Duke won’t have to travel far for its first bowl game since 1994.
Sunday night, the Blue Devils accepted an invitation to the Dec. 27 Belk Bowl, held in Charlotte. The Blue Devils (6-6) will play Cincinnati (9-3), the co-champion and representative from the Big East Conference, at 6:30 p.m. in Bank of America stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN. Both teams will be making their first appearance in the 11-year-old bowl.
“It’s something our players have been hoping for,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said of the bowl assignment. “We appreciate the Belk bowl for giving us this opportunity.”
The Belk Bowl will be the ninth bowl game in Duke history and first since the Blue Devils lost 34-20 to Wisconsin in the now-defunct Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa, Fla. Duke is 3-5 all-time in bowl games with its last win coming in the 1960 Cotton Bowl, a 7-6 victory over Arkansas.
The Bearcats will be playing in their 14th bowl game and sixth in the past seven seasons. Cincinnati beat Vanderbilt in the 2011 Liberty bowl and is 7-6 in postseason play.
“Duke has made great strides this season and we are very proud to have them representing the ACC against the Co-Champions of the Big East,” said Will Webb, the executive director of the Belk Bowl.“We feel that the Blue Devils will provide a good matchup against the Bearcats in Charlotte. We look forward to hosting both Duke and Cincinnati, and their fans, for the 2012 Belk Bowl and all the surrounding events.”
The Blue Devils and the Bearcats have one common opponent—Virginia Tech. Cincinnati beat the Hokies 27-24 on Sept. 29. After going up 20-0 on the Hokies, Duke lost 41-20 in Blacksburg on Oct. 13.
After some practice time this weekend, the Blue Devils will reconvene for practice starting Dec. 16 and depart for Charlotte Dec. 22.
“We couldn’t be happier,” Cutcliffe said. “I’m thrilled for our seniors, fan base and staff.”
Comments
Dreams
Mon, 12/03/2012 - 23:30 — ToddzillaLast year during the week of FSU game, I dreamed of Duke playing in a bowl game during the holidays and I woke up wondering how soon can that dream come true. On the morning before Duke play against UNC, I dreamed that Duke won the football game on a last pass play and I told myself that it wouldn't happen and it did. It is great to see dreams come true by our favorite college teams sometimes. Hopefully I will have some more good dreams.