Sun Bowl

The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. 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. In most of its early history, the game pitted the champion of the Border Conference against an at-large opponent. Games are now played at Sun Bowl Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. 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. For its first 24 years of existence, the game was played on January 1 (New Year's Day) or January 2; since then, with the exception of a January 2 game in 1977, the game has been played in December, with the 25 of the last 27 games played on or near December 31.^[1]

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. Hyundai becomes the fourth title sponsor of the Sun Bowl, after Helen of Troy (through its Vitalis and Brut brands), Norwest Corporation/Wells Fargo, and John Hancock Insurance; the bowl was known as the John Hancock Bowl for the last five years of the firm's contract with the bowl.

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 conference champion or the first selection, followed by the Russell Athletic Bowl.

On the Pac-12 side, the Sun Bowl will have the fourth selection following the newly formed College Football Playoff.

The 1992 game was the final head-coaching appearance of College Football Hall of Famer (and future AFCA Executive Director) Grant Teaff of Baylor. Teaff's Bears won over Arizona.

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 0–0 tie. It is the only scoreless tie in Sun Bowl History.

Game results

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

C.M. Hendricks Most Valuable Player Trophy

Jimmy Rogers, Jr. Most Valuable Lineman Trophy

John Folmer Most Valuable Special Teams Player Trophy

Most appearances

Broadcasting

The Sun Bowl's contract with CBS Sports is the longest continuous relationship between a bowl game and one TV network, 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.

See also

• 1949 Sun Bowl controversy

References

External links

• Official website