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TaxSlayer Bowl Leader Says Tennessee-Iowa Should Draw Well Despite Teams' Records

The Jan. 2 TaxSlayer Bowl pits Tennessee (6-6) against Iowa (7-5), but event President & CEO Rick Catlett said the team records "don't mean as much" under the new bowl system, according to Chet Fussman of the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. Catlett said, "Some fans locally and some of the sportswriters like to say that records matter. But after the first announcement that you have a 7-5 team vs. a 6-6 team, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter to the fans or to the people watching on television." He added, "I think the new system is better. It’s much more orderly. The only issue is you still have some people who like the old system and want to jump the gun -- you can’t." He added, "There’s really three things we look for when we select a team. The first is a good matchup that people will want to go see. The second is national television. Two brand names playing each other. The third is what we always called heads in beds (filling hotels) and butts in seats (game attendance)." Catlett said of Iowa's draw despite its record, "I knew they would be good, but I also knew I needed a ticket seller on the other side." He added Tennessee is "a team on the rise." Meanwhile, Catlett said Florida, which fired coach Will Muschamp before the end of the season, "was never on our radar." Catlett: "Bowl games just don’t like teams whose coaches have been fired. (Florida AD) Jeremy (Foley) and I spoke one time over the weekend. That was all. I think Jeremy understands. We also know if you use somebody up, you won’t be able to get them again. That leaves Florida and South Carolina open to us the next few years" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/15). Iowa Ticket Operations Dir Pam Finke said that the school as of yesterday "had sold less than 3,300 of the 8,000 tickets" it was "obligated to sell by accepting the bowl bid." Finke said the school will "probably end up between 3,500 and 4,000." Finke: "We're still getting some calls and taking some orders. … It's slowing down." Tennessee "sold out its allotment of 8,000 tickets in the middle of last week" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 12/16).

GREEN MONSTER: In Lansing, Joe Rexrode reported the Michigan State ticket office as of Thursday "had sold about 6,000 of its allotment of 13,000 tickets" for the Jan. 1 Goodyear Cotton Bowl against Baylor, a day after opening up sales to the public. MSU AD Mark Hollis: "We're struggling somewhat on ticket sales." Rexrode noted MSU's administration "had been making plans with Orange Bowl representatives" before the switch to the Cotton Bowl. Hollis: "You talk about a perfect storm. The playoffs start, the Rose Bowl was last year, we were in a position we thought, by the formula, to play in Miami. And that's not to say the Orange Bowl is a better bowl than the Cotton Bowl, but when you're in that situation, you develop a mindset of 'I'm going to Miami,' and then it's 'I'm not going to Miami'" (LANSING STATE JOURNAL, 12/12).

REBEL YELL: Ole Miss AD Ross Bjork said the school has sold 17,000 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl tickets "in a week" for the team's Dec. 31 matchup with TCU in the 74,228-seat Georgia Dome. In Jackson, Hugh Kellenberger notes Ole Miss "has traditionally been strong in selling tickets for its bowl games." The school "sold more than 13,000 for the 2013 Music City Bowl, and sold 23,381 for the BBVA Compass Bowl" following the '12 season. Those totals do not include "tickets sold on the secondary market." The Peach Bowl has "sold out for the last 17 seasons ... and is expected to do so again" (CLARIONLEDGER.com, 12/15). 

HARD SELL: In Columbia, Josh Kendall notes the Duck Commander Independence Bowl "distributed 8,000 tickets" to South Carolina and 6,000 to Miami. South Carolina had "sold 784 of those as of the middle of the day" yesterday and "will have to pay the bowl for all its unused tickets." USC AD Ray Tanner: “It’s difficult for our fans. We understand that.” South Carolina is "encouraging its fans to buy from the school’s allotment to donate to military members and children in the Boys and Girls Club in the Shreveport area" (Columbia STATE, 12/16). Colorado State Ticket Operations Manager Jessica Stremming said that as of yesterday afternoon, CSU "had sold 3,358 tickets" for Saturday's Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. In Colorado, Kelly Lyell notes the school's allotment is 8,500. CSU distributed "more than 5,000 tickets for its appearance last year in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque." Meanwhile, Utah Senior Associate AD/Dir of Communications Liz Abel said that the school "sold out its full allotment of 7,500 tickets" for Saturday's game (Ft. Collins COLORADOAN, 12/16). 

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