DETROIT – The Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Minnesota will play in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on Wednesday, December 26 at 5:15 PM ET. The game will air nationally on ESPN.
Tickets are available at www.quicklanebowl.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and in-person at the Ford Field Ticket Office Monday through Friday between 10 AM and 6 PM. Fans can follow the official twitter account of the Quick Lane Bowl (@quicklanebowl) for the most current game information.
A press conference with both head coaches will be held the morning of Wednesday, December 5 at the Detroit Lions Headquarters and Training Facility in Allen Park.
Georgia Tech (7-5) won six of its final eight games of the regular season and finished in second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division with a 5-3 ACC record. It marked the seventh time in Head Coach Paul Johnson’s 11 seasons at Georgia Tech that the Yellow Jackets finished either first or second in the Coastal Division. Since 2008, the only other teams that have placed first or second in ACC divisional play as many time as Georgia Tech (7) are Clemson (9), Florida State (7) and Virginia Tech (7).
The Quick Lane Bowl will be Johnson’s final game as head coach of the Yellow Jackets. He announced last week that he is stepping down after 11 seasons at Georgia Tech and 22 seasons as a head coach. Johnson is the fourth-winningest coach in Georgia Tech history with 82 victories at the helm of the Yellow Jackets. His 189 career victories rank fourth among NCAA Division I FBS head coaches that were active 2018 (behind only Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly – 252 wins, Alabama’s Nick Saban – 231 and Kansas State’s Bill Snyder – 215).
Minnesota (6-6) is led by Head Coach P.J. Fleck this season and earned a bowl berth with a win in its season finale at rival Wisconsin. The Gophers beat Wisconsin for the first time since 2003 and for the first time on the road since 1994 to earn the right to play in the postseason. Minnesota also posted a 41-10 win against Purdue, as it held the potent Boilermaker offense to season lows in yards and points. Minnesota also beat Fresno State, 21-14, this season and handed the Mountain West champion Bulldogs one of their two losses on the season.
The Gophers have 112 players on the roster and 58 of those players – or 51.7 percent – are freshmen. That’s the highest number in the nation. The Gophers have 78 underclassmen (69.6% of the roster), which ranks tenth in college football. The game will mark Minnesota’s second appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl and will be the Gophers’ 20th bowl game all-time. Minnesota beat Central Michigan 21-14 in the 2015 staging of the annual tilt in the Motor City.
This is the fifth year of a multiyear agreement for Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center as the title sponsor of an annual college football bowl game at Ford Field.
The Detroit Lions own, host and operate this college football bowl game. The team’s entertainment division, DLI Entertainment, has promoted multiple large-scale shows and events at Ford Field including eight consecutive sold-out Kenny Chesney concerts, Taylor Swift, the 2003 Basketbowl, 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals, 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and the 2010 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four.
About The Quick Lane Bowl
- The 2018 Quick Lane Bowl is a postseason collegiate football bowl game sponsored by Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers.
- Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offer routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. Customers can visit www.quicklane.com to learn more.
- The annual bowl game will take place at Ford Field December 26 at 5:15 PM ET and air nationally on ESPN.
- This game has no affiliation with previous Michigan bowl games, such as the Little Caesars Bowl or Motor City Bowl.
- For ticket information please visit quicklanebowl.com or call (800) 745-3000.
Accommodations, Activities and Special Events:
- Teams are expected to arrive in Detroit December 22 and stay at Greektown Casino Hotel (ACC) and the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit (Big Ten).
- Chick-fil-A Somerset Collection and Big Boy’s will be providing late night snacks at the hotel.
- Hard Rock Café is the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl fan restaurant. Buffalo Wild Wings (Big Ten) and Firebird Tavern (ACC) have been named the official restaurants for each team’s fans.
- A welcome reception at the historic The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation will include a private tour of the museum highlighted by a ‘life after football’ panel discussion that includes Detroit Lions Legends.
- Team guests will experience:
- The Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings game to cheer on the Lions at their last regular season home game.
- Shopping outing at Somerset Collection, an upscale, luxury, super-regional shopping mall in Metro Detroit.
- Build-A-Bear – kids will have an opportunity to create their own stuffed animals.
- Fowling – a local Detroit favorite and increasingly popular hybrid game that combines elements of football, bowling and horseshoes. Hungry Howie’s will be providing pizza at the event.
- Ice skating in the iconic downtown Detroit Campus Martius circle on Christmas Day.
- An hour session with the Detroit Lions Cheerleaders to promote self-esteem, confidence and pride through dance.
- DNR Outdoor Adventure – kids will experience Michigan’s outdoors in this unique, hands-on facility while keeping warm inside.
- Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker @ The Fox Theatre – a unique holiday treat for families.
- Gleaners Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan – Team and travel party will help pack potatoes, apples and school weekend bags of food that will help make a difference in the lives of the hungry in Southeastern Michigan. Since 2014, participating schools have packaged more than 122,150 pounds of potatoes, 7,000 pounds of apples, 3,600 weekend snack bags, and fed over 30,920 families.
- Additionally, a local Detroit PAL (Police Athletic League) football team will receive new uniforms (jersey and pants) from Nike and football pads and helmets from Riddell.
Participating Coach and Player Gifts:
- Players from each respective school will receive a gift package at a value of $550 to include:
- Fathead custom wall decal of each player with their likeness
- JBL E55BT Premium Bluetooth Headphones
- $175 Best Buy Gift Card
- Quick Lane Bowl backpack and luggage tag
- Quick Lane Bowl merchandise package
- Quick Lane Bowl commemorative football
- Quick Lane Bowl mini helmet
- Each head coach will receive luxury watches from Detroit based company Shinola, a welcome basket featuring Michigan made products and a Quick Lane Bowl merchandise package.
Quick Lane Bowl Social Media:
- Website – www.quicklanebowl.com
- Facebook – Quick Lane Bowl
- Twitter – @quicklanebowl
- Instagram – Quicklanebowl
