The Penn State Nittany Lions will play their final game in a nightmarish 2012 season against Houston Cougars on Monday in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl (which you might know better for its traditional agricultural sponsor, the Cotton Bowl). The Nittany Lions, who tumbled in the bowl selection process in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, will face a Houston team that was one win away from an undefeated season and possible BCS berth.
The hype around the game, which will appear on ESPNU, has been less than deafening. Penn State has struggled to unload its allotment of tickets to the bowl game, and the Cougars coach, Kevin Sumlin, left Houston to lead Texas A&M into the SEC next season.
Penn State is the underdog in the contest according to the oddsmakers, and will have a tough time without several key players. Quarterback Matt McGloin will not play Monday after failing a series of concussion tests. Wide receiver Curtis Drake is also among the injured Nittany Lions.
Here is more information on the 2012 Ticket City Bowl:
Game date, time: 12:00 p.m. (Noon) ET, January 2, 2012
Location: Cotton Bowl, Fair Park, Dallas, Texas.
TV channel: ESPNU
2010 winner and loser: Texas Tech def. Northwestern, 45-38
Keep up with the latest news with our 2012 TicketCity Bowl StoryStream for more Houston vs. Penn State updates. For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. For more NCAA football, stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub.