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The two teams to play in Tuesday night's 33rd Annual Valero Alamo Bowl arrive in San Antonio on Friday.
The number 16 USC Trojans, representing the Pac-12, and unranked TCU Horn Frogs, representing the Big 12, will check into their downtown hotels before weekend practice sessions.
The Trojans will march over to Trinity University for practice sessions, while the Horn Frogs will hop over to UTSA for practice sessions.
The coaches, Lincoln Riley of USC and Sonny Dykes of TCU, will be treated to a San Antonio welcome at the Alamodome on Sunday afternoon with a press conference to follow.
Bowl spokesman, Rick Hill, said ticket sales are doing well.
"We have never had USC in our game before," he said. "They are an excited fanbase as well as the people who have always followed them. They're such a big brand in college football. And then TCU has the advantage of they've been here twice, and they've won both games in historic comebacks."
Hill said the game is not just for out-of-town college football fans. He advises that locals should buy a ticket too. He said San Antonians can save a lot to take-in a top-notch bowl game.
"It's right here in your own hometown," he said. "I always look at it is—the really cheapest thing about a bowl game trip is the tickets, so if you're in town, you don't have to worry about a flight, you don't have to worry about a hotel."
Check out ticket information here.
Hill said the game and related events typically pump $45 million into the local economy each year. Eight-million television viewers across the U.S. turned into last year's game.
Other upcoming bowl related events:
- On Sunday, Dec. 28, a 5 p.m. river pep rally will feature players and coaches from both teams and their school pep bands. The Arneson River Theater will host the event.
- On Monday, Dec. 29, a noon kickoff luncheon for the players and coaches will be hosted by ESPN at the Marriott Rivercenter.
- On Tuesday—Game Day—Dec. 30, a 9 a.m. tailgate party will be held in Tailgate Town in Lot B at the Alamodome.
- On Tuesday—Game Day—Dec. 30, from 3 to 7:30 p.m., The Alamo Bowl Fan Zone is expected to welcome as many as 10,000 college football fans to the Espee. There will be food, drinks. live music, and interactive games, and performances by both university bands. An F/A-18 Hornet flight simulator will allow fans to test their fighter pilot skills.
- On Tuesday—Game Day—Dec. 30, the Alamo Bowl kicks off at 8 p.m.
