AUBURN | Auburn doesn’t have a permanent head coach, but it does have a bowl game.

The Tigers will take on No. 14 Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day. The Wildcats finished 6-2 and first in the Big Ten West. Their only losses were at Michigan State and to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.

Auburn finished the season 6-4 with a 24-10 win at Mississippi State Dec. 12. Gus Malzahn was fired the following day and Kevin Steele named interim head coach.

This is Auburn’s 45th and eighth consecutive bowl bid. The Tigers are 24-18-2 in the previous 44 matchups, which includes five appearances in the Citrus Bowl, which has also gone by the Capital One Bowl and Tangerine Bowl.

Auburn lost to Wisconsin 24-10 in 2005, beat Penn State 13-9 in 2002, lost to Michigan 31-28 in 2000, beat USC 16-7 in 1986 and beat Boston College 33-26 in 1982.

The Tigers last played Northwestern in the 2009 Outback Bowl, winning 38-35 in overtime on a field goal by Wes Byrum and a big defensive stop by Neiko Thorpe.

Kickoff at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., is scheduled for noon CT on ABC.