ORLANDO, Fla. — No. 16 LSU and Purdue will play each other in the 2022 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2 in Orlando, Florida.
It's the first time since 2006 that the Boilermakers' bowl destination resides within the Sunshine State.
Purdue will arrive in Orlando with an 8-5 record and an opportunity to attain back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
"We are thrilled to be heading to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl," said head coach Jeff Brohm. "Our players and staff, both individually and as a team, have overcome and achieved so much together this season, and I could not be prouder of them. With this exciting opportunity ahead to play LSU in Orlando, I know Boilermaker fans everywhere will be motivated and energized to join us for what will be a tremendous game. We look forward to the challenge and cannot wait to begin preparations."
Purdue will face LSU in the big game. It's the first Boilermaker-Tiger matchup in program history and will be Purdue's third bowl appearance at Camping World Stadium.
"Our students and fans have enthusiastically supported our Boilermakers all season long, and they now have the opportunity to join the team in Orlando for a first-class bowl game and experience," said vice president and director of athletics Mike Bobinski. "We are very appreciative of the Florida Citrus Sports organization for extending this invitation, and we look forward to an exciting game against LSU."
The Citrus Bowl will be held on Jan. 2 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m.
Here's what you need to know:
Top players:
LSU: WR Malik Nabers has 854 yards receiving on 63 catches, including a team-high 128 on five receptions in the SEC title game.
Purdue: QB Aiden O'Connell, a sixth-year senior, is one of nine signal-callers to pass for at least 6,500 yards and 50 touchdowns since the start of 2021. That included 366 yards against Michigan in the Big Ten title game loss.
Notable:
LSU: Initially picked to finish fifth in the SEC West, the Tigers instead won the division, reached No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and topped favorite Alabama 32-31 in overtime along the way. They lost 50-30 to top-ranked Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship game but gained 529 yards and hung the most points this season against the nation's No. 2 scoring defense.
Purdue: The Boilermakers won their first Big Ten West title before losing to No. 2 Michigan 43-22 in the championship game.
Last time:
First meeting.
Bowl history:
LSU: The Tigers are 29-24-1 in bowls and 2-3 in the Citrus.
Purdue: The Boilermakers are making their first appearance in the Citrus Bowl since falling 34-27 in overtime to Georgia in 2004, then known as the Capital One Bowl. They are 11-9 overall, including last season's 48-45 OT win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.