2017 QUICK LANE BOWL TEAMS SET – DUKE UNIVERSITY AND NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY TO FACE OFF

Duke University and Northern Illinois University will play in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on Tuesday, December 26 at 5:15 PM. The game will air nationally on ESPN.

The Duke University Blue Devils enjoyed a successful start to the 2017 campaign with four consecutive victories – all by double digits – over N.C. Central, Northwestern, Baylor and chief rival North Carolina with the 27-17 triumph over the Tar Heels. Following the productive opening to the campaign, a six-game losing streak that included four defeats by seven points or less ensued before the Blue Devils secured bowl eligibility with victories over Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in the final two weeks of the regular season, overcoming double digit deficits in both contests. In the 43-20 victory over the Yellow Jackets, Duke amassed 319 rushing yards and scored the game’s final 30 points. One week later, the Blue Devils outscored the Demon Deacons by a 28-6 count over the final 33 minutes of the game for a 31-23 triumph. The Blue Devils are led by Head Coach David Cutcliffe.

NIU finished the 2017 season in second-place in the MAC West Division with a 6-2 league record, 8-4 overall. The Huskies return to the bowl season after missing a bowl appearance last year, which snapped a MAC record streak of eight consecutive bowl appearances (2008-15). Fifth year Head Coach Rod Carey and the Huskies defeated Nebraska from the Big Ten earlier this season. Northern Illinois will be making its 12th bowl appearance as a member of the MAC (4-7 record in bowl games).

This will be the fourth year of a multiyear agreement for Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center as the title sponsor of an annual college football bowl game at Ford Field. Quick Lane renewed their title sponsorship of the Quick Lane Bowl with the Detroit Lions in 2016. The renewal guarantees Quick Lane naming rights of the bowl through 2019.

The Detroit Lions own, host and operate this college football bowl game. The team’s entertainment division, DLI Entertainment, has promoted multiple large-scale shows and events at Ford Field including eight consecutive sold-out Kenny Chesney concerts, Taylor Swift, the 2003 Basketbowl, 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals, 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and the 2010 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four.