College Football Bowl Games: A Historical Overview

College football bowl games have become a staple of the postseason, offering exciting matchups and memorable moments. While many fans associate these games with New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, some bowl games have been played on Christmas Day throughout history. This article explores the evolution of college football bowl games, with a particular focus on the history of games played on Christmas Day.

The Rise of Bowl Games

For nearly a century, participation in bowl games was reserved for the top teams in college football. However, the increasing number of bowl games led to a relaxation of eligibility criteria. By the 2010-11 bowl season, 70 teams participated, and by 2015-16, that number grew to 80. The NCAA began allowing teams with non-winning records (6-6) to participate in bowl games starting in 2010.

Bowl games are not exclusive to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, and Division III are also eligible. However, the playoff structure in these divisions often discourages top teams from participating, as they prioritize competing for their division's national championship.

The College Football Playoff and New Year's Six

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is a selection system that determines bowl matchups for twelve of the top-ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Six bowl games are part of the College Football Playoff, and these games rotate the hosting of the two semifinal games which determine the teams that play in the final College Football Playoff National Championship game.

These six major bowl games, known as the New Year's Six, include some of the oldest and most prestigious bowls, continuing their tradition of pitting the best teams in the country against each other. The New Year's Six includes six of the ten oldest bowl games (missing the Sun, Gator, Citrus and Liberty bowls).

Bowl Game Tie-ins and Payouts

Outside of the College Football Playoff, numerous other postseason invitationals exist. Conferences often agree to send teams of a specific standing to a particular game. For example, the Rose Bowl traditionally features the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences. The payout to participating teams is generally correlated with the prestige of the bowl game.

Expansion of Bowl Games and New Proposals

The number of bowl games has steadily increased, reaching 41 by the 2015 bowl season. This expansion has led to a greater number of teams with non-winning seasons participating in bowl games, with a record 15 such teams participating in 2015, including three with 5-7 records.

In August 2013, the Detroit Lions announced plans to host a new bowl game at Ford Field starting in 2014, with tie-ins to the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). This occurred despite the existing Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. The Pizza Bowl organizers attempted to move the game to Comerica Park, but these plans did not materialize. The new game, known as the Quick Lane Bowl, played its inaugural game on December 26, 2014.

The "Group of Five" conferences (American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West Conference, and Sun Belt Conference) also considered adding new bowl games. This was driven by a trend for the "Power Five" conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) to play each other in bowl games.

A 2010 Christmas Bowl proposal would have involved a Mountain West team against an opponent from either the Pac-12 or The American. The American also suggested a new bowl game, potentially at Marlins Park in Miami. Other venues under consideration included Spectrum Stadium (UCF, Orlando) and FAU Stadium (Florida Atlantic, Boca Raton).

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Bowl Games on Christmas Day: A Historical Look

While college football bowl games are now primarily associated with the days surrounding New Year's, there is a history of games being played on Christmas Day. Although rare in modern times, these games were more common in the past.

Notable Christmas Day Games

The Aloha Bowl: This bowl game, played in Hawaii, had several editions on Christmas Day. In 1982, Washington defeated Maryland 21-20 in a thrilling game decided in the final seconds. In 1987, UCLA defeated Florida 20-16, with future Dallas Cowboy teammates Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith earning MVP honors.
Sun Bowl: In 1986, Alabama played Washington in the Sun Bowl on Christmas Day, securing a 28-6 victory.
All-Star Games: The North vs South All-Star Shrine game was played on Christmas Day in Miami nearly every year from 1948-1973. After its run ended, the Blue-Gray All Star Classic moved their game to Christmas Day starting in 1979.

Alabama's Christmas Bowl History

The Alabama Crimson Tide have a unique history with bowl games played on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day:

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1983 Sun Bowl: Alabama defeated SMU 28-7 on Christmas Eve.
1986 Sun Bowl: Alabama defeated Washington 28-6 on Christmas Day, with Cornelius Bennett named MVP.
1988 Sun Bowl: Alabama defeated Army 29-28 on Christmas Eve, with Derrick Thomas named co-MVP.

The Rose Bowl: "The Granddaddy of Them All"

The Rose Bowl, played annually in Pasadena, California, is the oldest American postseason college football contest. The game is preceded by the Tournament of Roses Parade, a world-renowned event featuring elaborate floral floats.

The first festival, known as the Battle of Flowers, was held on January 1, 1890. The Rose Bowl stadium opened in 1922, hosting its first game in 1923. Since 1947, the Rose Bowl has traditionally featured teams from the Big Ten and Pacific-12 conferences. In 2014, the Rose Bowl became part of the College Football Playoff system, hosting championship quarterfinals and semifinals in rotation with other major bowls.

The Sugar Bowl: A New Orleans Tradition

The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. First played in 1935 at Tulane Stadium, the game moved to the Superdome in 1975. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2006 Sugar Bowl was temporarily relocated to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Since 2007, it has been sponsored by Allstate.

The Sugar Bowl has a long-standing relationship with the Southeastern Conference (SEC). From 1993 to 2006, the Sugar Bowl served as the national championship game of the Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, and Bowl Championship Series (BCS) systems in 1993, 1997, 2000, and 2004. In 2014, it became part of the College Football Playoff. With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to twelve teams, the Sugar Bowl will host either a quarterfinal or semifinal game each year.

Other Bowl Game Traditions and Oddities

Holiday Bowl: Known for unusual ancillary events like the Wiener Nationals (dachshund racing) and the Big Bay Balloon Parade.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: The coach of the winning team is covered with the game sponsor’s product.

The Future of College Football Bowl Games

The landscape of college football bowl games continues to evolve with the expansion of the College Football Playoff and the creation of new bowl games. While Christmas Day games are rare, the rich history of bowl games provides fans with a diverse range of traditions and memorable moments.

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