USC will play Georgia Tech in Sun Bowl Marqise Lee and USC take on Georgia Tech on Dec. 31. Stephen Dunn / Getty Images / November 10, 2012 By Gary Klein December 2, 2012, 6:05 p.m. USC, which opened the season ranked No. 1 in several polls, had hoped to spend its bowl week in South Florida preparing for the Bowl Championship Series title game. But a 7-5 finish will send the Trojans to Texas. USC will play Georgia Tech in the Hyundai Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas, it was announced Sunday. This will be USC's second appearance in the Sun Bowl. In 1998, a USC team favored by 16 points lost to Texas Christian, 28-19. That TCU team barely qualified for the postseason with a 6-5 record. Georgia Tech, which plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference, finished 6-7 after Saturday's 21-15 loss to No. 21 Florida State. Despite its losing record, Georgia Tech last week received a waiver from the NCAA allowing it to play in a bowl game. Under Coach Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech ranks fourth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 312.6 yards a game. Quarterback Tevin Washington has rushed for 19 touchdowns and passed for seven.