Gator Bowl, Bowden's finale, sells out in 2 hours

By The Associated Press
Published: December 07, 2009

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JACKSONVILLE --

Bobby Bowden's final game will take place in a packed house.

The Gator Bowl said Monday that it sold every ticket for the New Year's Day game in record time, less than two hours. The bowl said all 77,474 tickets have been sold, with an allotment going to each school.

Gator Bowl chairman Dan Murphy says "the interest in this game has been overwhelming and has surpassed all expectations."

Florida State (6-6) will play Bowden's former team, No. 18 West Virginia (9-3), in hopes of avoiding the program's first losing season since 1976.

Bowden announced last week that the bowl game would be his last. The Gator Bowl passed up Clemson, Miami and Boston College to select the Seminoles and give Bowden an alluring matchup in his finale.