Canes, Cards Square Off in @RussellAthBowl
ORLANDO, Fla. – No. 25 Miami (9-3) will face future ACC rival and No. 18/16 Louisville (11-1) in the 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
It marks Miami’s 35th bowl appearance and its first since 2010. The Russell Athletic Bowl will be Miami’s 37th postseason appearance; the Hurricanes played in the first two Palm Festival games – the precursor to the Orange Bowl Classic.
It’ll be Miami’s fourth appearance in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Miami’s first two appearances were in Miami Gardens – a 31-21 win over Virginia in the 1996 Carquest Bowl and a 46-23 win over NC State in the 1998 MicronPC Bowl. Miami’s last trip to Orlando was for the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl – a 20-14 loss to Wisconsin.
Miami (9-3, 5-3 ACC), ranked No. 25 in the final USA TODAY Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll, will face No. 18/16 Louisville (11-1, 7-1 AAC) at 6:45 p.m. ET on Dec. 28. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN. It will be Louisville’s final game in the American Athletic Conference as the Cardinals will join the ACC on July 1, 2014.
The Hurricanes have won nine games for the first time since 2009 and look to win their first bowl game since 2006. Led by senior QB Stephen Morris, the Hurricanes opened the season 7-0 and climbed as high as No. 7 in the BCS rankings. Senior WR Allen Hurns (1,138) is only the fourth Hurricane in program history with a 1,000-yard receiving season and needs 19 yards to set the school single-season record. Morris needs 132 yards to become only the second QB in Miami history with multiple 3,000-yard seasons.
The Russell Athletic Bowl will be the 12th series meeting between the schools, with Miami holding a 9-1-1 series advantage. It will be the first series meeting since 2006, when No. 15 Miami lost 31-7 at No. 12 Louisville. It will also be the first series meeting at a neutral site; Miami is 5-0-1 at home against the Cardinals and 4-1 away from home.
| #InfographicNotes: Louisville • #RAB Bowl Media Guide |
GAME INFORMATION – GAME 13 (RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL)
RV/25/NR MIAMI HURRICANES (9-3, 5-3 ACC) vs. 18/16/18 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (11-1, 7-1 AAC)
Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 • 6:45 p.m. ET • ESPN • Orlando, Fla. • Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium (65,438)
SERIES HISTORY
Miami leads series 9-1-1 … #RAB will first neutral-site appearance … UofL joins ACC in 2014.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
ESPN • Bob Wischusen, Play-by-Play • Rod Gilmore, Analyst • Quint Kessenich, Sideline Reporter
ESPN RADIO • Dave Lamont, Play-by-Play • Anthony Becht, Analyst • Brooke Weisbrod, Sideline Reporter
WQAM 560 AM • Joe Zagacki, Play-by-Play •Don Bailey Jr., Analyst • Josh Darrow, Sideline Reporter
RADIO CARACOL 1260 AM • Roly Martin, Play-by-Play • Pepe Campos, Analyst • Joe Martinez, Analyst
SATELLITE RADIO • SiriusXM 84
#5THINGS
- Senior WR Allen Hurns needs 19 yards to set the Miami single-season receiving record.
- Miami is 11-3 in its last 14 games under head coach Al Golden (started 11-11).
- Freshman Stacy Coley is the only FBS player this season to record a TD by rushing, receiving, punt return and kick return.
- Senior Stephen Morris is the only QB in FBS with a pass of 50+ yards in nine difference games this season.
- Morris also leads the FBS with 3 passes of 80+ yards this season.
THE SCHNELLENBOWL
The 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl pits two programs built by legendary college football coach Howard Schnellenberger. Coach Schnellenberger is credited with laying the foundation for one of the greatest dynasties in college football history, the University of Miami Hurricanes. Schnellenberger coached the Hurricanes for five seasons (1979-83), posting a 41-16 record and his tenure culminated with the 1983 National Championship – the first of five Miami national titles. Two years later, Schnellenberger took over at Louisville, where he’d spend 10 seasons with the Cardinals (1985-94). He finished 54-56-2 with two bowl wins.
THE YEAR OF HURNS
Senior WR Allen Hurns – a second-team All-ACC selection by both ACSMA and the league’s head coach – is quietly having one of the greatest receiving seasons in program history. Hurns needs 19 yards to break Leonard Hankerson’s single-season record for receiving yards. He is only the fourth player in Miami history to post 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
BOWLING IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
The 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl will be the Hurricanes’ 35th bowl and 37th postseason appearance in program history. It is also UM’s fourth appearance in the Russell Athletic Bowl; its first three appearances came in 1996 (Carquest), 1998 (MicronPC) and 2009 (Champs Sports).
INSIDE THE SERIES
The 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl will be the 12th series meeting between the future ACC rivals. Miami leads the all-time series 9-1-1 and the #RAB will be the first neutral-site meeting in series history. The Hurricanes opened the series with a 10-game unbeaten streak (tied the 1950 meeting) before Louisville defeated Miami 31-7 in the last series meeting (2006 at Louisville).
BOWLING FOR A THIRD #CANES GENERATION
When junior DE Anthony Chickillo steps onto the Florida Citrus Bowl field for the 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl, he will become the third Chickillo to play in a Hurricanes bowl game. His grandfather, Nick, played in the 1951 Orange Bowl and 1952 Gator Bowl. His dad, Tony, played in the 1981 Peach Bowl.
