Armstrong High School Band Headed to Outback Bowl

The Armstrong High School band applied to play in the Outback Bowl over a year ago and call the coincidence that they will play in the same game as the Minnesota Golden Gopher football team “unbelievable.” It will also be the final hurrah for band director Todd Burkholder, who will be retiring.

“We’ve been planning for 16 months, hoping the Gophers would be good enough to get to the New Year’s Outback Bowl and they did it,” said Todd Burkholder. “We are so honored and proud to represent Armstrong. And we’re so excited the Gophers are going to be there.”

Burkholder takes Armstrong to perform at the Outback Bowl and Disney World every four years.

The 125 members of the band have been practicing and preparing, as well as planning what else they’ll be doing in Florida.

“If it’s warm enough, we are going to swim,” said Ally McNutt, a drum major. “If it’s not warm enough, we are still going to swim because we are from Minnesota.”

Band boosters will be driving down uniforms and equipment ahead of the band, who fly out on the 27th. The band will perform a classic rock medley and an Armed Forces medley.

Plymouth