This is a list of college football bowl games, including those proposed and defunct. Three bowl games are part of the College Football Playoff, a selection system that creates bowl matchups involving four 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.
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 | nowrap | Most Recent Per Team Payout (+ Revenue Pool)[4] | Title Sponsor[5] | width=150 | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 |
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 | Title Sponsor(s) | width=150 | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Bowl | 1935 | Sun Bowl Stadium (51,500) | El Paso, Texas | $3,447,568 | Tony the Tiger | 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 | 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 | |
| Guaranteed Rate Bowl | 1989 | Chase Field (48,519) | Phoenix, Arizona | $1,037,118 | Guaranteed 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 | |
| Pop-Tarts Bowl | 1990 | Camping World Stadium (60,219) | Orlando, Florida | $5,800,000 | Pop-Tarts | 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 | |
| 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 | 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 | |
| Camellia Bowl | 2014 | Cramton Bowl (25,000) | Montgomery, Alabama | $250,000 | None | Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, Camillia Bowl, TaxAct Camellia Bowl | |
| Quick Lane Bowl | 2014 | Ford Field (65,000) | Detroit, Michigan | $750,000 | Ford Motor Company | de facto replacement for Little Caesars Pizza Bowl which ran from 1997 to 2013 | |
| 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 | Starco Brands Rob Gronkowski | Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel | |
| Famous Toastery Bowl | 2023 | Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,314) | Charlotte, North Carolina | TBD | Famous Toastery | One year substitution for the Bahamas Bowl |
| Name | First Game | Venue (Permanent Seating) | City | nowrap | Most Recent Per Team Payout (+ Revenue Pool) | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebration Bowl (HBCU National Championship) | 2015 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, Georgia | $1,000,000 | Cricket Wireless | Pelican Bowl (1972–75) Heritage Bowl (1991–99) Legacy Bowl (proposed 2010) Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl |
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 | width=150 | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live United Bowl | 2013 | Razorback Stadium | Texarkana, Arkansas | Farmers Bank and Trust United Way | Agent Barry Live United Bowl Texarkana Bowl (Replaced Kanza Bowl, which ran from 2009 to 2012) | |
| Heritage Bowl | 2017 | Tiger Stadium (10,001) | Corsicana, Texas | Fun Town RV | 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 | None |
| width=200 | Name | First Game | Venue (Permanent Seating) | City | Title Sponsor | width=150 | 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 | ||||
New England Bowl Series
| 2016 | ECFC, MASCAC, CCC Football, & NEWMAC | None | ||||
| Culver's 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 | Varies (campus sites) | Landmark & ODAC | None |
Additionally, NCAA Division III is home to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (1973–2019; was played in Salem, Virginia). NCAA awarded the 2020 & 2021 games to Canton, OH, 2022 game to Navy-Marine Corp Stadium, 2023 to Salem VA, 2024 game to Humble TX and finally 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.
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.
| width=200 | Name | First Game | Venue (Permanent Seating) | City | Title Sponsor | Previous Name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 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) |
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.
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.[10]
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[11] | TBD | Hersheypark Stadium (15,641) | Hershey, Pennsylvania | TBD | TBD | None previous | |
| Austin Bowl[12] | TBD | Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium (100,119) | Austin, Texas | TBD | TBD | None previous | |
| Medal of Honor Bowl[13] | TBD | Johnson Hagood Stadium (21,000) | Charleston, South Carolina | TBD | TBD | None previous | |
| Little Rock Bowl[14] | 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 | TBD | TBD | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | TBD | TBD | None previous | |
| Ireland bowl game | TBD | TBD | Ireland (specific city TBD) | TBD | TBD | None previous | |
| Toronto bowl game | TBD | Rogers Centre (54,000) | Toronto, Ontario | TBD | TBD | International Bowl | |
| St. Louis bowl game[15] | 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.[16] 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.[17] [18] 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.[19] [20] 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.[19] [21]
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.[14]
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.[14] Recently, though, reports have indicated the proposed games in Ireland and Dubai would be unworkable.[22]
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.[23]
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.[24] However, with the Confederate flag's removal from the State House grounds on July 10, 2015, the NCAA lifted its ban that day.[25] 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.[26] However, in April 2016, the NCAA announced a moratorium on new bowl games;[10] organizers had subsequently announced plans to hold the bowl (as an all-star game again) in January 2018;[27] however, no further editions of the Medal of Honor Bowl have been played.
All-star games predominantly featuring players from the FBS-level (or historical equivalents, such as Division I-A).[28]
| Name | Status | Years | City | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Active | 2012–2023 | ||||
| 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) | ||
| Active | 1960–2008 2020–present | Honolulu, Hawaii (1960–97, 2006–08, 2020–present) Wailuku, Hawaii (1998–2005) | started with non-collegiate players in 1947 | ||
| Defunct | 2014–2015 | ||||
| Defunct | 1939–2001 2003 | ||||
| Defunct | 2011–2013 | Tempe, Arizona (2011) Tucson, Arizona (2012–13) | Eastham Energy College All-Star Game in 2011 | ||
| Defunct | 1978–1979 | Pac-8 all-stars vs. Big Ten all-stars (1978) Pac-10 all-stars vs. Big Eight all-stars (1979)[29] | |||
| Defunct | 1934–1976 | Chicago, Illinois (1934–42, 1945–76) Evanston, Illinois (1943–44) | college all-stars vs. NFL champions | ||
| Defunct | 2013–2014 | ||||
| Defunct | 1999–2005 | Orlando, Florida (1999–2003) The Villages, Florida (2004–05) | |||
| Defunct | 1976–1993 | Tokyo, Japan (1976–79, 1992–93) Yokohama, Japan (1980–91) | |||
| Defunct | 2002–2006 | Saint George, Utah (2002–03) Las Vegas, Nevada (2004–06) | played as the Paradise Bowl in Utah | ||
| Defunct | 2005–2006 | Division I-A vs. Division I-AA/II/III | |||
| Defunct | 2007 | also known as the Inta-Juice All-Star Classic | |||
| Defunct | 1948–1973 1976 | started with high school teams in 1946 | |||
| Defunct | 2012 | ||||
| Defunct | 2013 | ||||
| Defunct | 2007–2011 2013 | El Paso, Texas (2007–10) San Antonio, Texas (2011) Allen, Texas (2013) |
| Name | Status | Years | City | Notes< | -- List what level of players, e.g. Division II --> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active | 2011–present | Allentown, Pennsylvania (2011–2012) Miami, Florida (2013–2015) Daytona Beach, Florida (2016–present) | Division II/III and NAIA | ||
| Active | 2014–present | Miami, Florida (2014–2015) Daytona Beach, Florida (2016–present) | FCS | ||
| Active | 2016-present | Roanoke, Virginia (2016-2019) Salem, Virginia (2020-2023) Little Elm, Texas (2024–present) | Division II/III and FCS[30] | ||
| Defunct | 1994–2011 | Fargo, North Dakota (1994–2000) Kingsville, Texas (2001–2011) | played as the Snow Bowl in Fargo Division II | ||
| Defunct | 1996–2015 | multiple locations (1996–2014) Jackson, Mississippi (2015) | initially Division III, later all levels[31] 2016 game was cancelled[32] | ||
| Defunct | 2001–2009 | Division II/III and NAIA | |||
| Defunct | 1988–1996 | Yokohama, Japan Tokyo, Japan Nishinomiya, Japan | Three years in Yokohama, three years in Tokyo, two years in Nishinomiya | ||
| Bowl name | Years played | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Bowl | 1947 | San Antonio, Texas | Not to be confused with the modern Alamo Bowl |
| All-American Bowl | 1977 - 1990 | Birmingham, Alabama | Known as the Hall of Fame Classic through 1985. |
| Aloha Bowl | 1982 - 2000 | Honolulu, Hawaii | |
| Aviation Bowl | 1961 | Dayton, Ohio | |
| Bacardi Bowl | 1907, 1909, 1911 - 1912, 1921, 1936, 1946 | Havana, Cuba | Last game in 1946, Southern Mississippi defeated Havana University, 55-0 |
| Bluebonnet Bowl | 1959–1987 | Houston, Texas | Known as the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl whenever the game was played in the Astrodome. |
| Bluegrass Bowl | 1958 | Louisville, Kentucky | |
| California Bowl | 1981 - 1991 | Fresno, California | Superseded by the Las Vegas Bowl. |
| Cherry Bowl | 1984 - 1985 | Pontiac, Michigan | |
| Delta Bowl | 1947 - 1948 | Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Dixie Bowl | 1947 - 1948 | Birmingham, Alabama | |
| Dixie Classic | 1921, 1924, 1933 | Dallas, Texas | Forerunner to the current Cotton Bowl Classic |
| Fort Worth Classic | 1920 | Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Freedom Bowl | 1984 - 1994 | Anaheim, California | |
| Frisco Football Classic | 2021 | Frisco, Texas | Created to accommodate all bowl-eligible teams for the 2021 College football season[34] |
| Garden State Bowl | 1978 - 1981 | East Rutherford, New Jersey | |
| Gotham Bowl | 1961 - 1962 | New York City, New York | |
| Great Lakes Bowl | 1947 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| Harbor Bowl | 1946 - 1948 | San Diego, California | |
| Houston Bowl | 2000 - 2005 | Houston, Texas | Called the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in 2000–2001 |
| International Bowl | 2006–2009 | Toronto, Ontario | |
| Little Caesars Pizza Bowl[35] | 1997–2013 | Detroit, Michigan (1997–2001: Pontiac, Michigan) | Also known as the Ford Motor City Bowl and the Motor City Bowl. Was replaced by the Quick Lane Bowl in 2014. |
| Los Angeles Christmas Festival | 1924 | Los Angeles, California | |
| Mercy Bowl | 1961, 1971 | Los Angeles, California | |
| Miami Beach Bowl | 2014–2016 | Miami, Florida | Sold and moved to Frisco, Texas |
| Montgomery Bowl | 2020 | Montgomery, Alabama | One-season substitute for the Fenway Bowl. |
| Oahu Bowl | 1998 - 2000 | Honolulu, Hawaii | |
| Oil Bowl | 1943, 1945 - 1946 | Houston, Texas | |
| Pasadena Bowl | 1967–1971 | Pasadena, California | |
| Poinsettia Bowl | 2005–2016 | San Diego, California | The Holiday Bowl management folded the Poinsettia Bowl.[36] |
| Presidential Cup Bowl | 1950 | College Park, Maryland | |
| Raisin Bowl | 1945 - 1949 | Fresno, California | |
| Salad Bowl | 1947 - 1951 | Phoenix, Arizona | Precursor to current Fiesta Bowl |
| San Diego East-West Christmas Classic | 1921 - 1922 | San Diego, California | |
| San Francisco Bowl | 2002-2019 | San Francisco Bay Area, California | |
| Seattle Bowl | 2001 - 2002 | Seattle, Washington | Continuation of the Oahu Bowl. |
| Shrine Bowl | 1948–1949 | Little Rock, Arkansas | |
| Silicon Valley Football Classic | 2000 - 2004 | San Jose, California | |
| 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 |