Dec 06, 2009

University of Pittsburgh Accepts Bid to 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl

The #17-ranked University of Pittsburgh has accepted a bid to play in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, it was announced today by bowl officials. The Panthers, representing the Big East Conference, will face a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC team is expected to be announced later this afternoon.

The 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl will take place on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. with a 4:30 p.m. kickoff. It is televised nationally on ESPN.

“We are tremendously excited to have the University of Pittsburgh play in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl,” said Will Webb, Executive Director. “The Panthers have had a tremendous season, and they have proven worthy of their national ranking. The anticipation of fans has been tremendous already. We have only a limited number of lower level seats left. We feel that this Pittsburgh team will make the Meineke Car Care Bowl a very exciting and competitive game.” “Our program is excited to play another football game and have the opportunity to potentially earn a 10th victory,” said Pittsburgh Head Coach Dave Wannstedt. “The Meineke Car Care Bowl organizers are outstanding people and professionals, and I know our team will have a first-class experience when we visit Charlotte later this month. Playing a national ESPN television game against a quality ACC opponent is a great opportunity and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Pittsburgh finished the season with a 9-3 overall record (5-2 in the Big East, tied for second). They won nine of their first ten games, defeating five bowl-eligible teams. In addition, they lost their last two games (against nationally-ranked West Virginia and Cincinnati) by just a combined four points.

Individual Upper and Lower Level Seats are only available through TicketMaster. To purchase individual tickets, please visit any TicketMaster outlet in the southeast or online at www.ticketmaster.com. To order from TicketMaster by phone, call (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Carolina Panthers Box Office, located at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Club Level seats are only available through the participating schools.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl has averaged over 62,000 fans during its first seven years, with three sellouts. It has reached over 18 million television households. In 2003, it was named one of the five-best start-ups in sports over the past five years by the Sports Business Journal, behind only the NFL Houston Texans and ESPN the Magazine.

For more information, please visit www.MeinekeCarCareBowl.com.

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