Auburn and Maryland set to clash in 2023 TransPerfect Music City Bowl
It’s official – Auburn football and Maryland will face off in the 2023 TransPerfect Music City Bowl. The Tigers (6-6) and Terps (7-5) will go head to head at Nissan Stadium on December 30 at 1 p.m. CT, with the game set to be broadcast on ABC. This will mark the first matchup between the two teams in 40 years.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Auburn and Maryland to our game this year,” said Scott Ramsey, President & CEO of the Music City Bowl in a news release on Sunday. “As we look forward to the unique matchup, we hope it will become another memorable chapter in the history of our bowl game and for Nashville as a whole, as we welcome back Auburn and introduce Maryland and its fans to our great city.”
Auburn, led by first-year coach Hugh Freeze, finished in fifth place in the SEC West with a 3-5 league record. The team recently suffered back-to-back losses to New Mexico State and Alabama, the latter of which came in a heart-wrenching fashion with a late game-winning touchdown from the Crimson Tide.
On the other side, Maryland secured a 42-24 win over Rutgers to cap off their season with a 7-5 record, placing them fourth in the Big Ten.
Both teams have key offensive contributors to watch out for, with Auburn’s Payton Thorne, Jarquez Hunter and Rivaldo Fairweather standing out, and Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa, Roman Hemby, Jeshaun Jones, Beau Brade, and Tarheeb Still all making significant impacts throughout the season.
The game holds historical significance for Auburn, as it will mark the team’s third appearance in the Music City Bowl, having previously secured victories against Wisconsin and Purdue. In contrast, Maryland has never participated in the event.
Auburn currently leads the series against Maryland 2-1, and this will be the Tigers’ first bowl game since their loss to Northwestern in the 2021 Citrus Bowl. Meanwhile, it will be Maryland’s third consecutive bowl game appearance.
With the game set to be the 26th Music City Bowl, fans can expect an exciting matchup between the SEC and Big Ten teams. Both teams’ tickets will be allocated through their respective athletics departments.
The Music City Bowl has seen SEC teams emerge victorious in nine occasions, with Big Ten teams claiming the title five times. For ticket information, visit bit.ly/3uDzwMF.