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The West Virginia Mountaineers will spend the holidays in Orlando, Florida for the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Mountaineers will face off against a familiar foe, as they take on the ACC’s Miami Hurricanes on December 28, at 5:30 p.m. ET.
The game will be played in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium and will be broadcasted on ESPN, and tickets are available through the West Virginia University ticket office.
Let's do this, @CanesFootball and @WVUfootball. See you in Orlando on 12/28. https://t.co/4XHV20Y6UQ Tickets: https://t.co/CHj1a5WZzX #RAB pic.twitter.com/MQ0L1rQgWw
— RussellAthleticBowl (@RussellAthBowl) December 4, 2016
The Mountaineers closed out an outstanding 10-2 season on Saturday with a 24-21 win over the Baylor Bears. WVU finished with a 7-2 record in the Big 12, good enough for third place in the conference. West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen, who was just signed an extension to stay at the school through 2021, should be chomping at the bit to play a game in the Sunshine State, for recruiting purposes.
The Hurricanes (8-4) are no strangers to the Mountaineers, by any means. The two former Big East foes played every year from 1991 through 2003 when the Hurricanes left the Big East Conference for the ACC. Miami leads the all-time series 16-3. The final game between the two programs saw the No. 2 Hurricanes escape Morgantown with a 22-20 victory. Miami finished the 2016 regular season with a 8-4 record, 5-3 in the ACC and 3rd place in the ACC Coastal division.
It's official! We're heading to the @RussellAthBowl to face @CanesFootball. #HailWV pic.twitter.com/dJrw37m9aL
— WVU Football (@WVUfootball) December 4, 2016
West Virginia last played in the Russell Athletic Bowl in 2010 when it was the Champs Sports Bowl. The Mountaineers fell to the NC State Wolfpack 23-7 in what the late Bill Stewart’s last game as West Virginia head coach.
The Mountaineers and Hurricanes last met in 2003, with Miami needing a late touchdown to beat WVU 22-20. Miami then left for the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hurricanes hold a 16-3 lead in the all-time series.