PULLMAN, Wash. - The Washington State University Cougars accepted an invitation to play in the Hyundai Sun Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 26, at 11 a.m. PT (Noon MT), Sun Bowl Executive Director Bernie Olivas announced Sunday.
The Hyundai Sun Bowl will feature the Washington State Cougars against the Miami Hurricanes from the Atlantic Coast Conference. This will mark the first meeting between the two teams.
Under fourth-year head coach Mike Leach, the Cougars finished the regular season 8-4 overall, 6-3 in the Pac-12 play, the best records, respectively, since the 2003 campaign when WSU went 10-3, 7-2.
“Washington State is excited to be participating in the 2015 Sun Bowl,” said Washington State Director of Athletics Bill Moos. “I can say from experience that both our team and our fans will enjoy the first class hospitality that will be extended by the El Paso community and the bowl itself. This will be a fabulous and deserving reward for our players and a wonderful way to cap off an outstanding season.”
Washington State is making its second bowl appearance in Leach’s four years, a first for a Cougar head coach, and 12th overall as a program. Most recently WSU faced Colorado State at the New Mexico Bowl (2013) and previously played in the Rose Bowl (1916, 1931, 1998, 2003), the Holiday Bowl (1981, 2003), the Aloha Bowl (1988), The Copper Bowl (1992), the Alamo Bowl (1994) and the Sun Bowl (2001). The Cougars are 6-5 in bowl games all time.
“We are excited to play another football game and spend our holiday week at the Sun Bowl,” said Washington State Head Coach Mike Leach. “Our players and coaches have worked extremely hard to get to a bowl game and we are proud to be playing in one of the nation’s longest-standing bowls.”
The Cougars are making their second appearance in the Sun Bowl. In the 2001 game, the 13th-ranked Cougars defeated Pursue, 33-27, as All-American safety Lamont Thompson earned MVP honors after intercepting two passes, deflecting another three passes and registered 10 tackles.
Tickets for the 2015 Sun Bowl may be ordered through wsucougars.com later this afternoon (Sunday, Dec. 6). Fans may also call the Cougar Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-COUGS starting at 9 a.m., Monday morning. Tickets information is also available at www.sunbowl.org.
The Sun Bowl will be televised live nationally by CBS from Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas.
Additional information on the 2015 Sun Bowl is available at www.sunbowl.org.
