face the No. 21 Bulldogs at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. on New Year's Day 2011. The game will kick off at 1:30 p.m. EST and will be nationally-televised by ESPN2.

"We are excited about representing the Big Ten Conference in the Gator Bowl," said Athletic Director Dave Brandon. "Our players, coaches and football support staff have worked hard all season and this is a great reward for them. We have great alumni and fan support in the Sunshine State and I anticipate a large Michigan contingent in Jacksonville."

This will be the third time that Michigan has played in the Gator Bowl. Michigan lost 17-15 loss to North Carolina in 1976 and beat Mississippi 35-3 in 1991, racking up over 700 yards of offense.

"We are excited about the opportunity to play a very good Mississippi State team in the Gator Bowl. They run a first-class operation and our players will really enjoy the experience," said head coach Rich Rodriguez. "I've always enjoyed my previous experiences at the Gator Bowl.

"Mississippi State is a great team and has been consistently ranked among the top 25 this season. Dan Mullen and his staff have done an outstanding job. It should be a great matchup, and we look forward to playing them on New Year's Day."

Rodriguez played in a Gator Bowl as a player at West Virginia and has coached in several.

"They do a great job of hosting the teams and making the bowl experience a memorable one for the players," said Rodriguez. " I look forward to seeing many of the Gator Bowl representatives who have become friends over the years."

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Ticket Information: The U-M Athletic Ticket Office will begin selling tickets to the 2011 Gator Bowl on Monday, Dec. 6, at 8:30 a.m. EST. Tickets range from $60 to $125, and will be assigned based on the Victors Club priority point program. Fans can purchase tickets online at MGoBlue.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at 866-296-MTIX or 734-764-0247.

Alumni Tour: The Alumni Association is taking reservations for the official University of Michigan Bowl tour at 877-513-2320 or MichiganSportsTours.com.