Dec. 7, 1997
Arizona State to Face Iowa in Sun Bowl
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State has accepted an invitation to play in the 1997 Norwest Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, athletic director Kevin White announced Sunday. The 17th-ranked Sun Devils, will face Big Ten foe Iowa, December 31 at 12:15 (MST). The game will be televised live on CBS.
"We are thrilled to be attending a first-class bowl and facing a first-class opponent," said ASU head coach Bruce Snyder. "We are looking forward to a great experience."
The Sun Devils will make their second straight bowl appearance. ASU completed the regular season with an 8-3 overall record, finishing third in the Pac-10 with a 6-2 conference mark. It is the 17th all-time bowl appearance for ASU and the second under head coach Bruce Snyder. It is ASU's third trip to the Sun Bowl. ASU made its first-ever post-season appearances in the Sun Bowl in 1940 and 1941. ASU is 9-6-1 in its previous 16 bowl games.
Iowa will be making its third straight bowl appearance and the 14th postseason appearance under head coach Hayden Fry in the last 17 years. The Hawkeyes ended their regular season with a 7-4 record and in a tie for sixth-place in the Big Ten with a 4-4 conference mark. It is Iowa's 16th all-time bowl appearance and its second in the Sun Bowl. Iowa defeated Washington, 38-18 in the 1995 Sun Bowl.
This year's Sun Bowl will be the first-ever meeting between Arizona State and Iowa.