The University of Missouri has accepted an invitation to play Texas in the 2017 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl, Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 8 p.m. (Central) inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
“On behalf of the University of Missouri, Chancellor Cartwright, Coach Odom and our student-athletes, we are honored to accept an invitation to participate in the 2017 Texas Bowl,” said Mizzou Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. “We are excited about playing in Houston, an area which we recruit, and look forward to Mizzou fans turning out to cheer on the Tigers against Texas.”
Mizzou, 7-5 on the season and winners of six-straight, will face former Big 12 Conference opponent Texas (6-6) when the nationally televised (ESPN) Texas Bowl kicks off. Both teams will be playing in the Texas Bowl for the second time in their respective histories, with Mizzou dropping a 35-13 decision to Navy in the 2009 game and Texas losing to Arkansas, 31-7, in 2014.
“I am so proud of our players and coaches for staying together and closing the 2017 season with six-straight wins to become bowl-eligible, and we look forward to playing Texas in Houston,” said Mizzou Head Coach Barry Odom. “We’re fortunate to have the opportunity to play a Big 12 opponent in a great NFL stadium like NRG Field.”
A win over the Longhorns would be historic for Mizzou, as the 2017 Tigers would become just the second team in college football history (Rutgers, 2008) to register eight victories after starting the season 1-5. Since its 1-5 start Mizzou has ran off six-straight wins by an average margin of 30.0 points while scoring 45 or more points in each game for the first time in program history.
Mizzou and Texas will be meeting on the gridiron for the 24th time, with Texas holding a 17-6 advantage in the series. The Tigers won the last meeting between the programs, 17-5, at Columbia in 2011, which was Mizzou’s final Big 12 season before joining the SEC.
Entering its 12th year, the Texas Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely related with the NFL’s Houston Texans. The Texas Bowl has ranked fourth in bowl game attendance since 2014, averaging over 70,000 fans and trailing only the Rose, Cotton and Peach Bowls in that span. The Bowl’s official charitable beneficiary is DePelchin Children’s Center.
Mizzou is allotted 8,000 tickets for the 2017 Texas Bowl. The tickets, which are priced at $125 (300 Club Level) or $85 (100 Lower Level), may be purchased online at mutigers.com/tickets. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the MU Athletic Ticket Office (1-800-CAT-PAWS) or in person at the Mizzou Arena box office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. TSF members and season ticket holders must place their orders by Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Noon, to receive priority.
