The Jackets will be spending New Years Eve in El Paso, Texas, playing in the 79th annual Hyundai Sun Bowl against the USC Trojans at noon. Head coach Paul Johnson will look for his first bowl victory in his fifth bowl appearance as head coach of Tech.
This is the 16th straight season Tech will be appearing in a bowl game, with the last bowl victory coming in 2004 against Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl. The Jackets played in the Sun Bowl last year against Utah in a game that went into overtime and resulted in a 27-30 loss for Tech.
The Trojans are 7-5 overall and 5-4 in the Pac 12, and started the season ranked No. 1 in several preseason polls. Although USC started off strong and won six of its first seven games, the Trojans quickly fell off and are currently unranked in the BCS poll. USC boasts the highest winning percentage in bowl games nationally, with a 32-16 record in 48 bowl appearances and a .667 winning percentage.
The last time the two teams faced off was Sept. 22, 1973 in Atlanta when the Trojans were ranked No. 1 nationally and beat Tech 23-6. The teams have met three times overall, and the Jackets have a 1-2 record in the match up.