12/7/03

Longhorns accept bid to Holiday Bowl

AUSTIN, Texas -- The fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns have accepted an invitation to play in the 26th annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Calif., on Tuesday, December 30 at 5 p.m. PT/7p.m. CT on ESPN, 2003 Bowl President Pete Hedley announced Sunday. Texas will face the 15th-ranked Washington State Cougars, the runners up from the Pac-10 Conference.

The Longhorns closed the season with six-consecutive victories for a 10-2 overall record, 7-1 in the Big 12. The trip will mark the sixth-consecutive bowl appearance for Texas in six seasons under Mack Brown, who is 59-17 as head coach of the Longhorns. The six consecutive bowl appearances is the longest streak since nine consecutive bowl berths from 1977-85. Texas will be attempting to earn its third straight 11-win season for the first time in school history after having already earned its first three-season string of 10 wins this season.

The game will be the third all-time meeting between Texas and Washington State, but the first in 43 years. The Longhorns, who lead the series 2-0, defeated the Cougars, 41-8 in 1961, and 40-14 in 1954.

Texas will be making its third trip to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl in its history, all of which have come in the last four years. The Longhorns are 1-1 in the bowl after defeating Washington, 47-43, in 2001, and being defeated by Oregon, 35-30, in 2000. Texas overcame a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to Washington in 2001, which stands as the largest comeback in UT history.

Tickets for the 2003 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl can be ordered by going to www.TexasBoxOffice.com. For questions the UT Athletics Ticket Office can be reached at 512-471-3333 or 800-982-BEVO. The Athletics Ticket Office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST.