As a young high school football coach in Tampa, Fla., Tom Allen always looked forward to the Outback Bowl and all that came with it.
He paid close attention the teams representing the Big Ten and the speakers who would offer words of wisdom or various pointers.
On Jan. 2, 2021, the former Armwood High School and Temple Heights coach will be back in Florida coaching, but this time he will be leading the 7th ranked Indiana Hoosiers into Raymond James Stadium against Ole Miss in the 35th installment of the Outback Bowl.
"Florida is a special place to us. I've lived down there. A lot of great memories. I'm excited to be able to take a team back down to that state for another bowl game. Think about this. 1992 I started coaching high school football and it was in Tampa, Florida. We came up with a phrase of Dare to Believe and challenged team to do something that hadn't happened in 17 years, and some of those young men still live in Tampa. Pretty cool year all this is going on and we have historic season, from Temple Heights to the Big Ten. It started in Tampa and has a way to end in Tampa, and kind of poetic justice. Special place for me. That is the home to so many of our guys and their families can come see them play, that to me is pretty awesome thing," Allen said.
The Outback Bowl marks Allen's third bowl game since taking over the reigns following the removal of Kevin Wilson, and it presents an opportunity for the Hoosiers to win their first bowl game since 1991 when Indiana defeated Baylor in the Copper Bowl.
