SPORTS
Auburn named opponent for Music City Bowl
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Also by Drew Hansen:
- Wisconsin stuns No. 12 Maryland (December 1, 2004)
- Bo's Badgers roll in 2004 opener (November 22, 2004)
- Wisconsin prepares for Maryland's athleticism (November 30, 2004)
Related Stories:
- Auburn on the docket (December 11, 2003)
- UW's five keys to victory (December 9, 2003)
- Michigan and Ohio State accept bowl bids (November 26, 2001)
- Wisconsin falls to Auburn in Music City Bowl (January 19, 2004)
- UW prepares for battle at Capital One Bowl (December 14, 2005)
by Drew Hansen
Monday, December 8, 2003
Representatives from the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl announced Sunday evening that Auburn University of the Southeastern Conference will be Wisconsin’s opponent on Dec. 31 in Nashville, Tenn.
“The thing about Auburn is they have a tradition; they have a name,” UW head coach Barry Alvarez said Sunday. “Football is important, and they’ve had a lot of success. They’re always a good football team, and I think our guys are excited about that. That’s a team you want to play in a bowl game.”
Auburn finished sixth in the Southeastern Conference with a 5-3 record and completed the season 7-5 overall. The team struggled out of the gate, losing their first two games, including their season opener against Southern California.
The Tigers rebounded behind the play of running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who paced the team this season with 1,239 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, to win their next five games in a row. Two of those victories came against nationally ranked opponents Tennessee and Arkansas, both of which were in the top ten at the time.
The streak ended with an overwhelming 31-7 defeat at the hands of Louisiana State on Oct. 25. Auburn came up empty in losses to Ole Miss and Georgia but managed to down rival Alabama 28-23 in their annual Civil War game to end the regular season.
“Our coaches and players are excited about coming to Nashville. It is a reward for a season that has been long,” Auburn head coach Tommy Tubberville said. “It should be a fun game between two physical teams that like to run the football. They also have a great wide receiver. We’re looking forward to the challenge, it should be a great football game.”
