Oregon, ranked number 10 in the BCS, finished the regular season with a record of 10–2 (7–2 Pac-12), co-champions of the Pac-12 North Division. Texas finished the regular season with a record of 8–4 (7–2 Big 12), tied for second place in the Big 12.
Texas was selected to represent theBig 12after an 8–4 season, finishing third overall in the conference. Starting the season ranked 15th in both major polls, Texas would start the season disappointingly by going 1–2 against non-conference opponents with a win overNew Mexico Stateand losses toBYUandOle Miss.They would eventually contend for the Big-12 Championship by starting their conference schedule at 6–0 with wins overKansas State,Iowa State,Oklahoma,TCU,KansasandWest Virginia.They would finish their remaining conference slate with a home loss toOklahoma State,rebound to beatTexas Techafter a bye week and finish the season with a road loss toBaylor,finishing the season unranked in the polls.
Referee:Dennis Hennigan(ACC)• Umpire: Jim Hyson • Linesman: Matt Fitzgerald • Line judge: Deon Lawerence • Back judge: Barry Hendon • Field judge: Bill Dolbow • Side judge: Mike Safrit
Texas leads the series with Oregon, 4–1 (.800). The series began in 1941 at Texas, Texas 71, Oregon 7. The last meeting was the 2000 Holiday Bowl, Oregon 35, Texas 30.[3]
This was the second year in a row that Texas played in the Alamo Bowl, having beatenOregon Statein the2012 Alamo Bowl,31–27.[5]
This was the second time that Oregon and Texas have faced off in the post-season, the only other time being the2000 Holiday Bowl,whereOregonbeatTexas35–30, Oregon's only win in the series.[6]
While all bowl games are technically considered neutral site games, theDucksand their accompanying fans had to either travel over 1,600 miles by air or drive over 2,000 miles fromEugene, Oregon,whereas theLonghornsare based less than 100 miles away fromSan Antonio,inAustin.
December 10, 2013 – Oregon starting tight end Pharaoh Brown was suspended for the Alamo Bowl due to his role in a campus snowball fight on December 6 that got out of hand.[7]
December 13, 2013 – Oregon defensive back Troy Hill was suspended from all football-related activities after being arrested for fourth-degree assault, menacing and strangulation.[8]
December 14, 2013 – Texas head coachMack Brownannounced his resignation following the Alamo Bowl after 16 years as head coach of Longhorns, having led them to six Big 12 South Division Championships, two Big 12 Conference Championships, and the2005 BCS National Championshipwith an overall record of 158–47 (.771).[9]
December 16, 2013 – Troy Hill was arraigned on lesser charges of menacing and criminal mischief, and entered a plea of not guilty.[10]
December 22, 2013 – Texas wide receiver Daje Johnson (So.), offensive tackle Kennedy Estelle (So.) and running back Jalen Overstreet (Fr.) were declared academically ineligible to participate in the 2013 Alamo Bowl. Johnson had 757 all-purpose yards on the year, Estelle had started 8 games at right tackle and Overstreet has 102 rushing yards with two touchdowns.[11]
December 27, 2013 – Oregon Defensive CoordinatorNick Aliottiannounced his retirement following the Alamo Bowl. Aliotti coached at Oregon for a total of 26 years, as a graduate assistant from 1978 to 1979, as the outside linebackers coach from 1988 to 1992 and then as the defensive coordinator from 1993 to 1994. He then followed former Oregon head coachRich Brooksto the NFL in 1995 and returned to Oregon after coaching at UCLA for one season, in 1999, where he has coached ever since.[12]
