MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl at a press conference Wednesday afternoon held in the John Counts Room at the Mitchell Center.

The Jaguars will be making their first-ever bowl appearance after earning an invitation from Johnny Williams, Executive Director of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.  Accepting on behalf of USA were President Dr. Tony Waldrop, Director of Athletics Dr. Joel Erdmann, Jag head coach Joey Jones and Danielle Watson, President of the Student Government Association.

"We're extremely excited that South Alabama will play the first bowl game in school history at the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl," Williams said.  "This is a historic moment being the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl's first game and the University of South Alabama first bowl appearance."

"Certainly on behalf of the board of trustees, the faculty, staff and students, all of the athletic department staff, but more importantly, on behalf of the coaches and players, we enthusiastically are honored to be part of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl," Waldrop stated.  "The importance of this bowl game is great, obviously for the football team and all the fans, but it's also great for the student life here.  What an accomplishment: after just six years of having a football program, we're going to a bowl game."

This is the Jaguars' sixth season of competition, and just their second as a full-fledged NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision member; it's the fastest an FBS program has been invited to participate in a bowl game, as former Sun Belt Conference member Florida Atlantic accomplished the feat in the Owls' seventh year, and third at the FBS level.  USA was also eligible to participate in a bowl last fall after finishing 6-6, and has an all-time mark of 37-27 over six seasons — all under Jones.

 "I want to thank ESPN and the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl for inviting us to be in their bowl game; we are certainly excited about that," said Jones.  "I know it will be a great event for both teams — we're looking forward to participating in it.  Last year, we became bowl eligible, but didn't quite get in.  This year, we became bowl eligible and got in.

"I'm so proud of our players and the sacrifices they've made to have this moment," he continued.  "My heart goes out to them, it's really all about the players.  These guys have four or five years to play and I want to make it as special as I can for them, because these guys have made it special for me.  I really appreciate what they've done to get us here."

The 2014 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl will be played on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 8:15 p.m. (CDT), with the game scheduled to be televised by ESPN.  South Alabama — which concluded the regular season 6-6 overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt — will face a team from the Mid-American Conference that is expected to be announced on Sunday.

Tickets for the bowl game cost $25 per person.  Jaguar Athletic Fund donors and USA season ticket holders will have an exclusive time-frame for purchases beginning at 8 a.m. on Thursday through the end of day on Monday by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872), while starting on Tuesday, sales will begin to the general public should tickets still be available.  All seating locations will be determined by JAF priority points and purchasers will be notified when tickets are available for pickup.

"Being offered the opportunity to participate in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl is indescribably exciting and tremendously rewarding," Erdmann said.  "It's an incredible reflection on the hard work and commitment of so many people involved in the process of South Alabama football, specifically head coach Joey Jones, our student-athletes, coaching and support staff who have fought hard and prepared so well in getting us to this point.

"We are all one team, we are all one family, we represent this university and our community," he added.  "The team and the coaches have a certain role; that's to practice, to compete and to win.  We — the ones not on the team — have a different role, and that's to support them and drive that engine.  We need to be able to go to Montgomery and represent ourselves to the best of our ability.

"As we anticipated this, we sat down and came up with a rallying cry.  Our battle cry is 'Mission: Montgomery.'  Mission: Montgomery has three basic goals: buy tickets, travel to Montgomery and rally around the team."

More information involving the Jaguars' participation in the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl will be released when it becomes available.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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