Destination: Sun Bowl

The MU football team (8-4, 4-4 Big 12) is headed to El Paso, Texas, to play in the Brut Sun Bowl against 24th-ranked Oregon State (9-4, 6-3 PAC-10) at 1 p.m. Dec. 29. This will be the Tigers’ 24th appearance in a bowl game. Last year, the Tigers played in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., where they defeated South Carolina

38-31. Missouri last played in the Sun Bowl 33 years ago, defeating Auburn 34 to 17.

The basics

• Tickets go on sale today at 8 a.m. and range from $15 to $60. They can be purchased online at www.mutigers.com; www.ticketmaster.com; www.sunbowl.org; or by calling 884-PAWS in Columbia and 800-CATPAWS in other areas.

• Sun Bowl Stadium is right next to the U.S.-Mexico border at the University of Texas-El Paso, 2701 Sun Bowl Drive.
• Gates open at 9:30 a.m. on game day.
• Each team is allotted 8,000 tickets. Missouri fan seating is on the east side of the stadium.
• A number of airlines offer flights from St. Louis or Kansas City. If you choose to drive, it’s a 21-hour trip of 1,279 miles one way.
• The game will be broadcast live on KRCG/Channel 13.
• El Paso is the fifth largest city in Texas, with a population of 563,662. It is the 23rd largest city in the United States.
• The city’s culture is a mixture of American Indian, American cowboy, Spanish and Mexican.

It was founded on the Rio Grande and became part of the U.S. at the end of the Mexican War in 1848.

• Located across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, El Paso is a major trade center between the two countries. Day trips to Mexico are an option.
• El Paso is most famous for its Mission Trail, one of the oldest roads in the country, dating back 400 years.
• The city also boasts a number of museums, including the El Paso Museum of Art downtown, which features Texas art, and a Holocaust Museum, which has documents, videotapes, and items collected from concentration camps in Europe.
• Ascarate Lake, located in the city, covers 48 acres and provides opportunities for boating, canoeing and trout fishing in winter. Nearby are a 9-hole and 18-hole golf courses.
• Franklin Mountains State Park offers trails for hiking and picnicking. The Franklin Mountains are also known for a lighted star that shines each night.

Bowl history

• This year marks the 73rd Sun Bowl game. The first Sun Bowl, a Kiwanis fundraiser between two high school teams, was held Jan. 1, 1935, making it the country’s second-oldest bowl game. The first collegiate Sun Bowl was the following year, featuring New Mexico A&M (now New Mexico State) and Hardin-Simmons College.
• Games were held at El Paso High School stadium for three years. Today, a total of 50,426 seats are available.

Other events

The 9th Annual Wells Fargo Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta

4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 28 at the El Paso Convention & Performing Arts Center. Music, refreshments and fireworks. Admission is free. Location: downtown

CVB Amigo Tent Party

9 a.m. to noon Dec. 29. The Convention and Visitors Bureau Tailgate Party. Ticket: $25, contact Leesy Ramirez-McCorgary at 915-534-0681

The Sun Bowl Fun Zone

10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 29. An activity area with free games for children. Location: outside the east concourse of Sun Bowl Stadium.

Pregame

Pregame activities, including the introduction of the Legends of the Sun Bowl Game and 2006 Sun Court and performances by university bands, will begin at 11:30 a.m. on game day in Sun Bowl Stadium.