Virginia Vs Naval Academy In Military Bowl: Date, TV, Hotels

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The college football regular season has ended and 40 Bowl Games are set to kick off across the country in mid December. For the 10th year, Annapolis will host the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman, benefiting the USO. The hometown United States Naval Academy will face the University of Virginia on Thursday, Dec. 28, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ESPN.

"We are thrilled to renew this regional matchup in our 10th anniversary game," Military Bowl President & Executive Director Steve Beck said in a news release. "Navy and Coach Ken Niumatalolo annually show that they deserve a place in college football's upper echelon and we are happy to welcome Virginia back to the postseason. Congratulations to Coach Bronco Mendenhall for the work he has done turning around the Cavaliers. We look forward to a great Bowl Week in Washington and another awesome game day in Annapolis."

Pinstripe Bowl officials seriously considered the Cavaliers for their Dec. 27 game in New York before selecting Boston College, reports the Roanoke Times. This will be the first bowl game for Virginia since 2011.

“I watch it every year,” said UVa coach Bronco Mendenhall of the Military Bowl. “This is a defining moment for those players who have worked tirelessly to accomplish this goal of returning Virginia to a bowl game.”

Navy (6-5) will be making its third appearance in the National Capital Region's bowl game. This will be the 14th bowl appearance in 15 years for Navy, which concludes its regular season by playing Army on Saturday, Dec. 9, in Philadelphia. Led by defensive end D.J. Palmore, the Midshipmen finished third in the American Athletic Conference West Division.

Led by a group of seniors focused on setting a "New Standard," Virginia (6-6) will be making its first bowl appearance since 2011. It will be the Cavaliers' first appearance in the Military Bowl. Quarterback Kurt Benkert and linebacker Micah Kiser – both Maryland natives – and free safety Quin Blanding have led the Virginia turnaround, bowl organizers said.

This will be the 40th meeting between the two schools, but the first since 1994. Navy leads the all-time series, 28-11, but Virginia is riding a five-game winning streak in the series, beating the Midshipmen annually from 1990 to 1994, including a 47-10 victory in Annapolis on Sept. 10, 1994.

Here is what you need to know if you plan to head to the game:

WHERE: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401

WHEN: Dec. 28, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. ET

TICKETS: Starting at $25, Military Bowl tickets can be purchased online at militarybowl.org or by calling Ticket Alternative at 877-725-8849. Proceeds from the Bowl also benefit Patriot Point, the Military Bowl's 290-acre retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

TEAMS: United States Naval Academy vs. University of Virginia

HOTELS: Here is a list of nearby hotels from Visit Annapolis.

BROADCAST STATION: ESPN

SOCIAL MEDIA, APPS: For updates visit militarybowl.org, follow on Twitter @MilitaryBowl or like the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman on Facebook. Fans also are encouraged to download the Military Bowl app.

Photo courtesy of the US Naval Academy