List of college bowl games

The following is a list of current, defunct, and proposed college football bowl games. Six bowl games are currently 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. 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 70 participating teams by the 2010–11 bowl season. With NCAA bylaw changes in 2010, teams no longer required a winning record (allowing any 6-6 team to participate), with a further change in August 2012 allowing teams with outright losing records (5-7) to be invited by the particular bowl's sponsoring agency. For the 2015–16 bowl season, the number of team-competitive (excluding all-star) bowl games increased to 41 (including the College Football Playoff final game which matches two bowl game winners) requiring 80 teams to participate, of which 15 did not have a winning record.

Bowl games are not limited to the Bowl Subdivision; teams in the three lower divisions of the NCAA (the championship subdivision, and Divisions II and 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 the national championship than play in a bowl game. The same basic guidelines for bowl eligibility apply for those contests. As of 2015, one bowl game exists for the championship subdivision, three bowls serve Division II and none exist for teams in Division III (with the exception of the Stagg Bowl, which is not a bowl in the same sense but a name for the Division III playoff tournament's championship game).

Past and present community college bowl games, not sanctioned by the NCAA, are also listed.

College Football Playoff games

^ Since the 1998 season, the inaugural season of the BCS system, the Rose Bowl has only had a presenting sponsor after its title. Prior to that year, the Rose Bowl had no sponsor attached to its name.
* One-time move due to World War II travel restrictions after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
† One-time move due to damage to the Superdome from Hurricane Katrina.

Other current Division I FBS bowl games

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.

Future (proposed) games

Note: The 'Christmas Bowl Los Angeles' would be a partial throwback to the one-time 1924 Los Angeles Christmas Festival Bowl Game.^[14]

Two proposed games, the Cure Bowl and Christmas Bowl, were turned down by the NCAA for 2010. There are currently 40+ licensed college bowls, which just about maxes out the possible eligible teams (the four-year average of bowl-eligible squads is 71.8).^[15] If one of the current games folds or loses its certification, however, the Cure or Christmas Bowls could step in.

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^[16][17] 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.^[5][18] 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.^[5][6]

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.^[13]

According to the report, the aforementioned Christmas Bowl would involve a Mountain West team against an opponent from either the Pac-12 or The American. As for The American, it is seeking to start a bowl game, most likely at Marlins Park in Miami. Two other venues of "Group of Five" schools in Florida—Bright House Networks 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.^[13] Recently, though, reports have indicated the proposed games in Ireland and Dubai would be unworkable.^[19]

The first new bowl to be confirmed for 2014 was the Camellia Bowl, a game created by ESPN that will be played in Montgomery, Alabama. It will have tie-ins with the MAC and Sun Belt, and the contract for the game will 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.^[20]

Another ownership group interested in starting a Montgomery-based bowl at Alabama State's stadium has reportedly switched focus to Charleston, South Carolina. In the face of obstacles related to a 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.^[21] However, with the Confederate flag's removal from the State House grounds on July 10, 2015, the NCAA lifted its ban that day.^[22] 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 will not be played that year as a result.^[10]

On April 11, 2016 the NCAA announced a three-year bowl moratorium beginning in 2016 going through the next two seasons. This puts a halt to the possibility of the NCAA adding bowls in Austin, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This comes after Nebraska, Minnesota, and San Jose State were ruled bowl-eligible after going 5-7 after only having 77 teams to fill 80 bowl slots.

Map of bowl games

Belk Bowl

Military Bowl

Pinstripe Bowl

TaxSlayer Bowl

Citrus Bowl

Russell Athletic Bowl

Cure Bowl

Boca Raton Bowl

Orange Bowl

Miami Beach Bowl

Bahamas Bowl

St. Petersburg Bowl

Outback Bowl

Quick Lane Bowl

Peach Bowl

Music City Bowl

Liberty Bowl

Birmingham Bowl

Camellia Bowl

Dollar General
Bowl

Independence
Bowl

New Orleans Bowl

Sugar Bowl

Texas
Bowl

Alamo Bowl

Cotton Bowl

Heart of Dallas
Bowl

Armed Forces
Bowl

Sun Bowl

New Mexico Bowl

Fiesta Bowl

Cactus Bowl

Arizona Bowl

Las Vegas Bowl

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Foster Farms Bowl

Rose Bowl

Holiday Bowl

Poinsettia Bowl

Hawai'i Bowl

Number of current bowl games by state

*State also hosts College Football Playoff semifinals in rotation under current CFP format.

Current bowl games played outside the U.S.

All-Star games

• East–West Shrine Game – Orlando, Florida (1925–present)^[23]
• Senior Bowl – Mobile, Alabama (1947–present)
• NFLPA Collegiate Bowl – Carson, California (2012–present)^[23]
• National Bowl Game – Miami – (NCAA Division I FCS/II-III) (2010–present)
• FCS BOWL – Miami – (NCAA Division I FCS) (2014–present)

Defunct

• Texas vs The Nation^[23] – Allen, Texas (2007–2011, 2013)
• Casino del Sol College All-Star Game – Tucson, Arizona (2011–2012)
• Cactus Bowl – Kingsville, Texas (NCAA Division II) (1994–2010)
• College All-Star Bowl (2013–2014)^[23]
• East Coast Bowl – Petersburg, Virginia (2001)
• Florida Gridiron Classic^[23]
• Blue-Gray Football Classic – Montgomery, Alabama (1935–2001, 2003)^[23]
• Hula Bowl – Honolulu, Hawaii (1947–2008)^[23]
• Inta-Juice All-Star Classic (one year)^[23]
• The South Carolina All Star Game – South Carolina (2013–2014)
• North–South All-Star Classic – Houston, Texas^[23] (2007)
• North–South Shrine Game – Miami (1948–1973)
• Las Vegas All-American Classic – Las Vegas (2002–2006)^[23]
• Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic^[23] – Jackson, Mississippi (2005)
• Players All-Star Classic^[23]
• Raycom All-Star Classic (2013)^[23]
• The Silver and Gold Gridiron Classic – Atlanta (2008)
• Chicago College All-Star Game (College All-Stars vs. NFL champions) – Chicago/Evanston, Illinois (1934–1976)
• Medal of Honor Bowl – Charleston, South Carolina (2014–2015)^[23][10]

Regular season rivalries called bowls

• Empire State Bowl – Columbia and Cornell
• Shula Bowl – Florida International and Florida Atlantic
• Black and Blue Bowl – Memphis and Southern Miss
• Crab Bowl Classic – Maryland and Navy
• Egg Bowl – Mississippi and Mississippi State
• Friends of Coal Bowl – Marshall and West Virginia
• Iron Bowl – Alabama and Auburn
• Magnolia Bowl – LSU and Mississippi
• Palmetto Bowl – Clemson and South Carolina
• Textile Bowl – Clemson and North Carolina State

Bowl games played outside of the US

• Bacardi Bowl – seven exhibition games played in Havana, Cuba from 1907–1946
• International Bowl – bowl game played in Toronto, Canada from 2007–2010
• Bahamas Bowl

Non-Division I FBS bowl games

Division I FCS

• Celebration Bowl – Atlanta (2015–present, formerly known as the Heritage Bowl from 1991–99)

Division II

Current Bowl Games

• Mineral Water Bowl – Excelsior Springs, Missouri (1948–1951, 1954–1975, 1992–present)
• C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl – Copperas Cove, Texas (2012–present)
• Live United Texarkana Bowl – Texarkana, Arkansas (2013–present)

Former Bowl Games

• Dixie Rotary Bowl – Saint George, Utah (1986–2008)
• Pioneer Bowl – Various locations (1997–2007, 2009–2012)
• Kanza Bowl – Topeka, Kansas (2009–2012)

Division III

Current Bowl Games

• Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl – Salem, Virginia (1973–present). In contrast to the other bowl games, the Stagg Bowl operates within the NCAA tournament structure; it serves as the Division III national championship game.

Former Bowl Games

• Aztec Bowl – Toluca, Mexico (1950–53, 1955, 1957, 1964–66, 1970–71, 1971–80, 1984, 1986–2007)
• Knute Rockne Bowl – Atlantic City, New Jersey (1969–1972; 1976–1977)
• 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)

NAIA bowl games

There is a large list of bowl games for NAIA available at ^[24] -- You can help Wikipedia by expanding this section.

• College Fanz First Down Classic, 2007–2011
• NAIA national football championship (1956–present); previously called Aluminum Bowl (1956), Holiday Bowl (1957–1960), Camellia Bowl (1961–1963), Championship Bowl (1964–1976 Division I), Apple Bowl (1977 Division I), Palm Bowl (1978–1979 Division I), and Championship Bowl (1980–1996 Division I)

Community College bowl games

• Beef Empire Bowl – Garden City, Kansas – defunct
• Brazos Valley Bowl – Bryan, Texas – defunct
• Carrier Dome Bowl – Syracuse, New York – defunct
• C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl – Copperas Cove, Texas
• Citizens Bank Bowl – Pittsburg, Kansas – defunct. 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.
• El Toro Bowl – Yuma, Arizona
• The Graphic Edge Bowl – Cedar Falls, Iowa (formerly Coca-Cola Bowl, Like Cola Bowl, Royal Crown Bowl, Pepsi-Cola/Sigler Printing 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.
• Garland Shrine Bowl – defunct
• Garland Texas Bowl – Garland, Texas – defunct
• Hospitality Bowl – defunct
• Jayhawk Bowl Classic – Coffeyville, Kansas – defunct
• Industrial Bowl – defunct
• Junior Rose Bowl – defunct
• Little Oil Bowl – defunct
• Midwest Bowl – Chicago – defunct
• Mississippi Bowl – Biloxi, Mississippi
• North Star Bowl – Rochester, Minnesota – defunct
• NJCAA Shrine Bowl – defunct
• Pilgrim's Pride Bowl Classic – defunct
• Real Dairy Bowl – Pocatello, Idaho – defunct
• Red River Bowl – Bedford, Texas – defunct
• Roaring Ranger Bowl – Ranger, Texas – defunct
• Robert A. Bothman Bulldog Bowl – San Mateo, California
• Salt City Bowl – Hutchinson, Kansas
• Silver Bowl – Sterling, Kansas – defunct
• Texas Juco Shrine Bowl – defunct
• Top of the Mountains Bowl – Sandy, Utah – defunct
• Valley of the Sun Bowl – Scottsdale, Arizona
• Wool Bowl – Roswell, New Mexico – defunct

NCCAA bowl games

• Victory Bowl, NCCAA Championship Game, 1997–present

Defunct bowl games

Defunct major-college bowl games

Defunct regular-season games known as bowl games

Defunct minor-college or unofficial bowl games

Defunct college all-star games

References

Further reading

• 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.