It’s The Outback Bowl

The Hall of Fame Bowl took on a title sponsor and a new name when officials for the New Year’s Day game announced a six-year arrangement with Outback Steakhouse.

The game, which has an agreement to match opponents from the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences through 2001, will be known as the Outback Bowl.

Tampa-based Outback Steakhouse has become a major success story since the Australian-theme chain of restaurants began in 1988. It has grown to 237 restaurants and had 1994 earnings of more than $36 million.

The Hall of Fame Bowl has been played in 74,000-seat Tampa Stadium for the past nine years.