SPORTS + OUTDOORS

Come see exciting college football at Reliant Stadium at the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.  The 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas will feature teams from the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences and will kick off at 11:00 a.m. CST on Saturday, Dec. 31 and will be televised nationally on ESPN. The bowl holds the fifth choice among non-BCS bowls in each conference.

The bowl has been affiliated with the Big 12 since its inception in 2006. This year marks the second year in which the bowl has been affiliated with the Big Ten. Recent projections from national media outlets have suggested potential matchups such as Texas vs. Iowa, Texas Tech vs. Ohio State or Missouri vs. Penn State.

Texas A&M and Northwestern have accepted bids to play in the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. The Aggies will represent the Big 12 and the Wildcats will represent the Big Ten.

“This is a tremendous matchup for the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas,” said Heather Houston, executive director of the bowl. “Texas A&M has a huge and extremely loyal alumni base in the Houston area, and we’re excited to host them in their final game as members of the Big 12. Northwestern has a dynamic, exciting offense and one of the brightest young coaches in the country. We look forward to hosting both teams and their dedicated fans throughout bowl week.”

Texas A&M features one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses and a high-pressure defense. Senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who played wide receiver his first two-plus seasons in College Station, is the only player in NCAA history to record more than 4,000 yards passing and 1,500 yards receiving as well as the only player to record a 400-yard passing game and a 200-yard receiving game. He has a number of options to throw to, led by junior receiver Ryan Swope, who set school single-season records for receptions and receiving yards this year. Defensively, the Aggies lead the nation with 43 sacks and are 15th in the country against the run.

Northwestern is bowl eligible for the school-record fifth consecutive season under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Wildcats are led on the field by senior quarterback Dan Persa, who is NU’s career leader in pass efficiency and is fifth in school history with 34 career touchdown passes. Persa’s favorite target is senior wide receiver Jeremy Ebert, who has posted two of the top five receiving seasons in school history. The Wildcats possessed the second-best offense in the Big Ten and the conference’s best passing attack. Senior defensive lineman Vince Brown ranks fourth in school history with 19 career sacks, including 3.0 this season, and freshman linebacker Ibraheim Campbell leads the team in tackles with 81 stops.

In 2010, Illinois beat Baylor 38-14 on Dec. 29 at Reliant Stadium behind 184 rushing yards from running back Mikel Leshoure, who was named the bowl’s Most Valuable Player. The crowd of 68,211 was the second-largest in the bowl’s history.

TexFest TexFest is the bowl’s official pre-game party featuring live entertainment on the Bud Light Stage, food, family activities and 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.

Date: December 31, 2011
Time: Beginning at 8:00am
Location:  Blue Lot 18 at Reliant Stadium

TexFest, the official pregame party for the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, will take place in the Blue Lot on the south end of Reliant Stadium, with activity on the Bud Light Stage beginning at 8:00 a.m. CST. All fans with game tickets will be admitted into TexFest. Because of the early kickoff time, game organizers are making TexFest a brunch affair this year, with breakfast tacos, Bud Light Cheladas, mimosas, bloody marys and other brunch-themed food and beverage options available at the event.

TexFest Features:

• Live Texas Country Music
• Great Food
• Family Activities
• Team Spirit Walks
• And Much More

UPDATE (11/16/11): Popular Bud Light Texas country artist Jack Ingram will perform live on the Bud Light Stage at TexFest prior to the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas on Saturday, December 31, the Bowl committee announced today. Ingram headlines the pregame festivities leading up to the game, which will kick off at 11:00 a.m. CST.

The Houston native, whose music career began on open mic night at a Dallas bar while he was in school at Southern Methodist, has grown into one of the most popular performers in country music. Ingram’s career has steadily progressed from playing bars and clubs across Texas to playing arenas and stadiums across America, highlighted by his 2008 Academy of Country Music award for Best New Male Vocalist.