Ball State, Georgia State Arrive in Montgomery for Camellia Bowl
Georgia State University players arrive in Montgomery on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, to begin preparations for the TaxAct Camellia Bowl on Christmas Day. – Photo from TaxAct Camellia Bowl
The Ball State Cardinals and the Georgia State Panthers have arrived in Montgomery as preparations begin for the 8th annual TaxAct Camellia Bowl on Christmas Day.
The Cardinals arrived via a charter flight from Indianapolis. The Panthers arrived on charter buses from Atlanta.
The head coaches met with the local media, then both staffs joined the TaxAct Camellia Bowl staff for an ESPN party on the Harriott II riverboat on the Alabama River.
Players had their own hospitality event and visited their gift suites, where they selected their bowl gifts and merchandise.
Ball State head football coach Mike Neu and Georgia State head football coach Shawn Elliott pose with the TaxAct Camellia Bowl trophy in Montgomery on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 – Photo from TaxAct Camellia Bowl
Here are some comments from Tuesday’s press conference:
Georgia State Head Coach Shawn Elliott:
“It’s a pleasure to be here. I mean, Georgia State football, myself and our football team, there’s been a lot of things done and we haven’t been in existence very long. Twelve short years. You know, we’re trying to grow our football program. We have the opportunity to play in these bowl games, it’s really something special for our team. ”
Ball State Head Coach Mike Neu:
“Many of these guys in 2017, we were not a good football team, we were taking it on the chin, losing by 30 and 40 points a game and all these young men stayed. They did not put their name in the transfer portal, which is crazy these days, they stayed and they continued to work hard and continued to just get better and better and better. And all of a sudden, we had a special year a year ago and this is a special year as well. For us to be able to go to a bowl game in back-to-back years has only happened a few times in the history of our program. So I know can speak on behalf of our players in saying thank you to everybody involved in the Camellia Bowl. We’re ecstatic to be here. ”
