The Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans will meet in the 2012 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. The game will feature the runner-ups for the SEC and Big 10 championship games. The Bulldogs lost to LSU in Atlanta, 42-10. The Spartans on the other hand lost a close game in somewhat anti-climatic fashion on a running into the kicker penalty, 42-39.
The Outback Bowl is played annually at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Outback Bowl is not the first bowl game in Tampa however, as the Cigar Bowl was played in downtown Tampa from 1947-1954. Originally the bowl was called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986-1994 before Outback Steakhouse became the title sponsor. The game regularly matches up the Big Ten against the SEC and is typically played on January 1st, but will be played on Monday this year because it falls on a Sunday.
The game will be broadcast live on ABC and will be called by part of the Monday Night Football crew, Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden & Lisa Salters.
Game date, time:1:00 pm ET, Monday, January 2nd
Location: Tampa, Florida
TV channel: ABC
2010 winner and loser: Florida, Penn State
For more on each bowl game as it’s announced, stay tuned to SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And be sure to stick to SB Nation Tampa Bay.