ARLINGTON, Texas – One day after losing the Big 12 Championship game, the Texas Longhorns got some good news Sunday: They will meet Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2019.
Texas is a New Year’s Six bowl team in Tom Herman’s second season at the helm. UT hasn’t played in a BCS/New Year’s Six bowl game since January 2010 when the Longhorns played Alabama at the Rose Bowl.
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“Extremely excited to be one of the very few select teams to participate in a New Year’s Six bowl game,” Herman Said. “To have it be the prestigious Sugar Bowl is just icing on the cake. Really proud of our team for what they’ve accomplished, although certainly disappointed with the outcome in our championship game yesterday. This is a definite reward for them and the season that they’ve had.”
This marks their first bowl game outside of Texas since 2011, when Texas played California in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, California. Their last four bowl games have all come in the Lone Star State.
“All bowl games are good bowl games, because it means you had a successful season,” Herman said. “But there is an added benefit to getting outside the state of Texas and seeing things that aren’t as readily available for you to see as a student-athlete.”
Defensive tackle Chris Nelson, one of the Longhorns’ five captains for the 2018 season, is thrilled he’s ending his college football career at the 85th Sugar Bowl.
“All bowl games are great, but this one is exciting, because we will have the chance to play out of state and in a great city like New Orleans,” Nelson said. “All of the hard work from the season is rewarded. We get our bowl gear at practices before we leave, so that makes you extra excited to go out to practice each day. And then to get ready to play a great team like Georgia will keep us focused and excited as we get ready also.”
The Sugar Bowl will give the Longhorns a chance to end the season on a positive note. Nobody took the Big 12 Championship game loss more personally than starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
“I will make it my mission to never let this team or this school feel this disappointment again,” Ehlinger said after the 39-27 loss to Oklahoma.
Georgia opened as 14-point betting favorites.
Sugar Bowl: No 5. Georgia (11-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) vs. No. 15 Texas (9-4, 7-2 Big 12), Jan. 1, 2019
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans.