Independence Bowl ticket info

Steve Spurrier's return to the bowl season has created quite the stir over Independence Bowl tickets. The Old Ball Coach is back in the SEC where he belongs. But instead of his normal Gator stomping ground, Spurrier's busy raising the bar at South Carolina. He'll lead the surprising Gamecocks into Shreveport, La., for a showdown with the Missouri Tigers on December 30, for the 2005 Independence Bowl. Shreveport joined college football's bowl season in 1976. Named in honor of the United States bi-centennial, the inaugural Independence Bowl pitted McNeese State, champion of Division I-AA's Southland Conference, and the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. McNeese State pulled out a 20-16 victory on December 13, 1976. Over the next 30 years, the Independence Bowl would grow into one the most recognized games of the bowl season. In the last decade, the SEC and Big 12 have collided six times in Shreveport, with the SEC coming out on top each year. South Carolina will be looking to extend that streak this year, but they'll have to deal with versatile Tiger quarterback Brad Smith.A tremendous athlete who has drawn comparisons to Texas' Vince Young, Smith has been a weapon of mass destruction to opposing defenses throughout his career at Missouri. He's completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 2,022 yards and 12 touchdowns. If Smith isn't lighting you up through the air, he's knifing through helpless tacklers. He ran for 1,151 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. The Gamecocks finished the season on a roll, winning five of their last six games, including an emotional victory over the Spurrier's former team, the Florida Gators. To make sure everyone in the SEC knew he was back, Spurrier also derailed his old nemesis Phil Fulmer and the Tennessee Volunteers along the way to reserving the Gamecocks' tickets to the Independence Bowl. With an SEC-Big 12 matchup showcasing "the Old Ball Coach's," return to the bowl season, the 2005 Independence Bowl has all the makings of a holiday classic. The Gamecocks defense became stingier by the game. Meanwhile, Missouri's offense was riding their quarterback's legs and arm to Shreveport's Independence Bowl. Grab your Independence Bowl tickets now and we'll see you there.