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FLORIDA STATE TO FACE OFF AGAINST ARIZONA STATE IN THE 86TH ANNUAL TONY THE TIGER SUN BOWL ON DEC. 31, 2019 December 8, 2019

EL PASO, Texas – The Sun Bowl Association, Kellogg’s and Tony the Tiger have announced that Florida State will face Arizona State in the 86th Annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. (MT) in Sun Bowl Stadium with the game being televised on CBS.

The Florida State Seminoles represent the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) after coming off a 6-6 overall record during the regular season. Florida State will appear in the postseason for an NCAA-best 38th time in the last 40 seasons. The Seminoles are returning to the Sun Bowl for the first time since 1966 and played in the 1955 Sun Bowl, which was the second bowl appearance in program history.

“Florida State is a big name around the country, followers all around the country,” Sun Bowl Executive Director Bernie Olivas said. “They have a 6-6 record, but all our options were pretty much the same, 6-6 or 7-5. Obviously, they bring a long tradition of great football. We had other choices, but I think this might have been our first choice. We had options like Miami, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, but I think overall this was the one that gave us the best option for a better game, a better matchup and a better national television audience.”

Florida State is 3-1 all-time versus Arizona State and first took on the Sun Devils in 1971 during the Fiesta Bowl.

The Arizona State Sun Devils, who are representing the Pac-12, are making their seventh appearance in the Sun Bowl after last making the trip to the Borderland in 2017. This marks the 32nd bowl appearance for ASU and the team’s eighth bowl appearance in the last nine seasons.

“ASU is close, they’re drivable, so hopefully they’ll bring a lot of people,” Olivas said. “Of course, Herm Edwards and his staff, they’re not going to be playing the game, the players will be playing the game, but it’s always good to have someone of that stature coaching the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.”

ASU has the great rushing defense, ranking 21 nationally allowing only 116.8 yards per game. The Sun Devils allowed 155 yards or fewer on the ground 11-of-12 games this season, marking the first time in program history to accomplish the feat since college football expanded to 12 games.

“This is another great matchup with two really good football teams,” Executive Director of the Sun Bowl Association Bernie Olivas said. “It will be another enjoyable and exciting week with the Borderland community, hosting both these teams.”

Tickets for the 86th Annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl are on sale through Ticketmaster and the Sun Bowl Association office. The 2018 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is set for Tuesday, Dec. 31 in Sun Bowl Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 12 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised nationally on CBS.

All information for the game can be viewed online through the link available at www.sunbowl.org. Customers and fans can also call the Sun Bowl Association office (915-533-4416) and are also invited to stop by the Sun Bowl Association office located at 4150 Pinnacle Street, Suite 100 in El Paso to purchase tickets.

VISITING TEAM: Florida State Seminoles
HOME TEAM: Arizona State Sun Devils

Appearances in Sun Bowl
Florida State (0-2)
Loss vs. UTEP, 47-20 (Jan. 1, 1955)
Loss vs. Wyoming, 28-20 (Dec. 24, 1966)

Arizona State (3-2-1)
Tie vs. Catholic, 0-0 (Jan. 1, 1940)
Loss vs. Western Reserve, 26-13 (Jan. 1, 1941)
Win vs. Iowa, 17-7 (Dec. 31, 1997)
Win vs. Purdue, 27-23 (Dec. 31, 2004)
Win vs. Duke, 36-31 (Dec. 27, 2014)
Loss vs. NC State, 52-31 (Dec. 29, 2017)