While the Outback Bowl may not carry the same value as the BCS National Championship from a year ago, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said the game was still important to his players.
"In bowl games you get the tone of your team and how important the game is," Malzahn said. "I'll just tell you this is a very important game for our players. We're going to need to play well to have a chance of winning against these guys."
Wisconsin interim head coach Barry Alvarez said the experience is one that will be remembered for a lifetime, especially for the players.
"I think one of the things that's overlooked with bowl games is the experience that the players have," Alvarez said. "That experience is something you'll remember the rest of your life."
Alvarez, who is coaching the Badgers after former head coach Gary Anderson left for Oregon State, said the extra practice a team receives is invaluable for younger players.
"Not only that, so the bowl games are important for the kids and the experience for them to have, but it also gives you extra practices to prepare for next year," Alvarez said. "You get some extra work with your young players who have been redshirted and guys who haven't played."
Malzahn echoed the sentiments of Alvarez, telling the media that the bowl games help coaches learn how players react in situations they may not normally be placed in.
"I think any time you have that experience in bowl games it can do nothing but help you," Malzahn said. "You know how the guys are going to react, what you're going to get out of them."
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