Mizzou Accepts Bid from Texas Bowl

Missouri To Play Navy on Dec. 31

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri has accepted an invitation to play in the 2009 Texas Bowl, as announced today by Mizzou and Texas Bowl officials.

The Tigers (8-4 overall and 4-4 in Big 12 play, 2nd in the Big 12 North Division) will play in the 4th annual edition of the game, set for Dec. 31st in Houston, Texas, against the United States Naval Academy (8-4, with one game left to play on Dec. 12th against Army). The game will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. (central) from Reliant Stadium (home of the NFL's Houston Texans) and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

The game will mark MU's fifth-consecutive bowl game (an MU record), and sixth bowl appearance in the last seven seasons overall under Head Coach Gary Pinkel, after Mizzou had gone to only two bowl games in a span of 19 seasons dating from 1984-2002. Pinkel has now tied College Football Hall of Fame Coach Dan Devine for most bowl appearances at Mizzou, with his six bowl outings. The Texas Bowl appearance will be Mizzou's 27th bowl game overall, with MU holding a 12-14 mark in its previous 26 outings.

The Mizzou Athletic Ticket Office will begin taking online orders for the Texas Bowl beginning tonight (Sunday, Dec. 6th) at www.Mutigers.ocm. Fans may also order over the phone by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Columbia) or in person at the Mizzou Arena Ticket Office beginning Monday (Dec. 7th) at 8 a.m., but are strongly encouraged to order online to ensure prompt service. Mizzou's tickets are priced from a range of $25 to $75.

The Mizzou Alumni Association will host the Official Mizzou Texas Bowl Tour Dec. 30 - Jan. 1. Full air/land and land-only packages are available to Houston. To join the Official Mizzou Texas Bowl Tour visit www.MizzouSportsTravel.com or call 888-MIZZOU-1 (649-9681). The Association will plan bowl events for Tiger fans including a pre-game tailgate. Details will be released shortly.

For more information about the 2009 Texas Bowl, and the city of Houston, please visit the official site of the Texas Bowl, at www.texasbowl.org.