SPORTS + OUTDOORS

Come see exciting college football on Dec. 31st at Reliant Stadium at the 4th Annual Texas Bowl. The Texas Bowl is partnered with the Big 12 Conference, Conference USA and the BIG EAST Conference. The bowl will feature a Big 12 school each year, and Conference USA and the BIG EAST will alternate years.

TexFest starts at 11:30 a.m. in Budweiser Plaza and will feature live Texas music, food, family activities and Texas Bowl partner booths. Featured performances from each school’s band and cheerleading squad will build to the team entries into the stadium prior to the game. Come out early and be a part of the biggest pregame party in Texas.

Music artists to be announced.

* Date:Thursday, December 31, 2009
* Time:11:30 a.m.
* Location:Reliant Stadium Budweiser Plaza

The United States Naval Academy accepted a bid to play in the 2009 Texas Bowl following the Midshipmen’s 23-21 victory over No. 19 Notre Dame today in South Bend. Navy is the first team in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision to accept a bowl invitation.

Navy will play a team from the Big 12 Conference which will be announced on Sunday, December 6.

The Texas Bowl moves to ESPN after airing on NFL Network for its first three years. It will be a part of ESPN’s popular Capital One Bowl Week, which will feature 23 bowl games from December 19 to January 2.

The Texas Bowl has been a tremendous success both on and off the field over its first three years. The bowl has generated an average of $25 million per year for the Houston economy. The bowl boasts over 25,000 season ticket holders and sold over 50,000 tickets before its teams were announced last year.

Over its three-year history, the Texas Bowl has donated over $200,000 and over $5 million in promotional support and publicity to DePelchin Children’s Center, the bowl’s official charitable beneficiary.

Last year, a partisan crowd of 58,880 fans saw Rice capture the school’s first win in a bowl game since 1954, defeating Western Michigan 38-14. QB Chase Clement garnered MVP honors after passing for 307 yards and three touchdowns, rushing for 72 yards and a score, and catching a 13-yard touchdown pass.

TCU defeated the University of Houston, 20-13, in the 2007 Texas Bowl before a crowd of 62,097. The audience was the third-largest crowd ever to see a college bowl game in Houston. The 2007 Texas Bowl attracted the eighth-largest crowd among non-BCS bowls last year.

The inaugural Texas Bowl was played on Thursday, December 28, 2006 at Reliant Stadium. Rutgers defeated Kansas State, 37-10, before a crowd of 52,210, the largest crowd to witness a bowl game in Houston not involving a Texas team since 1972

NOTE -- for the 2009 Texas Bowl -- the Home bench should be on the Wast side of the stadium -- in front of 106 & 107; the Visitor bench should be onthe Eest side of the stadium -- in front of 126 & 127. The map is being updated.