Buckeyes Accept Invitation To Play in The Outback Bowl – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 20, 2000
%^$Director of Athletics Andy Geiger today said that Ohio State will play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 1., 2001. “We are thrilled to have been selected by the Outback Bowl,” said Geiger. “We are looking forward to spending the holidays in Florida and playing in Raymond James Stadium. I want to thank (President & CEO) Jim McVay and (Chairman) Chuck Riggs for picking the Ohio State Buckeyes.”%^$
%^$The Buckeyes will play an as of yet undetermined opponent from the Southeastern Conference. The list of possibilities include Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State, Tennessee, LSU and South Carolina.%^$
%^$”Whoever we play will be a great team,” said Ohio State coach John Cooper. “The SEC has tremendous balance.”%^$
%^$Cooper’s Buckeyes, who are coming off an 8-3 season, are ranked 20th in this week’s USA Today/ESPN and 21st in the Associated Press Poll. The Buckeyes, picked in the preseason polls to finish in the middle of the Big Ten pack, surprised almost everyone by playing for a share of the championship on the last day of the regular season.%^$
%^$”We made a lot of progress from last year to this, but we are not close to being satisfied,” said Cooper. “This game, as well as the practices, will help make us a better team both for the bowl and for next year.”%^$
%^$This will be the 32nd bowl appearance and the eighth New Year’s Day game in the past nine years for the Buckeyes. Ohio State has played in two previous Outback Bowls (1990 & ’92).%^$
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Outback Bowl Official Website
