December 4, 2005 - The 5th-ranked Oregon Ducks and 23rd-ranked Oklahoma Sooners have accepted invitations to play in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, 2005 President Stephen P. Cushman announced today.  The 28th annual game is Thursday, December 29 at 5 p.m. (PST) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.

“This is the most exciting matchup we have ever had,” Cushman said.  “The entire Pacific Life Holiday Bowl family can’t wait to welcome these fine football teams and their incredibly loyal fans to our great city later this month.”

Oregon finished the regular season with a 10-1 overall record, 7-1 in the Pacific-10 Conference.  This will be the Ducks’ second appearance in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl.  In 2000, quarterback Joey Harrington led the Ducks to a 35-30 victory over the Texas Longhorns.  This is the eighth bowl appearance for the Ducks in the last nine seasons.

"The Holiday Bowl is a tremendous bowl. Our players loved it the last time we were there.  We had a very successful outing beating a tremendous University of Texas team,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said.  “We look forward to playing the University of Oklahoma.   Our team is very focused in the fact that we have evolved as a program that is no longer just happy to go to bowl games; we want to win bowl games. We feel that is part of our job.

"This is a special group of kids,” Bellotti continued.  “Our whole motto has been focus and finish, especially after last year.  Our 13 seniors have done an awesome job in terms of leadership and performance on the field.  We have a chance to match the best record in school history.  This has been the second-most prolific offense in school history and an improving defense that has really made a difference down the stretch.  In my mind, this may be the best group of kids I've ever been associated with in my 33 years of coaching in terms of their ability to support each other and to find a way to win football games.”

Oregon has undergone the programs’ greatest one-season turnaround in 77 years after going from last year's 5-6 record to this season's 10-1 record.  One of the reasons for the turnaround has been the Ducks’ explosive offense.  This season, Oregon has scored 37 points or more in six of its 11 games and has had over 500 yards or more in total offense four times this season.  The team ranks 7th in the country in passing offense, 9th in scoring offense and 16th in total offense.

The Ducks’ defense is lead by First-Team All-Pac-10 Conference standouts Haloti Ngata and Justin Phinisee.  Ngata has the opportunity to become one of the program's most decorated individual players in school history.  He is an All-America candidate, co-Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's outstanding defensive player) and Outland Trophy (nation's best interior lineman).  Phinisee finished the season with 56 tackles and four interceptions and led the team with seven passes broken-up.

Oklahoma finished the regular season with a 7-4 overall record, 6-2 in the Big 12 Conference.  This will be the first appearance in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl for the Sooners and the seventh bowl game in seven seasons for Oklahoma under Bob Stoops.  This current streak of seven straight bowl game appearances ranks second in Oklahoma history.  The Sooners played in eight straight bowl games from 1975-82.

“We consider it an honor to be invited to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl,” Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops said.  “This game has certainly earned its position among the elite bowl games nationally.  We know from our conference peers of the professionalism and hospitality exhibited by the bowl game and the people of San Diego.  We are anxious to play in such a prestigious game and in such a wonderful destination.

“Our program has great respect for Mike Bellotti and the Oregon program.  They have put together another exceptional season and we know that they present a tremendous challenge as an opponent.  At the same time, we appreciate the fact that we can compete against a program of high standards.  We look forward to a great game.”

According to the NCAA, Oklahoma had the toughest schedule nationally this season.  This was also one of the youngest teams in the history of Oklahoma football.  Twelve true freshmen drew starting assignments this season and 22 players made their first career start. 

Sophomore running back Adrian Peterson, who finished second in last year’s Heisman voting, leads the Sooner offense.  Peterson missed all or more than half of four games this season with an ankle injury, yet still gained more yards than any other Big 12 running back with 1,024.  Over the last four regular season games, when Peterson regained his health, he averaged 156.5 yards and two touchdowns.  The Oklahoma defense is led by tackle Dusty Dvoracek, who leads the nation’s interior linemen with 17 tackles for loss and junior linebacker Rufus Alexander, who leads the team with 93 tackles.

This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams.  Oklahoma won the five previous meetings, the most recent meeting being in 2004.

Tickets for the 2005 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 619-220-TIXS, or visiting www.pacificlifeholidaybowl.com.