Every year after the NCAA college football regular season, all the teams with six wins or more will suit up for one final game of their season. They may make the playoffs, with the chance to compete for a national championship, but even if they don’t, they will take part in a bowl game. There are lots of historic, wacky, and fun bowl games, all with a different theme and special tradition. Let’s dig into the best of them!
Rose Bowl:
The Rose Bowl is the most historic and longest running bowl game. Played in Pasadena, California, in UCLA’s home stadium, this game has had two teams clash since 1902. Because of the historical greatness of this game, it is part of the College Football Playoff, a 12-team tournament where the winner is crowned the national champion. The Rose Bowl is known for having a parade with floats coming through the streets on gameday. Players, coaches, and performers are seen, giving fans an exciting experience. The winning team gets plenty of roses and a good-looking trophy. One of the best matchups was in the 2018 CFP Semifinal. Georgia narrowly defeated Oklahoma 54-48 in double overtime. This year, it will be played on January 1st. The Rose Bowl is overall the most popular and famous bowl game.
Orange Bowl:
The Orange Bowl is another bowl game that has a rich history. It was first played in 1935, and it is now played in the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami. While the Rose Bowl has a theme with roses, this game has oranges. The winning team gets a trophy that is a bowl full of oranges. This game will be a quarterfinal or semifinal in the College Football Playoff. A classic matchup was when college football superpowers Ohio State and Clemson played in a nailbiter that had Clemson prevailing 40-35. There have also been some odd scores in the history of this game , with results like West Virginia dominating Clemson 70-33, and Georgia beating an undefeated “playoff snubbed” Florida State team a whopping 63-3. That 60-point margin is the largest in bowl history! The Orange Bowl will take place on New Year’s Day this year in the quarterfinals of the CFP.
Isleta New Mexico Bowl:
You have probably heard about the New Mexico Bowl because this bowl game is played in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Lobos stadium. It is celebrating its 20th annual game coming up on December 27. Normally, the teams playing in this game are not the best teams, but New Mexican tradition is practiced with Native American dances and hot air balloons. The best game to be played was the 2022 New Mexico Bowl between BYU and SMU. BYU edged out SMU 24-23 on a last second defensive stop. This isn’t a high stakes game, but it is full of fun and tradition.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl:
The Duke’s Mayo Bowl is the probably the oddest bowl game of them all. It is held in Charlotte, North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers. It has been played since 2020, and it has a very unique tradition. While regular coaches might get a Gatorade bath, the winning coach of the Duke’s Mayo bowl gets dumped in mayo. It has also had other funny moments, like Wisconsin QB, Graham Mertz, dropping the trophy while celebrating. A top game played was Maryland upsetting #25 NC State 16-12. This is a wacky game, and it is always fun to watch! This year, a Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference team will play in it on January 2.
Wasabi Fenway Bowl:
The Fenway Bowl doesn’t have a unique tradition or historic past. Its inaugural game just happened in 2022. What’s special about this one is where it’s played. Every December, the Boston Red Sox staff change their baseball field, Fenway Park, into a gridiron. They have to work hard to take away the regular dirt and turn it into grass good enough to play a game on. Seeing teams play on a baseball field is a different experience, especially with different seating. This bowl game will always have an American Athletic Conference team and ACC team. Of the three matchups that have happened previously, none have been close games, but as the history of the bowl gets longer, better games will come! Tune in on December 27 to hopefully see a good game and a cool field!
Pop Tarts Bowl:
The Pop Tarts Bowl is another special game with an interesting tradition. It started in 1990 and was called the Blockbuster Bowl. However, in 2023, Pop Tarts signed a deal to sponsor this game. It is played in Orlando, Florida. An all-time great matchup was last year, when Iowa State squeaked by Miami(FL) 42-41. The exciting part about this bowl is what the trophy is. The winning team gets a trophy that also doubles as a toaster. The idea is that the winning team can toast Pop Tarts after a win! This year’s game will take place on December 27.
This year, bowl season will start on December 13 and end with the National Championship on January 19. There are 42 bowl games overall, every one with a unique personality. Watch all the games to see more fun traditions and close games ending in wild fashion!
