The 13th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys and 17th-ranked Oregon Ducks will play in this year's game. This will be the first ever meeting of the two universities. The game takes place Tuessday, December 30 at 5 p.m. (PST) at Qualcomm Stadium. The game typically sells out. It will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Head Coach Mike Bellotti brings his Oregon Ducks to San Diego after finishing the regular season with an overall record of 9-3, 7-2 in the Pac-10. This is Oregon’s third appearance in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. They beat Texas 35-30 in 2000 and were defeated by Oklahoma 17-14 in 2005.
Oregon’s offense is led by senior running back Jeremiah Johnson who finished the regular season with 1,082 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry and 90.2 yards per game for an offense that led the Pac-10 in scoring (41.9 points per game).
The Oklahoma State Cowboys, guided by Head Coach Mike Gundy, enter the bowl game also with a 9-3 overall record, 5-3 in the Big 12. The only Oklahoma State appearance in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl came in 1988, with Gundy under center for the Cowboys. 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders also played for that Cowboys squad, rushing for 222 yards and five touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Kendall Hunter leads the Cowboys offensive attack. He finished the regular season by rushing for a conference-best 1,518 yards on just 228 carries.
Tickets for the 2008 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl can be purchased by calling TicketMaster at 619-220-TIXS (8497), or by visiting www.PacificLifeHolidayBowl.com.
Holiday Bowl Festivities
Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade
One of the major events during Pacific Life Holiday Bowl week is the annual Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade, held the morning of gameday. The family friendly event takes place on Monday, December 29, 9 a.m., and features a parade of floats, marching bands, and of course, large balloons.
The Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade presented by San Diego County Credit Union is recognized as "America's Largest Balloon Parade". San Diego residents along with thousands of Pacific Life Holiday Bowl visitors will enjoy massive inflatables, numbering more than any other parade in the nation, colorful floats, unique drill teams, heart-pounding marching bands, and even racing wiener dogs!
The parade route starts at the County Administration Building on Harbor Drive and continues down to Seaport Village.
Big Bay Family Festival
After the parade make sure to visit the Big Bay Family Festival sponsored by Amtrak and Bank of America. Located on Broadway Pier, the Big Bay Family Festival is free fun for the whole family. Climb 25 feet up into the air on the Coconut Climb or try your kicking leg at the Field Goal Kick. The event will also feature carnival games, balloon artists and airbrush tattoos. The entertainment continues with a steel drum band as well as a live ship battle between the HMS Surprise and the Californian right there on The Big Bay, courtesy of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
