2018 Outback Bowl: What To Know Before You Go

TAMPA, FL – Two teams that have combined for 11 New Year’s visits to Tampa will appear once again in the 2018 Outback Bowl.

The South Carolina Gamecocks will take on the Michigan Wolverines at Raymond James Stadium in the first college football game of 2018. The game is a rematch of the 2013 Outback Bowl, in which the Gamecocks topped the Wolverines 33-28, and was remembered for “The Hit,” the devastating tackle future NFLer Jadeveon Clowney put on Michigan running back Vincent Smith in the backfield.

Here’s what visiting fans and area residents need to know before you go to the 2018 Outback Bowl:

Date and Time

The 2018 Outback Bowl is scheduled to kick off on Monday, Jan 1 at noon and is traditionally the first bowl game to be played on New Year’s Day.

Location

Since 1999, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa has hosted the Outback Bowl. The stadium is located at 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Directions

Raymond James Stadium is centrally located, sitting north of the downtown Tampa area. There are several ways to approach the stadium from all directions:

• From St. Petersburg via I-275: Take I-275 northbound to Dale Mabry Exit. Take Dale Mabry north about 1.5 miles to parking.
• From Clearwater: Take U.S. Highway 60 east over the Courtney Campbell Causeway to Spruce Street. Continue east on Spruce/Boy Scout Boulevard to Dale Mabry Highway. Turn left to stadium parking.
• From North Hillsborough/Carrollwood: Take Dale Mabry Highway south to stadium parking.
• From Northwest Hillsborough (Odessa/Keystone): Take the Veterans Expressway to Hillsborough Avenue and travel east to Dale Mabry Highway. Turn right (south) onto Dale Mabry or Himes Avenue and follow to parking.
• From Lakeland/Brandon: Take I-4 west to I-275 south to Himes Avenue (Exit 41-A). Take Himes Avenue or Dale Mabry Highway north to parking.
• From Northeast Tampa/Temple Terrace/USF area: Take I-275 south to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Turn right to stadium parking.
• From Bradenton/Sarasota: Take I-75 north to I-4. Go east to I-275 south to Himes Avenue (Exit 41-A). Take Himes Avenue or Dale Mabry Highway north to parking.

Parking

General parking lots at Raymond James Stadium will open at 8 a.m. A limited number of parking spots are available to purchase in advance and are available at www.parkjockey.com/raymondjames. Advance parking also is available as part of an Outback Bowl Membership. All lots are cash only.

Disabled parking is available in Lots A and C on a first-come basis.

Public parking for cars and motorcycles are $30, and is available in Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14 and at the Hillsborough Community College campus.

Bus parking is $120, while campers and limousines are $90, and is available in Lots 8, 13 and 14. Overnight parking is not available on stadium parking. The Outback Bowl recommends contacting www.floridacamping.com for a list of campgrounds and state parks in the Tampa Bay area to accommodate overnight camper and RV parking.

Additional parking is available at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., and Tampa Jesuit High School, 4701 N. Himes Ave.

Tickets

Tickets to the game are $80 each. Children 3 years and younger are free as long as they do not take up a seat. Ticket Membership Packages are sold out for this year.

General admission tickets are available through Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.

Teams

The Outback Bowl features the Southeastern Conference facing off against the Big Ten Conference. The 2018 Outback Bowl features two teams that will take over the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in appearances after the game.

The South Carolina Gamecocks, who finished second in the SEC Eastern Division, will make their sixth appearance in the Outback Bowl and their first time since the 2013 game. The Gamecocks bring in an 8-4 record, winning two out of its last three games.

The Michigan Wolverines, who finished fourth in the Big Ten East Division, will make their seventh appearance in the Outback Bowl and also their first time since the 2013 game. Michigan brings in a 8-4 record, losing their last two games against Top 10 teams Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Outback Bowl Events

Starting Wednesday, Dec. 27, the Outback Bowl will host several public and private events for fans, including Clearwater Beach Day and the Outback Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade.

Click here for more information on the 2017 Outback Bowl Events.

For more information, visit http://www.outbackbowl.com/.

Image via South Carolina Gamecocks YouTube channel