Teams will meet for the first time in history; Purdue to make the first-ever trip to Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn., (Dec. 2, 2018) – Representatives from the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl announced today that the Purdue University Boilermakers will represent the Big Ten in the 21st annual Bowl as they take on the Auburn University Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Kickoff will be Friday, Dec. 28 at 12:30 p.m. CST at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Purdue, Auburn, and their fans to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” said Scott Tansil, Executive Vice President, Franklin American Mortgage Company. “Each year the Bowl has a tremendous economic impact on the city of Nashville and its surrounding areas, and we have no doubt these enthusiastic fanbases will continue this trend. Both schools are college football powerhouses, and they are sure to give us the exciting matchup that fans have come to expect from our bowl game.”
Purdue comes into the game sporting a 6-6 overall record and a 5-4 record in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are ranked ninth in passing yards in the NCAA , and second in the conference due to senior quarterback David Blough’s 3,521 passing yards. Head Coach Jeff Brohm has led all of his teams to a Bowl game since his first head coaching position at Western Kentucky in 2014, and to back-to-back postseason games with the Boilermakers. This season, Purdue has upset three ranked opponents including the then ranked No. 2 Ohio State. This will be the 19th Bowl appearance for the Boilermakers and their first appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
Auburn finished the regular season 7-5, and 3-5 in the SEC. This will mark Auburn’s 2nd appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl with their only previous appearance coming in 2003. The Tigers’ quarterback Jarrett Stidham and running back Jatarvious Whitlow both ranked in the Top 10 in passing and rushing yards in the SEC. Head Coach Gus Malzahn has led the Tigers to five straight postseason games in his five years at Auburn. This will be the Tigers 42nd bowl appearance.
The 2018 game marks the fifth year of new six-year conference agreements in which the SEC will take on either the ACC or Big Ten in Nashville each year. Last year, Northwestern defeated Kentucky 24-23 in front of a crowd of 50,478.
Established in 1998, the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl has transformed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day into one of the city’s busiest times of the year for tourism. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced over $310 million in direct economic impact to Nashville.
Quotes:
Purdue Head Coach Jeff Brohm: “To be headed to our second straight bowl game is awesome, and we appreciate the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl for inviting us to the wonderful city of Nashville,” Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm said. “I know our players will enjoy the experience and the opportunity to play at Nissan Stadium, which is one of the top venues in the National Football League. Our team looks forward to getting back on the practice field this week and preparing to play a very good Auburn team.”
Purdue Director of Athletics Mike Bobinski:
“We are excited to bring our team, all of Purdue University and our fans to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. Nashville is one of the great cities in this county, one of the happening places to be, and we are looking forward to playing a great Auburn team and having a great time, which is what a bowl game is all about. We appreciate the invitation very much and will do our part to make it a terrific experience for everyone.”
Auburn University Director of Athletics Allen Greene: “Auburn is appreciative and thankful to formally accept an invitation to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. Our student-athletes have worked extremely hard and this opportunity is a reward for their efforts throughout the year and the season. Nashville is a great city, has a large Auburn alumni base and is geographically in a great location for our fans. We look forward to a large crowd of orange and blue at Nissan Stadium to cheer on our team against a very good Purdue program.”
Auburn University Football Head Coach Gus Malzahn: “We are excited to be heading to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and making our sixth-consecutive postseason appearance. Nashville is a great city and we will be facing a very talented and well-coached Purdue team. We look forward to enjoying the bowl experience while working to send out seniors out with a victory.”
Scott Tansil, Executive Vice President of the Franklin American Mortgage Company: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Purdue, Auburn, and their fans to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” said Scott Tansil, Executive Vice President, Franklin American Mortgage Company. “Each year the Bowl has a tremendous economic impact on the city of Nashville and its surrounding areas, and we have no doubt these enthusiastic fanbases will continue this trend. Both schools are college football powerhouses, and they are sure to give us the exciting matchup that fans have come to expect from our bowl game.”
Nashville Mayor David Briley:
“The Music City Bowl is one of our city’s best annual events, always bringing a high level of excitement and great fans to Nashville during the holiday season,” said Mayor David Briley. “I’m positive that Auburn and Purdue will make for another amazing chapter in the history of the game, and I welcome both teams and their fan bases to our city.”
Scott Ramsey, President & CEO, Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: “We look forward to the opportunity to host the first-ever matchup between Auburn University and Purdue University,” said Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. “The game will lead into a dynamic sports and music weekend in Nashville for all of the Tiger and Boilermaker fans traveling to Music City.”
Ticket Note: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster online at MusicCityBowl.com. Fans can enhance their Bowl Week experience through the purchase of a VIP Package, which includes exclusive tickets, hospitality invitations, and more. VIP Packages are being facilitated by PrimeSport. More information can be found on the Bowl’s website.
Special Note to Fans:
This year’s Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will mark the beginning of a partnership with Tailgate Guys for an exciting game day Fan Zone outside of Nissan Stadium. Premium hospitality & tailgating experiences will be available through Tailgate Guys vast array of offerings. Opening several hours before kickoff at 9AM CST, fans will be able to enjoy the Fan Zone’s interactive exhibits, food and drink, music, and fun for locals and visitors alike.
For fans attending the game, please visit MusicCityBowl.com to purchase game day parking. Several parking options are available, but for those wishing to park in a stadium parking lot at Nissan Stadium, passes must be pre-purchased. No parking passes at Nissan Stadium will be available to purchase on game day.
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About the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:
The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is an annual post-season collegiate Bowl featuring the Atlantic Coast or Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced over $310 million in direct economic impact. Televised nationally to millions of viewers and listeners on ESPN and ESPN Radio, the Bowl is Nashville’s Holiday Tradition. For more information, call the Bowl office at 615.743.3130 or visit the Bowl online at MusicCityBowl.com.
BOWL MEDIA CONTACT
For interview requests with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, please contact Casey Kupper at 270.210.3212 or CKupper@NashvilleSports.com.
PURDUE MEDIA CONTACT
For quotes or to arrange interviews, please contact Matt Rector at 765.237.1330 or rector@purdue.edu.
AUBURN MEDIA CONTACT
For quotes or to arrange interviews, please contact Kirk Sampson at 334.750.1385 or sampska@auburn.edu