West Virginia football coaches and gamers realized Sunday they would be taking part in Tennessee in the 62nd yearly Liberty Bowl at 4 p.m. Dec. 31 in Memphis, Tenn.
It will be the Mountaineers’ 3rd visual appeal in the Liberty Bowl. They lost 32-6 to Utah in 1964 and 45-37 to Texas A&M in 2014.
Tennessee is generating it’s fourth physical appearance in the Liberty Bowl, winning in 1971 (Arkansas), 1974 (Maryland) and 1986 (Minnesota).
West Virginia (5-4) and Tennessee (3-7) have satisfied just once in the programs’ history. WVU defeated the Volunteers, 41-14, in 2018.
Here’s what the Liberty Bowl officials, coaches and athletic administrators for each faculty had to say:
Steve Ehrhart, Government Director of the Liberty Bowl:
“We’re quite familiar with both West Virginia and Tennessee. Soon after much more than a few a long time, we’re hunting ahead to web hosting the Tennessee Volunteers and their terrific enthusiasts as soon as all over again. We’re proud to have West Virginia’s Neal Brown mentor his very first bowl sport with the Mountaineers in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. We have a historical past of head coaches generating their bowl debuts in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, which include Gary Patterson at TCU in 2002, City Myer at Utah in 2003 and Kirby Sensible at Ga in 2016.
“The AutoZone Liberty Bowl will have a minimal amount of lovers in attendance. We want to assure all fans, equally our regional supporters and the enthusiasts who will vacation with the Mountaineers and Volunteers to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, we will be next all the overall health and basic safety protocols.”
Neal Brown, West Virginia coach:
“I am excited for our software, especially for our seniors. We have taken care of the adversity of this time perfectly, and we are searching ahead to enjoying in this bowl match. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl and the city of Memphis have a prolonged and storied tradition of hosting postseason online games, and this gives our followers a possibility to travel on New Year’s Eve to a bowl desired destination in a city with great hospitality.”
Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee coach:
“We seem ahead to the opportunity of taking part in a bowl video game in our household condition. Because we returned to campus this summer time, I am happy of our team in how they have navigated through the difficulties presented all through this one of a kind period. They get yet another likelihood to choose the area from a quite good opponent in West Virginia. We know Memphis is a specific area for Vol admirers, and we glimpse ahead to observing them on New Year’s Eve.”
Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee Director of Athletics:
“I’m thrilled about our football program’s prospect to compete in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against a fantastic opponent like West Virginia. It’s an option to link with our quite a few fans all over West Tennessee and increase upon the prosperous historical links concerning the Memphis area and UT. We have so a great deal Tennessee loved ones in and all over Memphis —especially our professional medical faculty and superb alumni. We all know Memphis loves the Tennessee Vols, and it is an vital stronghold for all of our athletic and educational courses.”
Shane Lyons, West Virginia Director of Athletics:
“I believe the AutoZone Liberty Bowl will give a wonderful matchup for the higher education soccer bowl period, and we have a significant challenge in advance of us in participating in a custom-prosperous SEC program in Tennessee. I am definitely satisfied for our seniors and our whole plan to be ready to engage in one more activity. We showed fantastic advancement this 12 months and we are enthusiastic about our long run.”
Monthly bill Hartlep is a Tribune-Overview athletics editor. You can speak to Monthly bill by electronic mail at [email protected] or through Twitter .
Groups:
Athletics | WVU