List of college bowl games
This is a list of college football bowl games, including those proposed and defunct. Six bowl games are part of the College Football Playoff, a selection system that creates bowl matchups involving twelve of the top-ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). There are also a number of other college football postseason invitationals, as well as several all-star games.
For nearly a century, bowl games were the purview of only the very best teams, but a steady proliferation of new bowl games required more teams, with 70 participating teams by the 2010–11 bowl season, then 80 participating teams by the 2015–16 bowl season. As a result, the NCAA has steadily relaxed the criteria for bowl eligibility. Teams with a non-winning record (6–6) were allowed starting in 2010. Requirements were further reduced to allow teams with outright losing records (5–7) to be invited since 2012, with the team with the best Academic Progress Rate score (among teams with 5–7 records) to be chosen first.[1] While inviting teams without winning records to bowl games has become more commonplace, there were several losing teams who played in bowl games before the last decade's changes in bowl eligibility: 1946 Gator Bowl, South Carolina (2–3–3); 1963 Sun Bowl, SMU (4–6); 1970 Tangerine Bowl, William & Mary (5–6); and the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, North Texas (5–6).[2] For the 2016–17 bowl season, 25% of the bowl participants (20 teams) did not have a winning record.
The tables (College Football Playoff games, Other current Division I FBS bowl games) reflect changes for the 2022–23 bowl season.
Bowl games are not limited to the Bowl Subdivision; teams in the three lower divisions of the NCAA—the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, and Division III—are also allowed to participate in bowl games. The playoff structure in those three divisions discourages most high-caliber teams from participating in bowl games, as teams would rather contest for their division's national championship than play in a bowl game. The same basic guidelines for bowl eligibility apply for those contests. As of 2017, one bowl game (the Celebration Bowl) exists for FCS, four bowls serve Division II, and ten exist for teams in Division III (not including the Stagg Bowl, which is the name for the NCAA Division III Football Championship game).
Community college bowl games, not sanctioned by the NCAA, are also listed.
College Football Playoff games
[edit]Six major bowl games, known as the New Year's Six, rotate the hosting of the two semifinal games which determine the teams that play in the final College Football Playoff National Championship game.[3] The New Year's Six includes six of the ten oldest bowl games (missing the Sun, Gator, Citrus and Liberty bowls), continuing their original history of pitting the very best teams in the country against each other. These six games focus on the top 12 teams in the rankings, with only five teams ranked lower than 12th (all five were still ranked in the top 20) having ever played in the New Year's Six since the College Football Playoff system was inaugurated.
| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Most Recent Per Team Payout (+ Revenue Pool)[4] |
Title Sponsor[5] |
Previous Name(s)[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Bowl Game | 1902 (annual since 1916) |
Rose Bowl (92,542) |
Pasadena, California* | $4,000,000 | Prudential | Tournament East-West football game; Rose Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by: AT&T^, Sony PlayStation 2^, Citi^, Vizio^, Northwestern Mutual^, Capital One^ |
| Orange Bowl | 1935 | Hard Rock Stadium (64,767) |
Miami Gardens, Florida | $6,000,000 (as semifinal) |
Capital One | Orange Bowl, FedEx Orange Bowl, Discover Orange Bowl |
| Sugar Bowl | 1935 | Caesars Superdome (73,208) |
New Orleans, Louisiana† | $4,000,000 | Allstate | Sugar Bowl, USF&G Sugar Bowl, Nokia Sugar Bowl |
| Cotton Bowl Classic | 1937 | AT&T Stadium (80,000) |
Arlington, Texas | $6,000,000 (as semifinal) |
Goodyear | Cotton Bowl, Mobil Cotton Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Classic, SBC Cotton Bowl Classic, AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic |
| Peach Bowl | 1968 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000) |
Atlanta, Georgia | $4,000,000 | Chick-fil-A | Peach Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl |
| Fiesta Bowl | 1971 | State Farm Stadium (63,400) |
Glendale, Arizona | $4,000,000 | Vrbo | Fiesta Bowl, Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, IBM OS/2 Fiesta Bowl, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Vizio Fiesta Bowl, BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl |
^ The Rose Bowl did not add a sponsor to its name until the 1998 season. Unlike other bowls, which give the sponsor's name precedence ahead of the bowl's name (effectively changing the title of the game), the Rose Bowl adds the sponsor as "presented by", after the words Rose Bowl.
* Two-time move, due to World War II travel restrictions after the attack on Pearl Harbor moving the 1942 game to Duke Stadium in Durham, NC, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic moving the 2021 game to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.
† One-time move, due to damage to the Superdome from Hurricane Katrina, moving the 2006 game to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA.
Other current Division I FBS bowl games
[edit]Besides the six bowl games that are part of the College Football Playoff, there are a number of other postseason invitationals. Generally, two conferences will agree to send teams of a particular standing to a game beforehand. For instance, the Rose Bowl traditionally features the Big Ten and Pac-12 conference champions. Generally, the payout to the participating teams in a bowl game is closely correlated to its prestige. By comparison, each of the former BCS bowls (including the national championship game) had a payout of $18 million.
| Name | Season Started |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Total Payout [4] |
Title Sponsor(s)[5] | Previous Name(s)[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Bowl | 1934 | Sun Bowl Stadium (51,500) |
El Paso, Texas | $3,447,568 | Tony the Tiger[a] | Sun Bowl, John Hancock Sun Bowl, John Hancock Bowl, Norwest Bank Sun Bowl, Norwest Corporation Sun Bowl, Wells Fargo Sun Bowl, Vitalis Sun Bowl, Brut Sun Bowl, Hyundai Sun Bowl |
| Gator Bowl | 1945 | EverBank Stadium (76,867) |
Jacksonville, Florida | $3,168,292 | TaxSlayer | Gator Bowl, Mazda Gator Bowl, Outback Gator Bowl, Toyota Gator Bowl, Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Progressive Gator Bowl, TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl |
| Citrus Bowl | 1946 | Camping World Stadium (60,219) |
Orlando, Florida | $8,550,000 | Cheez-It[b] | Tangerine Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl, CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl, Ourhouse.com Florida Citrus Bowl, Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, Citrus Bowl presented by Overton's, Vrbo Citrus Bowl |
| Liberty Bowl | 1959 | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325) |
Memphis, Tennessee | $4,294,681 | AutoZone | Liberty Bowl, St. Jude Liberty Bowl, AXA Liberty Bowl |
| Independence Bowl | 1976 | Independence Stadium (53,000) |
Shreveport, Louisiana | $1,248,280 | Radiance Technologies | Independence Bowl, Poulan Independence Bowl, Poulan Weed Eater Independence Bowl, Sanford Independence Bowl, MainStay Independence Bowl, PetroSun Independence Bowl, AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, AdvoCare V100 Bowl, Duck Commander Independence Bowl, Camping World Independence Bowl, Walk-On's Independence Bowl |
| Holiday Bowl | 1978 | Snapdragon Stadium (35,000) |
San Diego, California | $6,326,258 | DIRECTV | Holiday Bowl, Sea World Holiday Bowl, Thrifty Car Rental Holiday Bowl, Plymouth Holiday Bowl, Culligan Holiday Bowl, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, National University Holiday Bowl, National Funding Holiday Bowl, San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl |
| ReliaQuest Bowl | 1986 | Raymond James Stadium (65,908) |
Tampa, Florida | $6,350,000 | ReliaQuest | Hall of Fame Bowl, Outback Bowl |
| Rate Bowl | 1989 | Chase Field (48,519) |
Phoenix, Arizona | $1,037,118 | Rate | Copper Bowl, Domino's Pizza Copper Bowl, Weiser Lock Copper Bowl, Insight.com Bowl, Insight Bowl, Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, TicketCity Cactus Bowl, Motel 6 Cactus Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl,[b] Guaranteed Rate Bowl |
| Pop-Tarts Bowl[c] | 1990 | Camping World Stadium (60,219) |
Orlando, Florida | $5,800,000 | Pop-Tarts[c] | Sunshine Classic, Blockbuster Bowl, Carquest Bowl, MicronPC Bowl, MicronPC.com Bowl, Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl, Mazda Tangerine Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl, Russell Athletic Bowl, Camping World Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl[b] |
| Las Vegas Bowl | 1992 | Allegiant Stadium (65,000) |
Paradise, Nevada | $2,760,000 | SRS Distribution | Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl presented by Reno Air, EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl, Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl, Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl, Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl presented by GEICO, Mitsubishi Las Vegas Bowl |
| Alamo Bowl | 1993 | Alamodome (65,000) |
San Antonio, Texas | $7,975,000 | Valero | Builders Square Alamo Bowl, Sylvania Alamo Bowl, Alamo Bowl Presented By MasterCard, MasterCard Alamo Bowl, Alamo Bowl |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | 1997 | Albertsons Stadium (37,000) |
Boise, Idaho | $950,000 | Idaho Potato Commission[d] | Sports Humanitarian Bowl, Humanitarian Bowl, Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl, MPC Computers Bowl, Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, uDrove Humanitarian Bowl |
| Music City Bowl | 1998 | Nissan Stadium (69,143) |
Nashville, Tennessee | $5,650,000 | TransPerfect | Music City Bowl, American General Music City Bowl, homepoint.com Music City Bowl, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone, Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl |
| 68 Ventures Bowl | 1999 | Hancock Whitney Stadium (25,450) |
Mobile, Alabama | $1,500,000 | 68 Ventures | Mobile Alabama Bowl, GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl, GMAC Bowl, GoDaddy.com Bowl, GoDaddy Bowl, Dollar General Bowl, LendingTree Bowl |
| New Orleans Bowl | 2001 | Caesars Superdome (73,208) |
New Orleans, Louisiana | $925,000 | R+L Carriers | New Orleans Bowl, Wyndham New Orleans Bowl |
| Hawaiʻi Bowl | 2002 | Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex (15,194) |
Honolulu, Hawaii | $1,000,000 | EasyPost | ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl, Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, SoFi Hawai'i Bowl |
| Duke's Mayo Bowl | 2002 | Bank of America Stadium (73,778) |
Charlotte, North Carolina | $4,505,556 | Duke's Mayonnaise | Queen City Bowl, Continental Tire Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl, Belk Bowl |
| Armed Forces Bowl | 2003 | Amon G. Carter Stadium (45,000) |
Fort Worth, Texas | $900,000 | Lockheed Martin | PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl, Fort Worth Bowl, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl |
| Texas Bowl | 2006 | NRG Stadium (71,054) |
Houston, Texas | $6,300,000 | TaxAct | Texas Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl, Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl, Mercari Texas Bowl |
| Birmingham Bowl | 2006 | Protective Stadium (47,100) |
Birmingham, Alabama | $1,650,000 | 76 | Birmingham Bowl, Papajohns.com Bowl, BBVA Compass Bowl, Jared Birmingham Bowl, TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl |
| New Mexico Bowl | 2006 | University Stadium (39,224) |
Albuquerque, New Mexico | $1,050,000 | Isleta | New Mexico Bowl, Gildan New Mexico Bowl, PUBG New Mexico Bowl |
| Military Bowl | 2008 | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000) |
Annapolis, Maryland | $2,066,990 | Go Bowling | Congressional Bowl, EagleBank Bowl, Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman, Military Bowl presented by Perspecta, Military Bowl presented by Peraton |
| Gasparilla Bowl | 2008 | Raymond James Stadium (65,890) |
Tampa, Florida | $1,133,735 | Union Home Mortgage | St. Petersburg Bowl, magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl, Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl, Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, St. Petersburg Bowl, Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl |
| Pinstripe Bowl | 2010 | Yankee Stadium (54,251) |
Bronx, New York | $4,300,000 | Bad Boy Mowers | New Era Pinstripe Bowl |
| First Responder Bowl | 2010 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000) |
Dallas, Texas | $1,667,000 | Servpro | Dallas Football Classic, TicketCity Bowl, Heart of Dallas Bowl presented by PlainsCapital Bank, Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl |
| Bahamas Bowl | 2014 | Thomas Robinson Stadium (15,023) |
Nassau, Bahamas | $225,000 | HomeTown Lenders | Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl |
| Boca Raton Bowl | 2014 | FAU Stadium (29,419) |
Boca Raton, Florida | $1,000,000 | RoofClaim.com | Boca Raton Bowl, Marmot Boca Raton Bowl, Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl |
| Salute to Veterans Bowl | 2014 | Cramton Bowl (25,000) |
Montgomery, Alabama | $250,000 | Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S) | Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, Camillia Bowl, TaxAct Camellia Bowl |
| GameAbove Sports Bowl | 2014 | Ford Field (65,000) |
Detroit, Michigan | $750,000 | GameAbove Sports | de facto replacement for Little Caesars Pizza Bowl which ran from 1997 to 2013. Quick Lane Bowl[e] |
| Cure Bowl | 2015 | FBC Mortgage Stadium (44,206) |
Orlando, Florida | $573,125 | StaffDNA | AutoNation Cure Bowl, FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl, Tailgreeter Cure Bowl, Duluth Trading Company Cure Bowl, Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl |
| Arizona Bowl | 2015 | Arizona Stadium (56,029) |
Tucson, Arizona | $412,920 | Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop[6] | NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, Offerpad Arizona Bowl, Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl |
| Frisco Bowl | 2017 | Toyota Stadium (20,500) |
Frisco, Texas | $750,000 | Scooter's Coffee | de facto replacement for the Miami Beach Bowl, which was sold to ESPN Events and relocated to Frisco, Texas. DXL Frisco Bowl, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl |
| Myrtle Beach Bowl | 2020 | Brooks Stadium (20,000) |
Conway, South Carolina | TBD | None | None previous |
| Fenway Bowl | 2021 | Fenway Park (37,755) |
Boston, Massachusetts | TBD | Wasabi | None previous |
| LA Bowl | 2021 | SoFi Stadium (70,240) |
Inglewood, California | TBD | Art of Sport Rob Gronkowski |
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel, Starco Brands LA Bowl hosted by Gronk |
- ^ Advertising character for Frosted Flakes, a cereal brand produced by Kellogg's.
- ^ a b c Cheez-It is a brand of cheese crackers produced by Kellogg's.
- ^ a b Pop-Tarts is a brand of toaster pastries produced by Kellogg's.
- ^ "Famous Idaho Potato" is an advertising slogan and trademark of the Idaho Potato Commission.
- ^ Quick Lane is Ford's brand name for its dealers' express service business.
Non-FBS bowl games
[edit]Division I FCS bowls
[edit]| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Most Recent Per Team Payout (+ Revenue Pool) |
Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebration Bowl (HBCU National Championship) |
2015 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000)
|
Atlanta, Georgia | $1,000,000 | Cricket Wireless | Pelican Bowl (1972–75) Heritage Bowl (1991–99) Legacy Bowl (proposed 2010) Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl |
Division II bowls
[edit]NOTE: These games are similar to the National Invitation Tournament in Division I college basketball, for teams in conferences that did not make the NCAA Division II tournament.
| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Bowl | 2017 | Tiger Stadium (10,001) | Corsicana, Texas | Riot Platforms | Corsicana Bowl (2017–2018) |
| America's Crossroads Bowl | 2019[7][8] | Brickyard Stadium | Hobart, Indiana | Indiana South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority | None |
| Florida Beach Bowl | 2023 | DRV PNK Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Amerant Bank | Pioneer Bowl (1997–2012) No contest 2013–2022, 2024 |
Division III bowls
[edit]| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECAC Bowl Series
|
2015 | Varies (campus sites) | ECAC | ECAC Bowl (1983–2003) Regional ECAC bowl games (1983-2014)[9] | |
Centennial-MAC Bowl Series
|
2015 | Centennial & MAC | None | ||
| Isthmus Bowl | 2021 | Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium | Sun Prairie, Wisconsin | WIAC & CCIW | None |
| Lakefront Bowl | 2022 | Raabe Stadium | Wauwatosa, Wisconsin | MWC & NACC | None |
Chesapeake Bowl Challenge
|
2023 | Salem Football Stadium | Salem, Virginia | Landmark & ODAC | None |
| Fusion Bowl | 2024 | Varies (campus sites) | NEWMAC & CNE | None | |
Opendorse Bowl Series[10]
|
2024 | Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium | Canton, Ohio | OAC, PAC, HCAC, & NCAC |
None |
Additionally, NCAA Division III is home to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (1973–2019; was played in Salem, Virginia). NCAA awarded the 2020 and 2021 games to Canton, OH; the 2022 game to Navy-Marine Corp Stadium; the 2023 to Salem, VA; the 2024 game to Humble, TX; and the 2025 game back to Canton. In contrast to other bowl games, the Stagg Bowl operates within the NCAA tournament structure rather than as a stand-alone post-season game; it serves as the Division III national championship game to conclude a 32-team post-season playoff.
NAIA bowl games
[edit]![[icon]](/https/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: online[12] information. You can help by adding to it. (June 2017) |
The NAIA's national championship game (which is the conclusion of a 16 team playoff) is currently not named as a bowl, but has held a bowl name in the past. Additionally, from 1970 to 1996, NAIA football was split into two divisions and held a separate tournaments and championships for both divisions; the Division II championship was never named a bowl and as such the past names listed below do not apply to the Division II championship game.
| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAIA national football championship | 1956 | Municipal Stadium
(9,601) |
Daytona Beach, Florida | NAIA Waste Pro |
Aluminum Bowl (1956) Holiday Bowl (1957–1960) Camellia Bowl (1961–1963) Championship Bowl (1964–1976, 1980–1996) Apple Bowl (1977) Palm Bowl (1978–1979) |
NCCAA bowl games
[edit]Football teams that are a part of the NCCAA may also be members of the NCAA, NAIA, or of neither. Bids to the Victory Bowl are given to NCCAA teams that did not make the NCAA or NAIA playoffs and is treated as the NCCAA Championship Game, but follows no playoff itself.
| Name | First Game |
Venue (Permanent Seating) |
City | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victory Bowl | 1997 | Campus site | N/A | NCCAA | None |
Proposed games
[edit]The number of bowl games have risen steadily, reaching 41 (including the national championship game) by the 2015 bowl season. To fill the 80 available bowl slots, a record 15 teams with non-winning seasons participated in bowl games—including three with a record of 5–7. This situation led directly to the NCAA Division I Council imposing a three-year moratorium on new bowl games in April 2016.[13]
Since 2010, organizers and boosters have continued to propose other bowl games—some of these proposals have since been dropped, while others are active proposals that have been placed on hold during the NCAA moratorium.
| Name | Year to start | Venue (permanent seating) |
City | Payout | Sponsor(s) | Previous name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chili Bowl | 2023 | TQL Stadium (26,000) |
Cincinnati, Ohio | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Chicago Bowl | TBD | Wrigley Field (41,268) |
Chicago, Illinois | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Chocolate Bowl[14] | TBD | Hersheypark Stadium (15,641) |
Hershey, Pennsylvania | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Austin Bowl[15] | TBD | Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium (100,119) |
Austin, Texas | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Medal of Honor Bowl[16] | TBD | Johnson Hagood Stadium (21,000) |
Charleston, South Carolina | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Little Rock Bowl[17] | TBD | War Memorial Stadium (54,120) |
Little Rock, Arkansas | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Melbourne Bowl | TBD | Marvel Stadium (56,347) |
Melbourne, Victoria | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Dubai bowl game[17] | TBD | TBD | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Ireland bowl game[17] | TBD | TBD | Ireland (specific city TBD) | TBD | TBD | None previous |
| Toronto bowl game[17] | TBD | Rogers Centre (54,000) |
Toronto, Ontario | TBD | TBD | International Bowl |
| St. Louis bowl game[17][18] | TBD | TBD | St. Louis, Missouri | TBD | TBD | None previous |
Two proposed games, the Cure Bowl and Christmas Bowl, were turned down by the NCAA for 2010.[19] The Cure Bowl was eventually added in 2014, for the 2015 bowl season.
In August 2013, the Detroit Lions announced that it would hold a new bowl game at Ford Field beginning in 2014, holding Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference tie-ins, despite the existence of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.[20][21] While Pizza Bowl organizers attempted to move the game to Comerica Park (a baseball stadium across the street from Ford Field), these plans never came to fruition.[22][23] In August 2014, the Lions announced that the new game would be known as the Quick Lane Bowl, and play its inaugural game on December 26, 2014. In a statement to Crain's Detroit Business, Motor City Bowl co-founder Ken Hoffman confirmed that there would be no Little Caesars Pizza Bowl for 2014.[22][24]
In June 2013, ESPN.com reported that the so-called "Group of Five" conferences—the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West Conference, and Sun Belt Conference—were considering adding one or more new bowl games once the NCAA's current moratorium on new bowls expires after the 2013 season. This move was driven by a trend for the "Power Five" conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) to play one another in bowl games. The 2013 season, the last of the current four-year bowl cycle, will have 16 bowls that involve two teams from "Power Five" leagues. The 2014 season, the first of a new six-year bowl cycle, will have at least 19, and possibly more, matchups of "Power Five" teams. The "Group of Five" was apparently concerned that this trend would mean that its teams might not have available bowl slots.[17]
According to reports, the 2010 Christmas Bowl proposal would have involved a Mountain West team against an opponent from either the Pac-12 or The American. As for The American, it has suggested a new bowl game, most likely at Marlins Park in Miami. Two other venues of "Group of Five" schools in Florida—Spectrum Stadium (UCF, Orlando) and FAU Stadium (Florida Atlantic, Boca Raton)—are being considered for other potential bowls. A possible bowl in Little Rock would pit C-USA and the Sun Belt. Finally, the director of the current Little Caesars Bowl indicated that he had been in contact with officials from all of the "Group of Five" about starting new bowl games in Ireland (most likely Dublin), Dubai, and either Toronto or Nassau.[17] Recently, though, reports have indicated the proposed games in Ireland and Dubai would be unworkable.[25]
The first new bowl to be confirmed for 2014 was the Camellia Bowl, a game created by ESPN and played in Montgomery, Alabama. It secured tie-ins with the MAC and Sun Belt, and an initial contract to run through the 2019 season. ESPN was also reported to be in negotiations to take over ownership of the existing Heart of Dallas Bowl and establish a new bowl game in Boca Raton.[26]
Another ownership group interested in starting a Montgomery-based bowl at New ASU Stadium reportedly switched focus to Charleston, South Carolina. In the face of obstacles related to an NCAA ban on playing postseason games at predetermined locations in South Carolina due to the Confederate battle flag being flown at a civil war monument on the State House grounds, the ownership group instead chose to stage the Medal of Honor Bowl all-star game at Johnson Hagood Stadium beginning in 2014.[27] However, with the Confederate flag's removal from the State House grounds on July 10, 2015, the NCAA lifted its ban that day.[28] As such, on August 27 of that year, the Medal of Honor Bowl announced their plans to become a traditional postseason bowl game beginning on December 18, 2016, pending NCAA approval. The all-star game format was not played that year as a result.[29] However, in April 2016, the NCAA announced a moratorium on new bowl games;[13] organizers had subsequently announced plans to hold the bowl (as an all-star game again) in January 2018;[30] however, no further editions of the Medal of Honor Bowl have been played.
Map of Division I bowl games
[edit]
500miles
Number of current FBS bowl games by state
[edit]* Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal, once every three seasons, in rotation under current CFP format
Outside U.S.
[edit]| Country | Number | Bowls |
|---|---|---|
| Bahamas | 1 | Bahamas Bowl |
All-Star games
[edit]FBS all-star games
[edit]All-star games predominantly featuring players from the FBS-level (or historical equivalents, such as Division I-A).[31]
| Name | Status | Years | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East–West Shrine Bowl | Active | 1925–present | San Francisco, California (1925–1941) multiple locations (1942–2011) St. Petersburg, Florida (2012–2019) Paradise, Nevada (2021–present) |
has invited Canadian players since 1985 |
| NFLPA Collegiate Bowl | Defunct | 2012–2023 | Pasadena, California | |
| Senior Bowl | Active | 1950–present | Jacksonville, Florida (1950) Mobile, Alabama (1951–present) |
Two separate venues in Mobile: Ladd–Peebles Stadium (1951–2020) and Hancock Whitney Stadium (2021–future) |
| Hula Bowl | Active | 1960–2008 2020–present |
Honolulu, Hawaii (1960–97, 2006–08, 2020–present) Wailuku, Hawaii (1998–2005) |
started with non-collegiate players in 1947 |
| Medal of Honor Bowl | Defunct | 2014–2015 | Charleston, South Carolina | |
| Blue–Gray Football Classic | Defunct | 1939–2001 2003 |
Montgomery, Alabama Troy, Alabama |
|
| Casino del Sol College All-Star Game | Defunct | 2011–2013 | Tempe, Arizona (2011) Tucson, Arizona (2012–13) |
Eastham Energy College All-Star Game in 2011 |
| Challenge Bowl | Defunct | 1978–1979 | Seattle, Washington | Pac-8 all-stars vs. Big Ten all-stars (1978) Pac-10 all-stars vs. Big Eight all-stars (1979)[32] |
| Chicago College All-Star Game | Defunct | 1934–1976 | Chicago, Illinois (1934–42, 1945–76) Evanston, Illinois (1943–44) |
college all-stars vs. NFL champions |
| College All-Star Bowl | Defunct | 2013–2014 | Greenville, South Carolina | |
| Gridiron Classic | Defunct | 1999–2005 | Orlando, Florida (1999–2003) The Villages, Florida (2004–05) |
|
| Japan Bowl | Defunct | 1976–1993 | Tokyo, Japan (1976–79, 1992–93) Yokohama, Japan (1980–91) |
|
| Las Vegas All-American Classic | Defunct | 2002–2006 | Saint George, Utah (2002–03) Las Vegas, Nevada (2004–06) |
played as the Paradise Bowl in Utah |
| Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic | Defunct | 2005–2006 | Jackson, Mississippi | Division I-A vs. Division I-AA/II/III |
| North–South All-Star Classic | Defunct | 2007 | Houston, Texas | also known as the Inta-Juice All-Star Classic |
| North–South Shrine Game | Defunct | 1948–1973 1976 |
Miami, Florida Pontiac, Michigan |
started with high school teams in 1946 |
| Players All-Star Classic | Defunct | 2012 | Little Rock, Arkansas | |
| Raycom All-Star Classic | Defunct | 2013 | Montgomery, Alabama | |
| Texas vs The Nation | Defunct | 2007–2011 2013 |
El Paso, Texas (2007–10) San Antonio, Texas (2011) Allen, Texas (2013) |
Other all-star games
[edit]| Name | Status | Years | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Bowl Game | Active | 2011–present | Allentown, Pennsylvania (2011–2012) Miami, Florida (2013–2015) Daytona Beach, Florida (2016–present) |
Division II/III and NAIA |
| FCS Bowl | Active | 2014–present | Miami, Florida (2014–2015) Daytona Beach, Florida (2016–present) |
FCS |
| Dream Bowl | Active | 2016-present | Roanoke, Virginia (2016-2019) Salem, Virginia (2020-2023) Little Elm, Texas (2024–present) |
Division II/III and FCS[33] |
| Cactus Bowl | Defunct | 1994–2011 | Fargo, North Dakota (1994–2000) Kingsville, Texas (2001–2011) |
played as the Snow Bowl in Fargo Division II |
| USA College Football Bowl | Defunct | 1996–2015 | multiple locations (1996–2014) Jackson, Mississippi (2015) |
initially Division III, later all levels[34] 2016 game was cancelled[35] |
| East Coast Bowl | Defunct | 2001–2009 | Petersburg, Virginia | Division II/III and NAIA |
| Epson Ivy Bowl | Defunct | 1988–1996 | Yokohama, Japan Tokyo, Japan Nishinomiya, Japan |
Three years in Yokohama, three years in Tokyo, two years in Nishinomiya |
Regular season games called bowls
[edit]- Black and Blue Bowl – Memphis and Southern Miss
- Empire State Bowl – Columbia and Cornell
- Confusion Bowl – Miami (OH) and Miami (FL)
- Crab Bowl Classic – Maryland and Navy
- Egg Bowl – Ole Miss and Mississippi State
- Iron Bowl – Alabama and Auburn
- Magnolia Bowl – LSU and Ole Miss
- Oyster Bowl - Old Dominion and rotating teams
- Palmetto Bowl – Clemson and South Carolina
- Safeway Bowl – North Texas and SMU
- Shula Bowl – FIU and Florida Atlantic
- Soul Bowl – Alcorn State and Jackson State
- Textile Bowl – Clemson and North Carolina State
Bowl games played outside of the US
[edit]- Aztec Bowl – Mexico (1950–53, 1955, 1957, 1964–66, 1970–71, 1971–80, 1984, 1986–present)
- Bacardi Bowl – seven exhibition games played in Havana, Cuba, from 1907 to 1946
- International Bowl – bowl game played in Toronto, Canada, from 2007 to 2010
- Bahamas Bowl – currently played bowl game in Nassau, Bahamas, since 2014.
Junior college bowl games
[edit]- C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl – Copperas Cove, Texas
- Game One Bowl – Cedar Falls, Iowa (formerly Coca-Cola Bowl, Like Cola Bowl, Royal Crown Bowl, Pepsi-Cola/Sigler Printing Bowl, The Graphic Edge Bowl). This bowl is a doubleheader with the Iowa runner-up playing in the first game and the Iowa champion in the second. The opponents for each game are chosen at-large.
- Mississippi Bowl – Biloxi, Mississippi
- Midwest Classic Bowl – Miami, Oklahoma
- Red Grange Bowl – Glen Ellyn, Illinois
- Salt City Bowl – Hutchinson, Kansas
Defunct
[edit]- Beef Empire Classic – Garden City, Kansas
- Brazos Valley Bowl – Bryan, Texas
- Carrier Dome Bowl – Syracuse, New York
- Citizens Bank Bowl – Pittsburg, Kansas. Known in its last season as the Football Capital of Kansas Bowl. Hosted 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship game between Blinn and Fort Scott, which featured future NFL stars Cam Newton and Lavonte David.
- Dalton Defenders Bowl – Coffeyville, Kansas
- Dixie Rotary Bowl – St. George, Utah
- East Bowl – rotating site among Coastal Conference schools
- El Toro Bowl – Yuma, Arizona
- Empire State Bowl – Uniondale, New York
- Garland Texas Bowl – Garland, Texas
- Gold Bowl - Richmond, Virginia
- Golden Isles Bowl – Brunswick, Georgia
- Grenn Country Bowl – Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- Junior Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California
- Kansas Jayhawk Bowl Classic – Coffeyville, Kansas
- Mid-America Bowl – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Midwest Bowl – rotating site among North Central Community College Conference schools
- Mineral Water Bowl – Excelsior Springs, Missouri
- Mississippi Magnolia Bowl – MACJC Championship game, rotating site
- North Star Bowl – Rochester, Minnesota
- Palm Bowl - McAllen, Texas
- Pilgrim's Pride Bowl – Mt. Pleasant, Texas
- Real Dairy Bowl – Pocatello, Idaho
- Red River Bowl – Bedford, Texas
- Refrigerator Bowl - Evansville, Indiana
- Roaring Ranger Bowl – Ranger, Texas
- Robert A. Bothman Bulldog Bowl – San Mateo, California
- Rodeo Bowl – Arkansas City, Kansas
- Sterling Silver Bowl – Sterling, Kansas
- Texas Shrine Bowl – Tyler, Texas
- Top of the Mountain Bowl – Sandy, Utah
- Valley of the Sun Bowl – rotating site in Maricopa County, Arizona
- Wool Bowl – Roswell, New Mexico
- Zia Bowl - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Defunct bowl games
[edit]Defunct major-college bowl games
[edit]Defunct Division I-AA bowl games
[edit]- Camellia Bowl – Sacramento, California (1980)
- Heritage Bowl – Atlanta, Georgia (1991–1999)
- Pioneer Bowl – Wichita Falls, Texas (1978, 1981–1982)
- Gridiron Classic – rotating locations (2006–2009)
- ECAC Bowl – rotating locations (1993–2003)
Defunct Division II bowl games
[edit]- Bicentennial Bowl – Richmond, Virginia (1976)
- Boardwalk Bowl – Atlantic City, New Jersey (1973)
- Camellia Bowl – Sacramento, California (1973–1975)
- Dixie Rotary Bowl – Saint George, Utah (2006–2008)
- Gold Bowl – Richmond, Virginia (1977–1980)
- Grantland Rice Bowl – Murfreesboro, Tennessee & Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1973–1977)
- Heart of Texas Bowl – Copperas Cove, Texas & Waco, Texas (2012–2018)
- Kanza Bowl – Topeka, Kansas (2009–2012)
- Knute Rockne Bowl – Akron, Ohio & Davis, California (1976–1977)
- Live United Texarkana Bowl – Texarkana, Arkansas (2013–2023)
- Mineral Water Bowl – Excelsior Springs, Missouri (2000–2019)
- Pioneer Bowl – various locations as a playoff game (1973–1977)
- Pioneer Bowl – various locations as a bowl between HBCU teams (1997–2012)
- Poultry Bowl – Gainesville, Georgia (1973), Greensboro, North Carolina (1974)
Defunct Division III bowl games
[edit]- Oyster Bowl – Norfolk, Virginia (at various times in its history a Division I bowl game, a Division III bowl game and, currently, a regular season game)
- ECAC Presidents Bowl - New Britain, Connecticut (2015) and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2016)[9]
- ECAC Legacy Bowl - New Britain, Connecticut (2015) and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2016)[9]
- New York State Bowl - Campus Sites (2017-2019)
Defunct NAIA bowl games
[edit]- All-Sports Bowl - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1961–1964)
- Bicentennial Bowl - Little Rock, Arkansas (1975)
- Boot Hill Bowl - Dodge City, Kansas (1970–1980)
- Cowboy Bowl - Lawton, Oklahoma (1971–1972)
- Great Southwest Bowl - Grand Prairie, Texas (1960)
- Share Bowl - Knoxville, Tennessee (1971)
- Shrine Bowl - Ardmore, Oklahoma (1972)
- Sunflower Bowl - Winfield, Kansas (1982–1986)
- Wheat Bowl - Ellinwood, Kansas, Great Bend, Kansas (1995–2006), Pre-season NAIA bowl[41]
Defunct regular-season games known as bowl games
[edit]| Name | Seasons Active | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest Bowl | 1958–1969 | Roanoke, Virginia | |
| Mirage Bowl | 1976–1993 | Tokyo, Japan | A regular season matchup, originally at Korakuen Stadium, later at Olympic Stadium, and finally at the Tokyo Dome |
| Oyster Bowl | 1948–1995 | Norfolk, Virginia | A regular season game called a "bowl", now a home game for Old Dominion University to raise money for the Kedive Shriner's charities |
| Patriot Bowl | 2007–2009 | Cleveland, Ohio | A regular season game called a "bowl" that featured a team from the Mid-American Conference and (originally) one of the United States service academies |
| Tobacco Bowl | 1935–1941, 1948–1984 | South Boston, Virginia Richmond, Virginia |
Defunct minor-college or unofficial bowl games
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Kirk, Jason (22 December 2016). "Dec. 26 has the worst schedule in bowl history". SBNation.com. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "College Football Teams Which Played in Bowl Games Despite Losing Records". thesportsseer.com. December 30, 2013. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ Cooper, Ryan (2016-12-04). "College football bowls: New Year's Six matchups announced". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ a b "2022 Bowl Schedule". CollegeFootballPoll.com.
- ^ a b c d "Bowl/All Star Game Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Spears, Justin (May 6, 2024). "Snoop Dogg's 'Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop' drink takes over as Arizona Bowl sponsor". tucson.com. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
- ^ "G-MAC, GLVC Partner up on America's Crossroads Bowl Event in December". 9 April 2019.
- ^ "America's Crossroads Bowl | Hobart, Indiana".
- ^ a b c "ECAC Bowls at RPI History".
- ^ "Historic Division III Football Bowl Series Comes to Hall of Fame Village with Opendorse Support". 9 January 2024.
- ^ Brown, Matt (August 7, 2024). "Extra Points is Sponsoring a Bowl Game". Extra Points.
- ^ "College Division/Minor Bowl Games". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b McMurphy, Brett (April 11, 2016). "NCAA approves three-year halt to new bowl games". ESPN. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ "Would a Hershey-hosted college football 'Chocolate Bowl' be a good idea?". PA Penn Live. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ "Austin's bowl game hopes delayed to 2016". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 2015-05-26.
- ^ Hartsell, Jeff (August 27, 2015). "Medal of Honor Bowl now a 'traditional' bowl game". PostandCourier.com. The Post and Courier. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g McMurphy, Brett (June 11, 2013). "'Group of Five' look to add bowls". ESPN. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- ^ "Group envisions bowl game in St. Louis". Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Keeley, Sean (2010-04-23). "What The Hell Was The Cure Bowl & The Christmas Bowl?". Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- ^ "Report: Detroit Lions to host bowl game with Big Ten tie-in, Pizza Bowl getting dumped". MILive.com. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ "Detroit Lions announce agreement with ACC for Bowl Game at Ford Field". detroitlions.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Little Caesars Pizza Bowl at Ford Field canceled". Crain's Detroit Business. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ "Little Caesars Pizza Bowl organizers open to playing outside; Detroit Lions bowl interest confirmed". MILive.com. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ "Quick Lane Bowl Announced". Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ Fowler, Jimmy (August 13, 2013). "Careful, bowl games: You could be without a team". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
- ^ McMurphy, Brett (August 19, 2013). "Bowl created for MAC, Sun Belt". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
- ^ Hartsell, Jeff (August 10, 2013). "New effort to bring bowl game to Charleston faces familiar obstacles: Confederate flag, NAACP, NCAA". Charleston Post & Courier. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
- ^ Emmert, Mark (July 10, 2015). "Statement from NCAA president on removal of Confederate flag in South Carolina". NCAA. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
- ^ Hartsell, Jeff (August 27, 2015). "Medal of Honor Bowl now a 'traditional' bowl game". The Post and Courier. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ "Medal of Honor Bowl on hold". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. September 15, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Mahler, Melissa; Draft Insider (September 5, 2014). "Is the College Football ALL-STAR Game Pecking Order Shifting?". Pro Player Insiders. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ^ "College Football at the Kingdome » FootballGeography.com". www.footballgeography.com. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "'Dream' Scenario - News, Sports, Jobs - Post Journal". Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "USA College Football Bowl". Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ Tuso, Cristina (January 18, 2016). "Players, parents want money back after USA College Football Bowl canceled". WTOC-TV. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ "NJCAA Football Record Book" (PDF). NJCAA. National Junior College Athletic Association. 2019. pp. 6–11. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ "North Texas, Miami (Ohio) Meet In Inaugural Frisco Football Classic". Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ^ "Pizza Bowl At Ford Field Is History". CBS Detroit. August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
- ^ "SAN DIEGO BOWL GAME ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR THE FUTURE". Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- ^ a b http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2022/Bowls.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ The Nation's Home for NAIA Football Archived 2008-05-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search".
- ^ "FedEx Orange Bowl >> OB". www.orangebowl.org. Archived from the original on November 3, 2006.
- ^ "Alabama Tribune 01 Dec 1950, page 7".
- ^ Fred Leigh (December 13, 1947). "Shaw Rips S.C. State In D.C.: Bears' 2nd Quarter Tallies Decide Tilt, CIAA Champs Fizzle On Early Drives Then Fight Gallanty to Hold Lead". Baltimore Afro-American (p. 17).
Further reading
[edit]- Oriard, Michael (2009). Bowled Over: Big-Time College Football from the Sixties to the BCS Era. The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-3329-2.
