Missouri coach Gary Pinkel loves San Antonio not only for the River Walk, but for the football played on the high school fields within an afternoon's drive of the celebrated tourist destination.
“We've got 28 players from Texas, and eight starters on our team from Texas,” Pinkel said. “That's one of our No. 1 recruiting areas, besides the state of Missouri.”
Those players get to come home soon — in uniform. No. 25 Missouri will face No. 22 Northwestern, which has 10 Texans of its own, in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in the Alamodome, the bowl announced Sunday. The programs haven't played in 21 years.
The Tigers (9-4) won the Big 12 North but fell 62-21 to Oklahoma in the conference le game on Saturday night in Kansas City. Missouri never has played in the Alamo Bowl but was in the Big 12 le game a year ago in the Alamodome, losing 38-17 to Oklahoma.
The Wildcats (9-3) of the Big Ten won three of their last four games, including victories to close out the regular season at Michigan and at home against Illinois. In its lone Alamo Bowl appearance, Northwestern lost to Nebraska 66-17 in 2000.
“I cannot express in words how excited we are to come down to the great state of Texas,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
The Wildcats have steadily improved under Fitzgerald, a former Northwestern standout linebacker in his third season as the program's head coach. He finished 4-8 in his first year and 6-6 in his second.
“We're very excited to be at the nine-win mark,” Fitzgerald said. “Ten wins would be a huge milestone for our football program.”
Northwestern, 1-5 all-time in bowl games, hasn't won 10 games in a season since 1995, when Fitzgerald played under then-coach Gary Barnett. Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz heads up the current Wildcats defense, which ranks 23rd nationally in scoring defense.
“There's no greater turnaround statistically and on the field from a results standpoint than from our defense and the job Mike Hankwitz has done,” Fitzgerald said.
The Tigers, 11-14 overall in bowls, are led by senior quarterback Chase Daniel, a one-time Heisman Trophy contender from Southlake Carroll High.
A touchdown or less has decided the Alamo Bowl's last three games, including Penn State's 24-17 victory over A&M a year ago.
Count Missouri athletic director Mike Alden, too, among those happy to be headed for the River Walk for the holidays.
“The Alamo Bowl and the city of San Antonio are outstanding in what they do,” Alden said. “I can say without hesitation that (bowl president and CEO) Derrick Fox and his staff are among the very best at running a first-class event.”
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