Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Proceeds from wager to benefit Oklahoma or Missouri food bank
OKLAHOMA CITY- Gov. Mary Fallin has made a friendly wager with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on the outcome of Friday night’s Cotton Bowl game between their respective alma maters, the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (#13 BCS ranking) and the University of Missouri Tigers (#8).
Both governors are wagering food products from their states, with the food to be donated to a food bank or pantry in the state of the winning team. Gov. Fallin is wagering a food basket with about 50 pounds of products donated by the Made in Oklahoma Coalition. Gov. Nixon is staking a spiral sliced city ham (with homemade honey ham glaze) and a smoked turkey, delicacies from Burgers’ Smokehouse in California, Mo.
A victory by the Cowboys means the ham and turkey will be donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. In the unlikely event that Tigers prevail, the food basket from Oklahoma will be donated to the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri.
Fallin, a 1977 OSU graduate, said she is confident the 10-2 Cowboys will be able to corral the Tigers.
“It is definitely an exciting time for both universities to be playing in a historic bowl game like the Cotton Bowl,” Gov. Fallin said. “I appreciate Governor Nixon for showing good sportsmanship by participating in this friendly wager as we continue to raise awareness about hunger in both states. I look forward to the delivery of these goods when the Cowboys win!”
Gov. Nixon, a 1978 University of Missouri graduate and a 1981 graduate of the university’s law school, said the Tigers will be too much for the Cowboys to handle.
“Our Tigers have had an outstanding 11-2 campaign in only their second year in the premier football conference in the country,” Gov. Nixon said. “I look forward to watching the Tigers claim the Cotton Bowl title on Friday, and sending the Cowboys home empty-handed across the Red River.”
Oklahoma companies donating to the food basket are Seikel’s Old Style Mustard, of Oklahoma City; Southern Okie, of Edmond; Daddy Hinkle’s, of Cleveland; Ace in the Bowl Salsa, of Oklahoma City; Head Country Food Products, of Ponca City; Maria Rae’s Gourmet Foods, of Enid; Pepper Creek Farms, of Lawton; Clements Foods, of Oklahoma City; Griffin Food Co. of Muskogee; Scaffetta’s Gourmet Foods, of Anadarko; Shawnee Milling Co. of Shawnee; Stonegate Gourmet of Tulsa; Suan’s, Inc., of Oklahoma City; and S&S Food/J&J Etc., of Mustang.
The Cotton Bowl is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday (Jan. 3), and will be shown on Fox.