Auburn arrived in Tampa this afternoon. I did late tonight, so I wasn't able to get talk with anybody after what sounds like a delightful Outback Steakhouse meal. Anyway, here's a release about today's arrival from Auburn Sports Information.

I'll have plenty of updates tomorrow once the team starts practicing, so check back.'

TAMPA — The Auburn football team officially reported for the Outback Bowl Saturday and participated in the first bowl functions of the week. The Tigers attended the Outback Steakhouse team welcome dinner followed by Team Night at the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game.

Auburn (7-5) will meet Northwestern (8-4) in the 2010 Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 in Tampa, Fla. The game will kick off at 10 a.m. CT in Raymond James Stadium and be nationally televised by ESPN.

“Everybody’s here and having a good time tonight,” Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said. “We’re excited to get started tomorrow with practice. We’re here for one reason and that’s to win our eighth football game this season. There’s a balance to having fun and preparing to win the game and the players know that. Outback put on a great dinner for us tonight and it was a great way to start the week. It was everything you’d expect from Outback.”

Both teams were treated to an all-you-can-eat dinner courtesy of Outback, featuring steak, chicken and ribs.

“It was an amazing dinner tonight,” Tigers’ quarterback Chris Todd said. “It’s great to get off the plane or get off the road from traveling and have this kind of dinner the first night you’re here. We’re looking forward to the rest of the week. Coach Chizik made it pretty clear that he wants us to have a good time, but we are here to win a football game. So the practices are back to business, with everybody focused on winning.”

Following the Outback Steakhouse welcome dinner, both teams traveled to the St. Pete Times Forum for an NHL game between the Lightning and the Atlanta Thrashers. For a majority of the players, it was their first time to witness a hockey game in person.

"I've never been to a hockey game before,” Auburn receiver Terrell Zachery said. “It’s pretty cool. I'm glad we don't play on ice. I was telling one of the guys ice skating looks like roller blading and that's more my thing."

The Tigers will conduct their first bowl practice Sunday morning at the University of Tampa.