Cactus Bowl

The Cactus Bowl (formerly the Snow Bowl) is a post-season college football exhibition game played each January in Kingsville, Texas, which showcases the best NFL draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility in NCAA Division II. First played in 1994 at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, the game moved to Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M University–Kingsville in 2001.[1]

The rosters typically consist of 88 players. The rosters give NFL scouts a chance to view the relatively low profile Division II talent prompting its slogan of "the best players you've never seen." The bowl's website says that more than 100 players have signed with the NFL. Profits go to the Shriners Hospital.[2]

No game was played in 2007. The games had historically been between players from the eastern and western United States. In 2011 the players were intermixed.

Contents

Winner

Year Winner Score Loser Score Venue Notes
1994 West 23 East 14 Fargodome
1995 West 16 East 10 Fargodome
1996 East 10 West 7 Fargodome
1997 West 43 East 3 Fargodome
1998 West 15 East 12 Fargodome OT
1999 West 30 East 28 Fargodome
2000 West 24 East 22 Fargodome
2001 West (tie) 33 East (tie) 33 Javelina Stadium Tie
2002 East 42 West 12 Javelina Stadium
2003 East 19 West 7 Javelina Stadium
2004 West 30 East 27 Javelina Stadium OT
2005 East 18 West 15 Javelina Stadium
2006 West 49 East 28 Javelina Stadium
2008 East 42 West 13 Javelina Stadium
2009 West 28 East 27 Javelina Stadium
2010 West 16 East 0 Javelina Stadium
2011 Red Storm 28 Blue Devils 6 Javelina Stadium No regional division

Most Valuable Players

Year Offensive Player Offensive School Defensive Player Defensive School Jim Langer Offensive Lineman Lineman School
1994 Elvin Ashley Southwest Minnesota Anthony Abrams Clark Kevin Robson North Dakota
1995 Keith Rylance Augustana Cedric Florence Missouri Southern Adam Timmerman South Dakota State
1996 Chris Ryan Clark Ronald McKinnon North Alabama Chris Villarrial Indiana (Pa.)
1997 Jason Davis Western State Richard Jordan Missouri Southern Andy Mazurek Minnesota State-Mankato
1998 Billy Holmes Northern Colorado Paul Spicer Saginaw Valley Sean McNamara Pittsburg State
1999 MarTay Jenkins Nebraska-Omaha Franco Glaze West Texas A&M Greg Lotyse North Dakota
2000 Corte McGuffey Northern Colorado Josh Gentry Indianapolis Nick O'Brien Texas A&M-Kingsville
2001 Gerald Payne Harding J.R. Turner Texas A&M-Kingsville Brian Crawford Western Oregon
2002 Clarence Coleman Ferris State Keyon Nash Albany State Peter Campion North Dakota State
2003 Michael Oliva Cal-Davis Steve Josue Carson–Newman Phil Bogle New Haven
2004 Tyler Paul Emporia State Eric McDowell Missouri Western Alan Dunn Tusculum
2005 Justin Samples Catawba Keyonta Marshall Grand Valley State Joe Berger Michigan Tech
2006 Wes Beschorner South Dakota Clayton Ferrell Abilene Christian Nick Hageman South Dakota
2008 Mark Nicolet Hillsdale Michael Eubanks Delta State Brandon Barnes Grand Valley State
2009 Keith Null West Texas A&M Jeff Souder Nebraska-Omaha Jeremy Ashcraft Arkansas Tech
2010 Billy Garza Texas A&M-Kingsville Sam Scott West Chester J'Marcus Webb West Texas A&M
2011 Eric Czerniewski Central Missouri Marc Schiechl Colorado School of Mines Trevis Turner Abilene Christian

Players in the NFL

Following is a list of players who played with the NFL after appearing in the Cactus Bowl. This list does not include players who signed during the Snow Bowl days prior to 2001.

Year Name School Initial NFL Team Round/Overall/Free Agent
2001 Marc Cerqua Carson–Newman Tampa Bay Buccaneers FA
2001 Dondre Gilliam Millersville San Diego Chargers FA
2001 Kendrick Office West Alabama Buffalo Bills FA
2001 Dominic Rhodes Midwestern State Indianapolis Colts FA
2001 Ronald Smith Lane Cincinnati Bengals FA
2001 Josh Stamer South Dakota Buffalo Bills FA
2001 Ben Steele Mesa State Green Bay Packers FA
2001 Colston Weatherington Central Missouri Dallas Cowboys 7-207
2002 James Atkins Virginia Union Tennessee Titans FA
2002 Keyon Nash Albany State Oakland Athletics 6-189
2002 Jared Peck North Dakota State Atlanta Falcons FA
2002 Erik Totten Western Washington Pittsburgh Steelers FA
2003 Khalid Abdullah Mars Hill Cincinnati Bengals 5-136
2003 Phillip Bogle New Haven San Diego Chargers FA
2003 Jacques Cesaire Southern Connecticut San Diego Chargers FA
2003 Clarence Coleman Ferris State Buffalo Bills FA
2003 Todd Devoe Central Missouri Denver Broncos FA
2003 Anthony Dunn Northern Colorado Tennessee Titans FA
2003 Steve Josue Carson–Newman Green Bay Packers 7-257
2003 Ben Nelson St. Cloud State Minnesota Vikings FA
2003 Ian Smart C. W. Post Tampa Bay Buccaneers FA
2003 Chaun Thompson West Texas A&M Cleveland Browns 2-052
2003 Reggie Wells Clarion Arizona Cardinals 6-177
2004 Jordan Babineaux Southern Arkansas Seattle Seahawks FA
2004 Clarence Glymph Carson–Newman Atlanta Falcons FA
2004 Ryan Krause Nebraska-Omaha San Diego Chargers 6-169
2004 Ruvell Martin Saginaw Valley State Green Bay Packers FA
2004 Glenn Martinez Saginaw Valley State Detroit Lions FA
2005 Joe Berger Michigan Tech Carolina Panthers 6-207
2005 Kris Griffin Indiana (Pa.) Kansas City Chiefs FA
2005 Todd Herremans Saginaw Valley State Philadelphia Eagles 4-126
2005 Michael Koenen Western Washington Atlanta Falcons FA
2005 John Kuhn Shippensburg Pittsburgh Steelers FA
2005 Keyonta Marshall Grand Valley State Philadelphia Eagles 7-247
2005 LeRon McCoy Indiana (Pa.) Arizona Cardinals 7-226
2005 Evan Oglesby North Alabama Baltimore Ravens FA
2005 Leonard Weaver Carson–Newman Seattle Seahawks FA
2005 Chris Wilson Northwood Washington Redskins FA
2005 Derrick Wimbush Fort Valley State Jacksonville Jaguars FA
2006 Richard Collier Valdosta State Jacksonville Jaguars FA
2006 John DiGiorgio Saginaw Valley State Buffalo Bills FA
2006 Jahri Evans Bloomsburg New Orleans Saints 4-108
2006 Brent Grimes Shippensburg Atlanta Falcons FA
2006 Kenny Onatolu Nebraska-Omaha Minnesota Vikings FA
2006 Jamaica Rector Northwest Missouri State Dallas Cowboys FA
2006 A.J. Schable South Dakota Arizona Cardinals FA
2006 Lee Vickers North Alabama Baltimore Ravens FA
2006 Delanie Walker Central Missouri San Francisco 49ers 6-175
2008 Brandon Carr Grand Valley State Kansas City Chiefs 5-140
2008 Alex Hall St. Augustine's Cleveland Browns 7-231
2008 Maurice Leggett Valdosta State Kansas City Chiefs FA
2009 K.C. Asiodu Central Oklahoma St. Louis Rams FA
2009 Charly Martin West Texas A&M Carolina Panthers FA
2009 Zach Miller Nebraska-Omaha Jacksonville Jaguars 6-180
2009 Keith Null West Texas A&M St. Louis Rams 6-196
2009 Dan Skuta Grand Valley State Cincinnati Bengals FA
2009 Gregory Toler St. Paul's Arizona Cardinals 4-131
2010 Jermelle Cudjo Central Oklahoma St. Louis Rams FA
2010 Dominique Curry California (Pa.) St. Louis Rams FA
2010 Jimmy Saddler-McQueen Texas A&M-Kingsville Dallas Cowboys FA
2010 Eugene Sims West Texas A&M St. Louis Rams 6-189
2010 J'Marcus Webb West Texas A&M Chicago Bears 7-218

See also

References

External links