The Alamo Bowl: A Storied History of College Football Excitement

The Valero Alamo Bowl, an annual college football bowl game played in San Antonio, Texas, has been creating excitement in the college football bowl season since 1993. The bowl is known for its intense and electrifying matchups between two superior college football conferences, hosting top teams remaining in the PAC-12 and Big 12 after the playoff selection. Through the years, The Alamo Bowl has had a significant economic impact by generating more than $539 million while making significant contributions to higher education by donating more than $91 million through team payouts and local scholarships.

Origins and Evolution

The Alamo Bowl was established in 1993 by the San Antonio Bowl Association, a nonprofit organization formed in 1991 by local business leaders and civic boosters, to capitalize on the opening of the new Alamodome and address the lack of major postseason college football in San Antonio.

Conference Affiliations

In its early years, the Alamo Bowl matched teams from different conferences.

1993-1994: Southwest Conference vs. Pac-10 (with Iowa as an at-large selection in 1993 due to the SWC's lack of bowl-eligible teams).
1995-2009: Big Ten vs. Big 12

In the mid-2000s, the Alamo Bowl adapted to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) framework, which prioritized automatic bids for conference champions and at-large selections for top non-champions, by solidifying its tie-in with the Big 12 Conference while maintaining a partnership with the Big Ten until a pivotal shift.

Following the conclusion of the 2009 season, organizers announced an agreement to replace the Big Ten tie-in with the Pac-10 starting in 2010, marking a strategic response to evolving conference alignments and the need for competitive matchups amid the BCS emphasis on high-profile at-large opportunities. This change followed years of successful Big 12 vs.

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2010-2023: The Alamo Bowl matched up the #1 teams from the Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences after the College Football Playoff selections.

The 2010 realignment further entrenched the Alamo Bowl's identity through a dedicated Big 12 vs. Pac-12 matchup, coinciding with the Pac-10's expansion to 12 teams with the addition of Colorado and Utah. This arrangement, formalized in a multi-year agreement, provided the bowl with the Pac-12's second selection after BCS obligations and the Big 12's third pick, fostering consistent rivalries and high-scoring contests that defined the event's post-BCS era.

Recent conference upheavals, particularly the Pac-12's contraction from 12 to two teams between 2021 and 2024, prompted adaptations in team selection while preserving legacy tie-in rules. For the 2024 game, BYU from the Big 12 faced Colorado, which filled the Pac-12 slot under prior contractual provisions despite its 2023 move to the Big 12, resulting in an intra-conference matchup and highlighting the bowl's flexibility amid realignment.

Sponsorship

The Alamo Bowl originated without a dominant corporate title sponsor in its conceptual phase but quickly secured one upon inception. These sponsorships have significantly amplified the bowl's financial and social footprint. Some of the name changes that have occurred are:

Builders Square Alamo Bowl (1993-1998)
Sylvania Alamo Bowl (1999-2001)
Alamo Bowl Presented By MasterCard (2002)
MasterCard Alamo Bowl (2003-2005)
Alamo Bowl (2006)

On May 24, 2007, the Alamo Bowl announced a partnership with San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation, and thus the bowl's full name was changed.

Future Adjustments

These changes have coincided with growth milestones, including payout increases to over $4 million per team by the early 2020s-reaching $9.8 million combined for 2024-driven by rising television revenue and attendance. Looking ahead, the Alamo Bowl faces potential adjustments post-2025 due to the CFP's expansion to 12 teams, which alters bowl rotations and eligibility pools, delaying negotiations for new conference deals and sponsorships.

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Memorable Moments and Games

The Alamo Bowl has been the site of numerous memorable moments and exciting games throughout its history.

1993: In the inaugural game, no SWC team participated because only two of the conference's team were bowl-eligible and both of those were committed to other bowls. Iowa was invited -- and lost to Cal 37-3.
1996: The 1996 game was marked by tragedy. Iowa linebacker Mark Mitchell's mother was killed in a car accident on her way to the game. The Hawkeyes, which defeated Texas Tech 27-0 in the game, wore plain black helmets in honor of her.
1998: Heavy underdog Purdue drove 80 yards for a touchdown in the final minute and Drew Brees’ third touchdown pass of the game gave the Boilermakers a surprising 37-34 win over a Kansas State squad that was ranked No.
2002: Wisconsin upset No. 14 Colorado 31-28 in overtime. The Badgers finished the season 6-0 in non-conference play -- and 2-6 in the Big Ten.
2005: The 2005 game had a wild finish. While a multi-lateral play was going on, Nebraska gave its coach a Gatorade bath before the play was blown dead. Nebraska won 32-28. Michigan had a seven-lateral scramble on the final play, with Tyler Ecker reaching the Nebraska 16, dodging players and coaches who had come onto the field thinking the game was over, before being run out of bounds.
2011: In the highest-scoring game in NCAA bowl history, Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin led the Bears to a pulsating 67-56 win over Washington. Baylor rushed for 485 yards and had 77 yards in total offense, and the 1,397 combined yards and 17 touchdowns by both teams were bowl records.
2024: For the 2024 game, BYU from the Big 12 faced Colorado, which filled the Pac-12 slot under prior contractual provisions despite its 2023 move to the Big 12, resulting in an intra-conference matchup and highlighting the bowl's flexibility amid realignment. LJ Martin rushed for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns in BYU's 36-14 win over Colorado. Isaiah Glasker recorded 8 tackles in BYU's 36-14 win over Colorado.

Standout Performances

The Valero Alamo Bowl has produced several standout offensive performances, highlighted by exceptional scoring and yardage outputs.

Dan Alexander, Nebraska, ran for 240 yards.
Terrance Ganaway, Baylor, rushed for 200 yards.
Bijan Robinson, Texas, averaged 18.3 yards per rush.

Defensive feats in the Alamo Bowl emphasize shutdown performances and disruptive plays.

Alex Okafor, Texas, recorded 4.5 sacks.

Records and Statistics

The Alamo Bowl has seen its share of high-scoring games and record-breaking performances.

Team Records

Highest Score: 67, Baylor (vs. Washington, 2011)
Most Points, Both Teams: 123, Baylor (67) vs. Washington (56), 2011
Largest Margin of Victory: 49, Nebraska (66) vs. Northwestern (17), 2000

Individual Records

Most Rushing Yards: 240, Dan Alexander, Nebraska (vs. Northwestern, 2000)
Most Passing Yards: 438, Keith Price, Washington (vs. Baylor, 2011)
Most Receptions: 13, Tyler Lockett, Kansas State (vs. UCLA)
Longest Field Goal: 54, Will Ferrin, BYU (vs. UTEP)
Longest Run: 89 (TD), Terrance Ganaway, Baylor (vs. Washington)
Longest Pass: 78, Tevin Reese, Baylor (vs. Washington)
Highest Completion Percentage: 77.8, Caleb Williams, Oklahoma (21/27 vs. Oregon) and Chad Davis, Washington State (27/35 vs. Purdue)

Most Valuable Players

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in the Alamo Bowl recognize outstanding performances by one offensive player and one defensive player from each game, selected since the bowl's inception in 1993.

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Over the bowl's 32 editions through 2024, quarterbacks have been the most frequent offensive MVP recipients, earning the award in 15 instances (approximately 47% of offensive selections), underscoring their pivotal role in high-scoring bowl matchups. Defensive MVPs have skewed toward linebackers (14 selections) and defensive linemen or backs (18 combined), reflecting the importance of stopping big plays in close contests.

Offensive MVPs

2024: LJ Martin, RB, BYU
2023: Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona
2022: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
2021: Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma
2020: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
2019: Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
2018: Gardner Minshew II, QB, Washington State
2017: Kenny Hill, QB, TCU
2016: James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
2015: Bram Kohlhausen, QB, TCU
2014: Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
2013: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2012: Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas
2011: Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor
2010: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
2009: Taylor Potts, QB, Texas Tech
2008: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
2007: Rodney Kinlaw, RB, Penn State
2006: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
2005: Cory Ross, RB, Nebraska
2004: Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio State
2003: Jammal Lord, QB, Nebraska
2002: Brooks Bollinger, QB, Wisconsin
2001: Aaron Greving, RB, Iowa
2000: Dan Alexander, RB, Nebraska
1999: Rashard Casey, QB, Penn State
1998: Drew Brees, QB, Purdue
1997: Billy Dicken, QB, Purdue
1996: Sedrick Shaw, RB, Iowa
1995: Kyle Bryant, PK, Texas A&M

Defensive MVPs

2024: Isaiah Glasker, LB, BYU
2023: Gunner Maldonado, S, Arizona
2022: Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington
2021: Pat Fields, S, Oklahoma
2020: DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
2019: Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas
2018: Peyton Pelluer, LB, Washington State
2017: Travin Howard, LB, TCU
2016: Vincent Taylor, DT, Oklahoma State
2015: Travin Howard, LB, TCU
2014: Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
2013: Avery Patterson, DB, Oregon
2012: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
2011: Elliot Coffey, LB, Baylor
2010: Markelle Martin, DB, Oklahoma State
2009: Jamar Wall, DB, Texas Tech
2008: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
2007: Sean Lee, LB, Penn State
2006: Aaron Ross, DB, Texas
2005: Leon Hall, DB, Michigan
2004: Simon Fraser, DL, Ohio State
2003: Trevor Johnson, DL, Nebraska
2002: Jeff Mack, LB, Wisconsin
2001: Derrick Pickens, DL, Iowa
2000: Kyle Vanden Bosch, DL, Nebraska
1999: LaVar Arrington, LB, Penn State

Alamo Bowl Results

YEAR	WINNER	SCORE	LOSER	SCORE
1993	California	37	Iowa	3
1994	Washington State	10	Baylor	3
1995	Texas A&M	22	Michigan	20
1996	Iowa	27	Texas Tech	0
1997	Purdue	33	Oklahoma State	20
1998	Purdue	37	Kansas State	34
1999	Penn State	24	Texas A&M	0
2000	Nebraska	66	Northwestern	17
2001	Iowa	19	Texas Tech	16
2002	Wisconsin	31	Colorado	28
2003	Nebraska	17	Michigan State	3
2004	Ohio State	33	Oklahoma State	7
2005	Nebraska	32	Michigan	28
2006	Texas	26	Iowa	24
2007	Penn State	24	Texas A&M	17
2008	Missouri	30	Northwestern	23
2010	Texas Tech	41	Michigan State	31
2010	Oklahoma State	36	Arizona	10
2011	Baylor	67	Washington	56
2012	Texas	31	Oregon State	27
2013	Oregon	30	Texas	7
2024	BYU	36	Colorado	14

Attendance and Economic Impact

Attendance at Alamo Bowl games has historically been strong, reflecting the event's popularity. Over its three decades, the Valero Alamo Bowl has hosted 32 games, attracting approximately 1.9 million total spectators.

Attendance Records

Highest Attendance: 66,166, Penn State vs. Texas A&M
Lowest Attendance: 10,822, Texas vs. Colorado

The Alamo Bowl's economic footprint extends beyond the field, generating substantial benefits for San Antonio through visitor spending on hotels, dining, and tourism.

Media Coverage

The bowl has been televised on ESPN since its inception. It has produced eight of the top 20 most-watched bowl games in ESPN history. National radio coverage is provided by ESPN Radio, with local broadcasts in San Antonio originating from 1250 AM stations as part of the network's syndication. Digital and streaming options have evolved with ESPN's ecosystem, particularly post-2019, when ESPN+ and the ESPN app enabled live exclusives and on-demand replays for subscribers, enhancing accessibility beyond traditional TV.

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