Sun Bowl

The Sun Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl, are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl. Games are currently played at Sun Bowl Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso, and since 2014 have featured teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12).

History

The first game was played on New Year's Day of 1935, between high school teams;^[2] the first collegiate game was held on New Year's Day of 1936.^[3] In most of its early history, the game pitted the champion of the Border Conference against an at-large opponent.^[4] The first three were played at El Paso High School stadium (1935–1937), then switched to Kidd Field until the present stadium was ready in 1963.^[5] Through the 1957 season, the game was played on January 1 or January 2; since then, with the exception of the 1976 season, the game has been played in late December, with a majority of games played on or near December 31.^[3]

Notable games

The 1940 Sun Bowl set the record for fewest points scored, when the Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe Bulldogs played the Catholic University Cardinals to a scoreless tie, the only 0–0 result in Sun Bowl history.

In advance of the 1949 game, Lafayette College turned down an invitation from the Sun Bowl Committee, because the committee would not allow an African American player to participate. This bid rejection led to a large student demonstration on the Lafayette campus and in the city of Easton, Pennsylvania against segregation.

Due to a freak winter storm before the 1974 game, followed by warming temperatures as the sun created a rising steam from the field during the first half, the game was nicknamed the "Fog Bowl".^[4]

The 1992 game was the final head-coaching appearance of 2001 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Grant Teaff of Baylor University; Teaff's Bears won over Arizona.^[6]

The 1994 game was voted the greatest Sun Bowl ever played, and included four touchdowns by Priest Holmes, as Texas defeated North Carolina.^[4]

The 2005 Sun Bowl set the record for most points scored, when UCLA defeated Northwestern by a score of 50–38.

Since the NCAA started the use of overtime in Division I bowl games in 1995,^[7] the 2011 game is the only Sun Bowl to be decided in overtime, with Utah defeating Georgia Tech by a score of 30–27.^[3]

Sponsorship

The game's current full title is the Hyundai Sun Bowl, which became the name after Hyundai Motor Company's American subsidiary bought naming rights to the bowl from Helen of Troy Limited on June 24, 2010.^[8] Hyundai later signed a six-year extension, and will sponsor the game through 2019.^[9] Hyundai becomes the fourth title sponsor of the Sun Bowl, after Helen of Troy (through its Vitalis and Brut brands),^[10] Norwest Corporation/Wells Fargo, and John Hancock Insurance; the bowl was known as the John Hancock Bowl for the last five years (1989–1993) of the firm's contract with the bowl.

Conference tie-ins

Since 2014, the Sun Bowl Football Selection Committee has shared the third through sixth selections from the ACC with the Belk Bowl, the Pinstripe Bowl and either the Taxslayer Bowl or the Music City Bowl. The Orange Bowl has the ACC champion or the first selection, followed by the Russell Athletic Bowl. On the Pac-12 side, the Sun Bowl has the fourth selection, following the College Football Playoff.

Game results

Sun Bowl logo used prior to corporate sponsorship, until 1986.

Awards

C.M. Hendricks Most Valuable Player Trophy

Named after the first Sun Bowl Association President, Dr. C. M. Hendricks.^[11]
Two players have been two-time MVPs – Charley Johnson (1959, 1960)^[12] and Billy Stevens (1965, 1967).^[13]

Jimmy Rogers, Jr. Most Valuable Lineman Trophy

Named after former Sun Bowl President Jimmy Rogers, Jr.^[20]

John Folmer Most Valuable Special Teams Player Trophy

Named after former Sun Bowl President John Folmer.^[23]

Most appearances

Only teams with at least three appearances are listed.

Broadcasting

The Sun Bowl's contract with CBS Sports is the longest continuous relationship between a bowl game and one TV network,^[24] spanning since 1968 and running through at least 2019. It is one of only two college football games on CBS that does not involve the Southeastern Conference (the other being the Army–Navy Game). Although every other year, CBS broadcasts the Notre Dame–Navy game when the latter is playing as the home team. As of 2015, the game is one of only three bowls that is not being carried by the ESPN family of networks. The Cure Bowl is also under contract with CBS Sports and airs on CBS Sports Network, while the Arizona Bowl rights are held by Sinclair Broadcasting through its American Sports Network subsidiary.

The game traditionally kicks off at "High Noon" MST, or 2 p.m. EST. Helen of Troy has also sponsored the halftime show, which has recently featured such artists as Los Lonely Boys, The Village People, Baby Bash, David Archuleta, Rihanna, and Diamond Rio.

Future games

See also

• List of college bowl games

References

External links

• Official website