The Wisconsin football team (5-3 Big Ten, 9-3 overall) will face the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2008 Outback Bowl.

The Volunteers (6-3 SEC, 9-4) won the SEC East Division but lost to LSU in the conference title game. 


The only meeting between the two schools was in the 1981 Garden State Bowl, a game the Badgers lost 28-21 under head coach Dave McClain.

This marks the fourth Outback Bowl for Wisconsin, while Tennessee will be playing in its third.

The last time the Badgers played in the Outback Bowl was in 2005, losing to Georgia 24-21. In 1998, UW played the Bulldogs and lost 33-6.

Overall Wisconsin holds a 1-2 record at the Outback Bowl, with its one win coming against Duke in 1995 by a score of 34-20. However, at that time the bowl was called the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Tennessee played in last year’s Outback Bowl, falling to Penn State 20-10. In 1993, the Vols played against Boston College in the Hall of Fame Bowl and beat the Eagles 38-23 in current head coach Phillip Fulmer’s first game.

Wisconsin and Tennessee will take the field Jan. 1, 2008, at 10 a.m. at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.