MINNESOTA GOPHERS TO PLAY VIRGINIA CAVALIERS IN THE GAYLORD HOTELS MUSIC CITY BOWL PRESENTED BY BRIDGESTONE

NASHVILLE, Tenn., (Dec. 4, 2005) ? Representatives of the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented By Bridgestone announced today the University of Minnesota will represent the BIG TEN Conference in the eighth annual Bowl and go up against the Atlantic Coast Conference?s (ACC) University of Virginia. The game will be broadcast live Friday, Dec. 30 on ESPN at 11 a.m. CST at the Coliseum. ?We?re excited about both teams accepting our invitation to play in the Bowl,? said Dale Polley, Bowl chairman. ?A Minnesota and Virginia match-up is sure to be an exciting game on the field for all the fans. And we think the fact that this represents one of the only BIG TEN/ACC match-ups in the postseason will make the Bowl a huge regional draw.? The University of Minnesota is lead by one of the nation\'s top running backs, junior Laurence Maroney. Maroney lead the BIG TEN\'s top-ranked scoring offense by averaging a conference high 135 yards per game. ?We had a tremendous experience at the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented By Bridgestone in both 2002 and 2004 and we look forward to the opportunity of competing in the great city of Nashville again this season,? said Joel Maturi, athletic director for Minnesota. ?Our fans, coaches and student-athletes have always been treated in a first-class manner by everyone affiliated with the Bowl. Participating in a bowl game is a reward to your football program and its fans and we are excited about facing an ACC opponent on the national stage.? The University of Virginia features senior D?Brickashaw Ferguson, one of the top offensive lineman in the country and mentioned as a probable first round NFL draft pick, and all-purpose quarterback Marques Hagans. This will be Virginia?s first postseason bowl appearance in Nashville. \"We are pleased with our selection to play in this year\'s Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented By Bridgestone against the University of Minnesota. We\'ve heard great things about the Bowl and we know a lot about how great a city Nashville is,\" said UVa athletics director Craig Littlepage. \"This is a good way for our team to finish the 2005 season, playing a quality opponent in a quality bowl.? Jay Sevigny, Gaylord Hotels chief operating officer, said his organization is pleased with the contenders and excited about the game. ?We?re looking forward to hosting Minnesota and Virginia as representatives of the BIG TEN and ACC to this year?s Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented by Bridgestone,? said Sevigny. ?We?re sure that fans are in for a terrific match up and we believe they?ll have an entertaining New Year?s weekend in the Music City.? Bridgestone officials agree. \"We are extremely proud of our association with the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented By Bridgestone,\" said Mark A. Emkes, chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. and Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC. \"Once again this year the Bowl will feature two great college teams, Minnesota and Virginia, who are sure to give the Music City fans a tremendous game.\" Ticket prices for the Bowl begin at $15 for upper level, $45 for lower level and $65 for club level. Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615-255-9600 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. The Bowl enters its eighth year and for this year only features a match-up between two of the premier conferences in college football, the BIG TEN and the ACC. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced an $86 million regional economic impact, 36 million television viewers, and more than $12 million in contributions to the participating universities through the Bowl?s payout. About the Bowl The Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented By Bridgestone (501 c-3 not-for-profit) is an annual post-season collegiate Bowl featuring for this year only the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and BIG TEN Conferences. The 2004 game was attended by a record 66,089 fans as the University of Minnesota beat the University of Alabama, 20-16. This year?s Bowl will be played Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at 11 a.m. CST at the Coliseum. Broadcast nationally to millions of viewers and listeners on ESPN and Nevada Sports Radio Network, the Bowl is Nashville?s Holiday Tradition. For more information, call the Bowl office at 615-743-3130 or visit the Bowl online at www.MusicCityBowl.com