Dec. 6, 2009
Navy To Play Missouri In Texas Bowl
Tickets on sale now at www.navysports.com <http://www.navysports.com>
ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced Sunday that Navy (8-4) will play Missouri (8-4) in the Texas Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 31 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game will be televised nationally by ESPN at 3:30 pm ET, 2:30 pm in Houston.
The Texas Bowl marks a landmark achievement for the football program, as it is the first time in school history that Navy has gone to seven-straight bowl games. Navy can achieve another first by winning the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for a school-record seventh-consecutive year on Saturday when the Mids play Army at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in a game that will be televised nationally by CBS at 2:30 pm ET.
Tickets for the Texas Bowl are on sale now at www.navysports.com. Tickets can also be purchased starting Monday morning at 9 a.m. by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY or at the Ricketts Hall Box Office. Tickets range from $25-$65. Fans are also asked to purchase tickets to sponsor midshipmen and enlisted personnel and their families. The Naval Academy Athletic Association will discount tickets to support this initiative from $40 to $25 in an effort to encourage support and attendance of the midshipmen and our enlisted at the game. Navy fans unable to make the trip to Houston are encouraged to sponsor four midshipmen for $100 or two enlisted for $50. The tax deductable donation will be administered through the Naval Academy Athletic Association ticket office.
"We strongly encourage Navy fans to buy their bowl tickets directly from the Naval Academy Athletic Association," said Gladchuk. "Our goal is to bring a large contingent of the Brigade of Midshipmen and we expect more than 20,000 Navy fans in the stands. It is very important for this game and for future Navy bowl considerations for our fans to purchase tickets through the NAAA. If you can't make it to the game we ask that Navy fans buy tickets for our midshipmen and enlisted personnel, which will allow us to create the usual pageantry of Navy football. Ticket donations through the NAAA ticket office are 100 percent tax deductible."
Anthony Travel is the official Naval Academy Texas Bowl travel agency. Travel packages include hotel accommodations at the JW Marriott (Navy team hotel). Visit AnthonyTravel.com and search Navy Bowl or call (800) 736-6377 to make your reservations.
Under eighth-year head coach Gary Pinkel, Missouri posted an 8-4 record this year and a second-place finish in the Big 12 North. The Tigers are making their fifth-consecutive appearance in a postseason bowl and their sixth in eight
The Tigers are led by a trio of first-team All-Big 12 selections in senior wide receiver Danario Alexander, senior linebacker Sean Witherspoon and sophomore kicker Grant Ressel. Alexander leads the nation in receiving yards per game, averaging 137.0 per contest. Freshman defensive end Aldon Smith was named the Big 12 defensive freshman of the year after registering 11 sacks on the season.
"Missouri is a great football team and they will provide a tremendous challenge for us," said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo. "I will start worrying about the Tigers next Sunday. Right now our sole focus is on our biggest game of the year, which will take place Saturday in Philadelphia against Army."
