Teams will meet for third time in their storied history; Nebraska to make first-ever trip to Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn., (Dec. 4, 2016) – Representatives from the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl announced today that the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers will represent the Big Ten in the 19th annual Bowl as they take on the University of Tennessee Volunteers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Kickoff will be Friday, Dec. 30 at 2:30 p.m. CST at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The game will be televised live on ESPN.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Nebraska and Tennessee to Nashville for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” said Dan Crockett, President/CEO of Franklin American Mortgage Company. “This is our seventh year as the Bowl’s title sponsor, and we’ve always been impressed with the national recognition the game has brought to our company and the city of Nashville. Additionally, it is our honor to use the game as an opportunity to give back to our numerous Bowl-related charities. I wish Nebraska and Tennessee the best of luck, and I’m looking forward to another great game!”

Nebraska comes into the game sporting a 9-3 overall record, 5-3 in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers boast one of the best secondaries in the nation, intercepting the ball 16 times - good for tenth nationally - to anchor a defense that ranks fifth in the Big Ten in points allowed per game at 22.8. Coach Mike Riley has led the Cornhuskers to back-to-back bowl appearances in his first two years as the head coach and he has the fifth best winning percentage among coaches in bowl games. This will be Nebraska’s 53rd bowl appearance which is the third most appearances in the NCAA. This will be the Cornhuskers first appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and their first ever trip to Nashville.

Tennessee finished the regular season 8-4, 4-4 in the SEC. This will mark Tennessee’s 2nd appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl with their only previous appearance coming in 2010. The Volunteers have one of the best offenses in the nation, averaging 36.3 points per game, second best in the SEC. Tennessee has not lost a bowl game under Coach Butch Jones, winning their last two bowl games, both against Big Ten opponents. This will be Tennessee’s 52nd bowl appearance, which is the fourth most in the NCAA and represents the Vols third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time since 2002-04.

The 2016 game marks the third 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, Louisville defeated Texas A&M 27-21 in front of a crowd of 50,478.

Tennessee and Nebraska have met on the gridiron only twice in their history. Nebraska holds a 2-0 advantage in the series. This is the first time the two have clashed since meeting as two top ten teams in bowl games following the 1997 and 1999 seasons. Nebraska’s victory over Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl earned the Cornhuskers a National Championship.

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 $268 million in direct economic impact to Nashville.

Quotes:
Nebraska Head Coach Mike Riley:
“We are excited about the invitation to complete the 2016 season in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” Riley said. “This is a great opportunity to finish our year in an outstanding bowl game and compete for a 10th win against an excellent Tennessee team. As a staff, we are looking forward to spending the additional practice time with this team and preparing for a strong performance.” “I know our players, coaches and fans will enjoy the trip to Nashville, and we anticipate a great week of activities and an excellent football game.”

Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst:
“The University of Nebraska is extremely honored to accept an invitation to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” University of Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst said. “The Music City Bowl is an exceptional Big Ten bowl partner, Nashville is a world-class city and this will be a great destination for our student-athletes, staff and the best fans in college football.”

University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Dave Hart:
"We are looking forward to playing in our third-straight bowl game against a ranked opponent. Scott Ramsey and the Nashville Sports Council do a great job hosting the Music City Bowl each year and we are grateful for the invitation. We appreciate Dan Crockett and Franklin American Mortgage and the job they do as a title sponsor."

University of Tennessee Football Head Coach Butch Jones:
"Our entire program is excited about representing the University of Tennessee at the Music City Bowl. This will be a great opportunity for our players to play in a NFL stadium against a very challenging opponent in Nebraska. We have a special group of seniors that have given their all for this program and I know they are excited about a final opportunity to play together."

Dan Crockett, President/CEO of the Franklin American Mortgage Company:
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Nebraska and Tennessee to Nashville for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl,” said Dan Crockett, President/CEO of Franklin American Mortgage Company. “This is our seventh year as the Bowl’s title sponsor, and we’ve always been impressed with the national recognition the game has brought to our company and the city of Nashville. Additionally, it is our honor to use the game as an opportunity to give back to our numerous Bowl-related charities. I wish Nebraska and Tennessee the best of luck, and I’m looking forward to another great game!”

Scott Ramsey, President & CEO, Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:
“This is our 19th annual Bowl and it is a great opportunity to host two of the most tradition-laden college football programs in the country in Nebraska and Tennessee,” said Scott Ramsey, President & CEO, Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. “The two teams have combined for 103 previous bowl game appearances in their history and the chance to have these two brands in our city will generate great excitement, economic impact, and viewership on ESPN.”

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:
A new addition for fans attending this year’s Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will be the Fan Zone on Broadway. The Fan Zone on Broadway will include interactive exhibits, food and drink, music, and fun for locals and visitors alike. More information can be found online at MusicCityBowl.com/fan-zone. 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.

About the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:
The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is an annual postseason collegiate Bowl featuring the Atlantic Coast or Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced over $268 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 Brandon Cox at 615.294.8034 or BCox@NashvilleSports.com.

NEBRASKA MEDIA CONTACT For quotes or to arrange interviews, please contact Keith Mann at 402.540.0274 or KMann@huskers.com.

TENNESSEE MEDIA CONTACT For quotes or to arrange interviews, please contact Ryan Robinson at 865.974.4167 or RyanRobinson@utk.edu.