Tulsa and ODU to Meet in Myrtle Beach Bowl

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Tulsa and Old Dominion are set to meet in the second edition of the Myrtle Beach Bowl presented by Tax Act on Monday, Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN. The game will be played at Brooks Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C.

“We are thrilled to host the second annual Myrtle Beach Bowl presented by Tax Act,” said Rachel Quigley, executive director of Myrtle Beach Bowl. “After last year’s successful event, we are excited to welcome back the Grand Strand community and new fan bases to the Myrtle Beach area.”

“Visit Myrtle Beach is thrilled to once again partner with ESPN Events and Coastal Carolina University to welcome Tulsa and Old Dominion here for 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl,” said Jonathan Paris, Director of Sports Tourism for Visit Myrtle Beach. “We know the teams and fans in town for the game will delight in all the activities our destination offers this time of year, especially our numerous holiday events, festive light displays and even ice skating,”

“We are privileged to serve as the host for the Myrtle Beach Bowl, presented by Tax Act,” said Matt Hogue, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation. “This event is a key component to our strategic partnership with the MB Chamber of Commerce and the entire sports tourism effort of our region.  The inaugural game last season was historic with record-breaking performances, and we know this season will provide the same excitement. We look forward to welcoming both passionate fan bases!”

This will be the first-ever meeting between Tulsa and Old Dominion. Tulsa enters the Myrtle Beach Bowl out of the American Athletic Conference, where they’ve been a member since 2014. Old Dominion brought their football program back in 2009 and have competed in Conference USA since their first full season in the NCAA Division l Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014. 

Tulsa (6-6, 5-3 AAC) brings a three-game winning streak to the Grand Strand. The Golden Hurricane took down AAC opponents Tulane, Temple, and SMU to conclude their regular season, finishing fifth in the conference standings. Tulsa has won six games in back-to-back seasons, with an appearance in the AAC championship game in 2020. 

Head Coach Phillip Montgomery will be taking the Golden Hurricane to their 4th bowl game in his seven seasons, including an appearance in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against Mississippi State in 2020. Overall, Tulsa will be making its 23rd bowl game appearance, holding a 10-12 record.

Old Dominion (6-6, 5-3 Conference USA) capped off the regular season with a five-game winning streak to become bowl eligible for just the second time in program history. The Monarchs defeated Charlotte 56-34 in the final game of the regular season after starting the year 1-6. 

The Monarchs finished 3rd in the Conference USA East Division after not competing in the 2020 season. Head Coach Ricky Rahne was hired following the 2019 season and will take Old Dominion to the Myrtle Beach Bowl in his first official campaign.

After resurrecting the football team in 2009 following a 68-year absence, the Monarchs won their lone bowl game 24-20 over Eastern Michigan in the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. The 2016 team finished with 10 wins, a program record since jumping up to the FBS level. 

The Myrtle Beach Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. 

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 35 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 12 college basketball events, and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

Royce Dunnivan
Media Relations Manager
Myrtle Beach Bowl
[email protected]
C: (919) 817-6192