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Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews (87) after a catch against Massachusetts defensive back Ed Saint-Vil (6) in the first half of an NCAA college football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Vanderbilt was selected as the SEC representative for this season's BBVA Compass Bowl.

Vanderbilt will play Houston, the American Athletic Conference representative, at noon on Jan. 4, 2014, at Legion Field. The game will be televised on ESPN.



Vanderbilt went 8-4 overall, 4-4 in the SEC East. The Commodores are coached by James Franklin. Jordan Matthews, a Madison Academy alum who set the SEC career record for receptions and yards, stars for Vanderbilt. This is Vanderbilt's seventh bowl appearance.

"Vanderbilt is very excited to accept an invitation to play in the upcoming BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham on Jan. 4," Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams II said. "Vanderbilt University is proud that the Commodore football program will be making its third consecutive postseason appearance in Birmingham. We will work extremely hard to make the bowl a success in very big way. We are looking forward to playing a tremendous opponent in the University of Houston."

Houston, coached by Tony Levine, went 8-4, 5-3 in the American Athletic Conference. This is Houston's 22nd bowl appearance.

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"We are excited to accept an invitation to the BBVA Compass Bowl and look forward to making the trip to Birmingham," Levine said in a release. "Knowing that we will be facing a formidable opponent in Vanderbilt is a great challenge and one that our program is looking forward to. The setting will provide a great atmosphere for our student-athletes and our fans."

This snaps a 3-year streak where Pittsburgh was in this bowl. Pittsburgh is playing in the Little Caesar's Bowl in Detroit.

"We are pleased to select Vanderbilt to represent the SEC in the 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl," said Mark Meadows, Executive Director of the BBVA Compass Bowl. "We have a quality match-up featuring two eight win teams that will generate a lot of excitement at historic Legion Field on January 4th. We look forward to hosting the Commodore fans in Birmingham during bowl week!"

Tickets to the eighth annual BBVA Compass Bowl are now on sale and may be purchased by phone at 877-464-9529 and online at

. Tickets are also available at the Legion Field Box Office now through game day. Corporate packages, which include premium ticket locations, hospitality benefits and corporate exposure, are available now by calling David Krakower at 205-733-3776 ext.103 or emailing david.l.krakower@espn.com.