MADISON, Wis. (AP) -Wisconsin is headed back to the Outback Bowl.
The No. 19 Badgers announced Wednesday they had accepted their fourth invitation to the New Year’s Day game in Tampa, Fla. Wisconsin lost to Georgia in 1998 and 2005, and beat Duke when it was known as the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1995.
“Our entire team is excited to be returning to Florida for our fourth straight January bowl game,” Badgers coach Bret Bielema said.
Wisconsin will play an opponent to be determined from the Southeastern Conference at Raymond James Stadium. It will be the program’s 13th bowl game in the past 15 seasons and 19th overall.
“We knew we wanted Wisconsin badly,” said Jim McVay, the bowl’s president and chief executive officer. “We love that team. That’s the kind of team you want. The football team is really good and tough and hard-nosed. They’re 9-3, highly ranked in the BCS, beat Michigan.
“They have everything you want in a New Year’s Day college football bowl team – the fans, the cheerleaders, the band, the atmosphere, everything. The Badgers just have it all when it comes to being a great bowl team.”
The Badgers finished fourth in the Big Ten with a 5-3 record. Their opponent on New Year’s Day will depend on the outcome of Saturday’s SEC title game between No. 5 LSU and No. 14 Tennessee.
Wisconsin’s potential opponents include the loser of that game, as well as No. 10 Florida and No. 23 Auburn.
The Badgers had been under consideration for the Capital One Bowl, where they had played the past two seasons. But Florida Citrus Sports officials, who oversee the Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl, said Wednesday that they would choose from among No. 15 Illinois, Michigan and Penn State.
“While working to select participating teams for this year’s Capital One Bowl, it has become clear that we are fortunate to have four outstanding teams available to us in the Big Ten Conference,” Florida Citrus Sports said in a statement.
“When considering that the University of Wisconsin has appeared in Orlando each of the past two years … it is in the best interests of all concerned to release the Badgers from Capital One Bowl consideration.”
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