Military Bowl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Military Bowl
Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com
StadiumNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
LocationAnnapolis, Maryland
Previous stadiumsRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Previous locationsWashington, D.C. (2008–2012)
Operated2008–present
Conference tie-insACC, American
Previous conference tie-insArmy, Navy, C-USA
PayoutUS$2,066,990 (2019)[1]
Sponsors
Former names
  • Congressional Bowl (2008, working title)
  • EagleBank Bowl (2008–2009)
  • Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman (2010–2019)
  • Military Bowl presented by Perspecta (2020)
  • Military Bowl presented by Peraton (2021–2022)
2022 matchup
UCF vs. Duke (Duke 30–13)
2023 matchup
Virginia Tech vs. Tulane (Virginia Tech 41–20)

The Military Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that has been played annually each December in the Washington metropolitan area since 2008. The game was originally held at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. before moving to Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland in 2013.[2] The 2014 through 2019 games featured teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.[3][4]

During initial planning stages, the game was known as the Congressional Bowl, but was first played in 2008 as the EagleBank Bowl sponsored by Washington-area financial institution EagleBank. The game became the Military Bowl when Northrop Grumman was the title sponsor from 2010 to 2019.[5] In 2020, the game was sponsored by Perspecta Inc. and officially known as the Military Bowl presented by Perspecta.[6] In 2021, the game was sponsored by Peraton and known as the Military Bowl presented by Peraton.[7] In 2023, a new three-year agreement made the game the Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com.[8]

On December 20, 2020, several bowls were cancelled due to a lack of available teams. The Military Bowl – which again was to have featured teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference – was also unable to secure teams, and on December 21, 2020, organizers announced that the 2020 bowl would not be played.[9]

On December 26, 2021, the 2021 edition of the bowl was canceled due to COVID issues within the Boston College team; it had been set to face East Carolina on December 27.[10]

Origins[edit]

The idea for the EagleBank Bowl originated with the Washington, D.C. Bowl Committee, a group founded by Marie Rudolph and Sean Metcalf in December 2006 with the intended purpose of bringing a bowl game to the Washington, D.C. area as a boon to the region's economy.[11] The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation announced their support of the proposed event in 2007.[11]

History[edit]

The bowl game was one of two approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the 2008 college football bowl season, the other being the St. Petersburg Bowl. The NCAA's Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee approved the bowl on April 30, 2008, allowing the committee that had proposed the game to host it after the 2008 college football season.[12] The inaugural game had its kickoff scheduled for 11 AM EST on December 20, 2008, making it the first bowl game of the 2008–09 bowl season.

In 2010, organizers announced that the NCAA had granted a four-year extension of the game's bowl certification, taking it through the 2013–14 bowl season;[13] additionally, the game received sponsorship from Northrop Grumman and was renamed. In 2010, the game generated in excess of $18 million for the Washington, D.C. area. Also, over $100,000 was donated to the USO.[14]

Conference tie-ins[edit]

Prior to the game's approval by the NCAA, Navy and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) signed agreements to participate in the game if it was approved.[15][16] Under the agreement, the ACC would provide its ninth-best team for the bowl if the league had nine bowl eligible teams.[17] In December 2008, the initial game featured Navy against Wake Forest representing the ACC.

Along with its ACC tie-in, the bowl signed an agreement with Army to play in the 2009 edition of the game,[citation needed] however Army did not finish its season bowl eligible. Additionally, the ACC did not have enough eligible teams and Conference USA (C-USA) could not provide a team, so organizers chose Mid-American Conference (MAC) team Temple to fill one spot and Pac-10 Conference team UCLA to fill the other spot.

For the 2010 through 2013 games, the bowl reached agreement for an ACC team to face a C-USA team (2010), Navy (2011), Army (2012), and a Big 12 team (2013).[13] If Navy or Army were not bowl eligible, a Big 12 team would be selected in 2011, and a C-USA team in 2012.[18] In 2012, Army was not bowl eligible and the ACC could not supply a team,[19] so a MAC vs. Western Athletic Conference (WAC) matchup was organized.

Starting with the 2014 game, organizers entered a six-year agreement for the game to feature an ACC vs. American Athletic Conference (The American) matchup.[4][20] In July 2019, the bowl announced that the ACC vs. AAC arrangement would continue through the 2025–26 football season.[21]

Season Contracted tie-ins Date played Actual participants
2008 ACC Navy December 20, 2008 ACC Navy
2009 Army December 29, 2009 MAC Pac-10
2010 C-USA December 29, 2010 ACC C-USA
2011 Navy alt. Big 12 December 28, 2011 MAC Mountain West
2012 Army alt. C-USA December 27, 2012 MAC WAC
2013 Big 12 December 27, 2013 ACC C-USA
2014 The American December 27, 2014 ACC The American
2015 December 28, 2015 ACC The American
2016 December 27, 2016 ACC The American
2017 December 28, 2017 ACC The American
2018 December 31, 2018 ACC The American
2019 December 27, 2019 ACC The American
2022 December 28, 2022 ACC The American

Bold conference denotes winner of games played.

Game results[edit]

Rankings are based on the AP Poll prior to the game.

No. Date Bowl name Winning team Losing team Attendance
1 December 20, 2008 EagleBank Bowl Wake Forest 29 Navy 19 28,777
2 December 29, 2009 EagleBank Bowl UCLA 30 Temple 21 23,072
3 December 29, 2010 Military Bowl Maryland 51 East Carolina 20 38,062
4 December 28, 2011 Military Bowl Toledo 42 Air Force 41 25,042
5 December 27, 2012 Military Bowl # 24 San Jose State 29 Bowling Green 20 17,835
6 December 27, 2013 Military Bowl Marshall 31 Maryland 20 30,163
7 December 27, 2014 Military Bowl Virginia Tech 33 Cincinnati 17 34,277
8 December 28, 2015 Military Bowl # 21 Navy 44 Pittsburgh 28 36,352
9 December 27, 2016 Military Bowl Wake Forest 34 # 23 Temple 26 26,656
10 December 28, 2017 Military Bowl Navy 49 Virginia  7 35,921
11 December 31, 2018 Military Bowl Cincinnati 35 Virginia Tech 31 32,832
12 December 27, 2019 Military Bowl North Carolina 55 Temple 13 24,242
December 28, 2020 Canceled due to lack of available teams[22]
December 27, 2021 Canceled due to COVID-19 issues[10][a]
13 December 28, 2022 Military Bowl Duke 30 UCF 13 17,974
14 December 27, 2023 Military Bowl Virginia Tech 41 # 23 Tulane 20 35,849

Source:[23]

First five editions played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Subsequent games played at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland

MVPs[edit]

2008 MVP Riley Skinner
Date MVP School Position
December 20, 2008 Riley Skinner Wake Forest QB
December 29, 2009 Akeem Ayers UCLA LB
December 29, 2010 Da'Rel Scott Maryland RB
December 28, 2011 Bernard Reedy Toledo WR
December 27, 2012 David Fales San Jose State QB
December 27, 2013 Rakeem Cato Marshall QB
December 27, 2014 J. C. Coleman Virginia Tech RB
December 28, 2015 Keenan Reynolds Navy QB
December 27, 2016 Thomas Brown Wake Forest LB
December 28, 2017 Zach Abey Navy QB
December 31, 2018 Mike Warren Cincinnati RB
December 27, 2019 Sam Howell North Carolina QB
December 28, 2022 Riley Leonard Duke QB
December 27, 2023 Kyron Drones Virginia Tech QB

Source:[24]: 12 [25]

Most appearances[edit]

Coin toss prior to the 2018 game

Updated through the December 2023 edition (14 games, 28 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances
Rank Team Appearances Record
1 Navy 3 2–1
Virginia Tech 3 2–1
Temple 3 0–3
4 Wake Forest 2 2–0
Cincinnati 2 1–1
Maryland 2 1–1
Teams with a single appearance

Won (6): Duke, Marshall, North Carolina, San Jose State, Toledo, UCLA
Lost (7): Air Force, Bowling Green, East Carolina, Pittsburgh, Tulane, UCF, Virginia

Appearances by conference[edit]

Updated through the December 2023 edition (14 games, 28 total appearances).

Conference Record Appearances by season
Games W L Win % Won Lost
ACC 11 7 4 .636 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018
The American 8 3 5 .375 2015, 2017, 2018 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023
MAC 3 1 2 .333 2011 2009, 2012
C-USA 2 1 1 .500 2013 2010
Pac-10 1 1 0 1.000 2009  
WAC 1 1 0 1.000 2012  
Independents 1 0 1 .000   2008
Mountain West 1 0 1 .000   2011
  • The WAC no longer sponsors FBS football.
  • Independent appearances: Navy (2008)

Game records[edit]

Team Record, Team vs. Opponent Year
Most points scored (one team) 55, North Carolina vs. Temple 2019
Most points scored (losing team) 41, Air Force vs. Toledo 2011
Most points scored (both teams) 83, Toledo vs. Air Force 2011
Fewest points allowed 7, Navy vs. Virginia 2017
Largest margin of victory 42, shared by:
Navy vs. Virginia
North Carolina vs. Temple

2017
2019
Total yards 590, Navy vs. Pittsburgh 2015
Rushing yards 452, Navy vs. Virginia 2017
Passing yards 396, Temple vs. Wake Forest 2016
First downs 33, North Carolina vs. Temple 2019
Fewest yards allowed 175, Navy vs. Virginia 2017
Fewest rushing yards allowed –20, Wake Forest vs. Temple 2016
Fewest passing yards allowed 0, Virginia vs. Navy 2017
Individual Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
All-purpose yards
Touchdowns (all-purpose) 5, Zach Abey, Navy vs. Virginia 2017
Rushing yards 200, Da'Rel Scott, Maryland vs. East Carolina 2010
Rushing touchdowns 5, Zach Abey, Navy vs. Virginia 2017
Passing yards 396, Phillip Walker, Temple vs. Wake Forest 2016
Passing touchdowns 3, shared by:
Terrance Owens, Toledo vs. Air Force
Rakeem Cato, Marshall vs. Maryland

2011
2013
Receiving yards 154, Adonis Jennings, Temple vs. Wake Forest 2016
Receiving touchdowns 3, Bernard Reedy, Toledo vs. Air Force 2011
Tackles 19, Matt Galambos, Pittsburgh vs. Navy 2015
Sacks 2 shared by:
Josh Banks, Wake Forest vs. Temple
Cam Dillon, Duke vs. UCF
2016
2022
Interceptions 2, Brendon Clements, Navy vs. Pittsburgh 2015
Long Plays Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Touchdown run 91, Da'Rel Scott, Maryland vs. East Carolina 2010
Touchdown pass 58, Phillip Walker to Adonis Jennings, Temple vs. Wake Forest 2016
Kickoff return 100, Quadree Henderson, Pittsburgh vs. Navy 2015
Punt return 47, Terrence Austin, UCLA vs. Temple 2009
Interception return 37, Jermaine Robinson, Toledo vs. Air Force 2011
Fumble return 50, Rashawn King, Navy vs. Wake Forest 2008
Punt 61, Will Karoll, Tulane vs. Virginia Tech 2023
Field goal 49 shared by:
Joey Slye, Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati
Valentino Ambrosio, Tulane vs. Virginia Tech
2014
2023

Source:[24]: 24–29 

Media coverage[edit]

The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The 2021 game was to feature East Carolina vs. Boston College.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. ^ Patterson, Chip (May 20, 2013). "Military Bowl moving to Annapolis, adds Conference USA for '13". Eye on College Football. CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  3. ^ "American Athletic Conference Partners With Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman". theamerican.org.
  4. ^ a b "Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman announces continued partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference". 7 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Bowl game in U.S. capital renamed Military Bowl". ESPN.com. 26 October 2010.
  6. ^ "PERSPECTA NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE MILITARY BOWL". 30 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Virginia-based Peraton is the bowl's new presenting sponsor". militarybowl.org. 27 May 2021.
  8. ^ Hansen, Drew (November 14, 2023). "Military Bowl lands GoBowling.com as new title sponsor". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  9. ^ Schwartz, Tim (December 21, 2020). "Military Bowl in Annapolis canceled due to lack of available teams". The Capital. Annapolis, Maryland. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Adelson, Andrea (December 26, 2021). "Military, Fenway Bowls Canceled Because of COVID-19 Issues". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Proposed D.C. Bowl Would Feature Service Academies The Washington Post. November 29, 2007. Accessed April 30, 2008.
  12. ^ NCAA committee approves 34 football bowl games The Associated Press, ESPN.com. April 30, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008.
  13. ^ a b "D.C's EagleBank Bowl Granted Four-Year Extension". 29 April 2010.
  14. ^ "Uso & District of Columbia to Again Benefit from the Military Bowl's Return to RFK Stadium on December 28". 21 September 2011.
  15. ^ Mids could play in new D.C. bowl game in 2008 The Navy Times, December 12, 2007. Accessed April 30, 2008.
  16. ^ Johnson on DC Bowl: We'll play Navy Scout.com. March 31, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008.
  17. ^ Group awaits decision on bowl Tim Lemke, The Washington Times. April 18, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008. [dead link]
  18. ^ "EagleBank Bowl Announces Lineups for 2010-2013". 3 November 2009.
  19. ^ /http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/12/military_bowl_reports_college.html
  20. ^ "Military Bowl strikes deal with American | College Football". collegefootball.ap.org. Archived from the original on 2013-07-15.
  21. ^ Bartholomew, Ryan (July 16, 2019). "Military Bowl Extends Partnership With ACC and The American". militarybowl.org (Press release). Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  22. ^ Bartholomew, Ryan (December 21, 2020). "Military Bowl Presented by Perspecta 2020 Game is Canceled". militarybowl.org. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  23. ^ "Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman" (PDF). Bowl/All Star Game Records. NCAA. 2020. p. 15. Retrieved January 3, 2021 – via NCAA.org.
  24. ^ a b "Military Bowl Media Guide" (PDF). militarybowl.org. 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  25. ^ @MatejS247 (December 27, 2023). "QB Kyron Drones. MVP. #Hokies" (Tweet). Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Twitter.

External links[edit]