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The #20 Texas Longhorns will meet the #12 Washington Huskies in the 30th annual Valero Alamo Bowl on December 29 at 8:00 p.m. in the Alamodome.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
This year’s game is the highest ranked matchup outside of the college football playoffs. It also marks the seventh time in the last nine years the Valero Alamo Bowl has featured two Top 20 teams.
Texas is 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Big 12 regular season play. The Longhorns are led by Head Coach Steve Sarkisian.
Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson is the nation’s leader in tandem yards, with 1,580 rushing and 314 receiving, and is second in total touchdowns with 20.
This will be the sixth time in the Valero Alamo Bowl for Texas and sixth bowl game for Sarkisian, but his first with Texas. The Longhorns are 4-1 in their previous five appearances.
Washington has a 10-2 record, going 7-2 in Pac-12 play. They are led by Head Coach Kalen DeBoer.
Alamo Bowl officials described the Huskies as an offensive juggernaut, ranking number one in the nation in first downs with 27.4 per game, and number two in total offense with 522.2 yards per game, and number four in scoring with 40.8 points per game.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who played at Indiana while DeBoer was the Hoosiers offensive coordinator, leads the nation with 4,354 passing yards and 362.8 passing yards per game. With 105 passing yards in the Valero Alamo Bowl, he will break Washington’s single season passing record. He already holds the school record for most passing yards in a game with 516 in their 49-39 win over Arizona on Oct. 15, according to a Bowl news release.
DeBoer, who set the Washington record for wins by a first-year head coach, will be coaching in his first Bowl game. His previous post-season experience includes leading his alma mater, the University of Sioux Falls, to three national championships as a head coach, as well as Bowl trips as an assistant coach.
The Huskies return to the Alamodome for the first time in 11 years. Washington’s only other appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl was in 2011. Despite 438 yards passing and seven touchdowns from quarterback Keith Price, Sarkisian and the Huskies lost a historic 67-56 offensive shootout against Baylor and Heisman winner Robert Griffin III.
Texas and Washington have played each other four previous times, with the Longhorns holding a 3-1 advantage.