It wasn't the bowl game Indiana head football coach Tom Allen had hoped for.
After spending the better part of the last two weeks stumping for his team to be a part of the New Year's 6 bowl games, the Hoosiers were dispatched to the Outback Bowl against the Mississippi Rebels on Jan. 2, 2021 at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium.
It marks the first time in program history Indiana is playing in January bowl games in consecutive seasons and the first time the Hoosiers and Rebels have squared off on the football field.
"This is the next opportunity for this program to prove who we are, to stare adversity right in the face and just fight, fight, fight for each other. And, that's what we're gonna do. This football team will be ready when it takes the field at 12:30, Jan. 2. Period. We are playing a really good football team. I've coached in that league. I've coached at that university," said Allen, who added he has already received texts from support staff members at Mississippi about the game.
While it can be viewed as a "lesser bowl" in the eyes of fans, the opportunity to play in Tampa presents a homecoming for Allen and several of his players.
Whop Philyor, Juwan Burgess, James Miller, Michael Penix, Jonathan King, Micah McFadden, and Thomas Allen, all of whom hail from Tampa.
For Allen, it is an opportunity to come full-circle, as his coaching career began 20 mins down I-4 from Raymond James Stadium at Armwood High School, where he was the defensive coordinator in 1995.
"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.
Returning to Florida and having fans in attendance is something that excites Allen.
"I am so excited we will have fans. Many of our loyal fans have not seen us play and I hope they come in droves and support like they never have before," Allen said.
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