Gator Bowl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gator Bowl | |
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Toyota Gator Bowl | |
![]() Toyota Gator Bowl logo |
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Stadium | ALLTEL Stadium |
Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
Previous Stadiums | Gator Bowl Stadium (1946 — 1993) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (1994) |
Previous Locations | Gainesville, Florida (1994) |
Operated | 1946 — present |
Conference Tie-ins | ACC, Big East or Big 12 or Notre Dame |
Previous Conference Tie-ins | Southern (1946 — 1952) SEC (1953 — 1975) |
Payout | US$2,500,000 (2006) |
Sponsors | |
Toyota | |
2007 Matchup | |
Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia |
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. It is one of the oldest college bowls, held continuously since 1946. Its current full name is the Toyota Gator Bowl after its present sponsor, Toyota.
According to The Big Bowl Football Guide by Anthony C. DiMarco (G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1974, 1976, ISBN 399-11800-4), Charles Hilty, Sr. is given credit for conceiving the idea for the event. He, Ray McCarthy, Maurice Cherry and W.C. Ivey put up $10,000 to underwrite the first game. The event struggled in the early years, drawing only 7,362 to the 1946 match when Wake Forest defeated South Carolina, 26-14. It was not until the 1949 match-up of the Clemson Tigers and the Missouri Tigers that the future of the Gator Bowl was assured. The 1948 attendance of 16,666 for a 20-20 tie between Maryland and Georgia, was nearly doubled with 32,939 watching Clemson squeak by Missouri, 24-23, on a late field goal by Jack Miller. By the 1970s, the attendance regularly reached 60,000-70,000.
The game was played in Gator Bowl Stadium until 1993, when the stadium was partially demolished during the construction of ALLTEL Stadium on the same site. The 1994 game was played in Gainesville, Florida during construction; the 1996 game (moved to January 1 that season) and subsequent games have been held at ALLTEL Stadium. The game is currently sponsored by Toyota, hence its official title, albeit this is the final year of Toyota sponsorship. The bowl was also previously sponsored by Mazda.
In the early years of the bowl, from 1946-1952, it featured a team from the Southern Conference against an at-large opponent. Beginning with the 1953 game, it switched to generally featuring a Southeastern Conference (SEC) team against an at-large opponent. From 1953 to the 1975 game, at least one SEC team appeared in 20 out of the 24 games, and in 3 of those games, both teams were from the SEC. The games from 1976 to 1995 usually, but not always, involved a team from south-east part of the country against a team from another part of the country. Teams from the ACC played in 10 of these 20 games.
From 1996-2006, the Gator Bowl traditionally hosted the second-place ACC against the second-place Big East team. But beginning with the 2007 game, it will host the third-place ACC team versus a team from either the Big East, Big 12 or Notre Dame to take the Big East's spot in this game.
The payout for each team will jump to $2.5 million for the 2006-07 game with a new TV contract with CBS Sports to televise the game. The longtime broadcaster of the game was ABC who would always show the game in primetime. Then TBS bought the rights to the game in the early 90's and was the home of the game until it moved to January 1st and NBC.
The Gator Bowl is one of Jacksonville's annual sports highlights. However, the event was once at the root of tragedy. In 1963, the Hotel Roosevelt in downtown caught fire after a post-Gator Bowl party in the ballroom (it was later determined that the party was not the cause of the fire, and was a mere tragic coincidence). 22 hotel patrons lost their lives.
It was in the 1978 game between Ohio State and Clemson where Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes lost his temper after a late game interception by Charlie Bauman to seal the Tigers' 17-15 win over the Buckeyes caused Hayes to clothesline Bauman in front of a national television audience on the sideline. Hayes was dismissed the next day by Ohio State's Board of Trustees.
Contents |
[edit] Previous results
Italics denotes a tie game.
Date Played | Winning Team | Losing Team | notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 1, 1946 | Wake Forest | 26 | South Carolina | 14 | |
January 1, 1947 | Oklahoma | 34 | North Carolina State | 13 | |
January 1, 1948 | Georgia | 20 | Maryland | 20 | |
January 1, 1949 | Clemson | 24 | Missouri | 23 | |
January 2, 1950 | Maryland | 20 | Missouri | 7 | |
January 1, 1951 | Wyoming | 20 | Washington & Lee | 7 | |
January 1, 1952 | Miami (Florida) | 14 | Clemson | 0 | |
January 1, 1953 | Florida | 14 | Tulsa | 13 | |
January 1, 1954 | Texas Tech | 35 | Auburn | 13 | |
December 31, 1954 | Auburn | 33 | Baylor | 13 | |
December 31, 1955 | Vanderbilt | 25 | Auburn | 13 | |
December 29, 1956 | Georgia Tech | 21 | Pittsburgh | 14 | |
December 28, 1957 | Tennessee | 3 | Texas A&M | 0 | |
December 27, 1958 | Mississippi | 7 | Florida | 3 | |
January 2, 1960 | Arkansas | 14 | Georgia Tech | 7 | |
December 31, 1960 | Florida | 13 | Baylor | 12 | |
December 30, 1961 | Penn State | 30 | Georgia Tech | 15 | |
December 29, 1962 | Florida | 17 | Penn State | 7 | |
December 28, 1963 | North Carolina | 35 | Air Force | 0 | |
January 2, 1965 | Florida State | 36 | Oklahoma | 19 | |
December 31, 1965 | Georgia Tech | 31 | Texas Tech | 21 | |
December 31, 1966 | Tennessee | 18 | Syracuse | 12 | |
December 30, 1967 | Florida State | 17 | Penn State | 17 | |
December 28, 1968 | Missouri | 35 | Alabama | 10 | |
December 27, 1969 | Florida | 14 | Tennessee | 13 | |
January 2, 1971 | Auburn | 35 | Mississippi | 28 | |
December 31, 1971 | Georgia | 7 | North Carolina | 3 | |
December 30, 1972 | Auburn | 24 | Colorado | 3 | |
December 29, 1973 | Texas Tech | 28 | Tennessee | 19 | |
December 30, 1974 | Auburn | 27 | Texas | 3 | |
December 29, 1975 | Maryland | 13 | Florida | 0 | |
December 27, 1976 | Notre Dame | 20 | Penn State | 9 | |
December 30, 1977 | Pittsburgh | 34 | Clemson | 3 | |
December 29, 1978 | Clemson | 17 | Ohio State | 15 | |
December 28, 1979 | North Carolina | 17 | Michigan | 15 | |
December 29, 1980 | Pittsburgh | 37 | South Carolina | 9 | |
December 28, 1981 | North Carolina | 31 | Arkansas | 27 | |
December 30, 1982 | Florida State | 31 | West Virginia | 12 | |
December 30, 1983 | Florida | 14 | Iowa | 6 | |
December 28, 1984 | Oklahoma State | 21 | South Carolina | 14 | |
December 30, 1985 | Florida State | 34 | Oklahoma State | 23 | |
December 27, 1986 | Clemson | 27 | Stanford | 21 | |
December 31, 1987 | LSU | 30 | South Carolina | 13 | |
January 1, 1989 | Georgia | 34 | Michigan State | 27 | |
December 30, 1989 | Clemson | 27 | West Virginia | 7 | |
January 1, 1991 | Michigan | 35 | Mississippi | 3 | |
December 29, 1991 | Oklahoma | 48 | Virginia | 14 | |
December 31, 1992 | Florida | 27 | North Carolina State | 10 | |
December 31, 1993 | Alabama | 24 | North Carolina | 10 | |
December 30, 1994 [1] | Tennessee | 45 | Virginia Tech | 23 | |
January 1, 1996 | Syracuse | 41 | Clemson | 0 | |
January 1, 1997 | North Carolina | 20 | West Virginia | 13 | |
January 1, 1998 | North Carolina | 42 | Virginia Tech | 3 | |
January 1, 1999 | Georgia Tech | 35 | Notre Dame | 28 | |
January 1, 2000 | Miami (Florida) | 28 | Georgia Tech | 13 | |
January 1, 2001 | Virginia Tech | 41 | Clemson | 20 | |
January 1, 2002 | Florida State | 30 | Virginia Tech | 17 | |
January 1, 2003 | North Carolina State | 28 | Notre Dame | 6 | |
January 1, 2004 | Maryland | 41 | West Virginia | 7 | |
January 1, 2005 | Florida State | 30 | West Virginia | 18 | notes |
January 2, 2006 | Virginia Tech | 35 | Louisville | 24 | notes |
January 1, 2007 | West Virginia | 38 | Georgia Tech | 35 | notes |
- ^ Game held at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.
[edit] MVPs
Date Played | MVP(s) | Team | Position |
---|---|---|---|
January 1, 1946 | Nick Sacrinty | Wake Forest | QB |
January 1, 1947 | Joe Golding | Oklahoma | HB |
January 1, 1948 | Lu Gambino | Maryland | HB |
January 1, 1949 | Bobby Gage | Clemson | HB |
January 2, 1950 | Bob Ward | Maryland | G |
January 1, 1951 | Eddie Talboom | Wyoming | HB |
January 1, 1952 | Jim Dooley | Miami (Fla.) | HB |
January 1, 1953 | John Hall | Florida | RB |
Mary Matuszak | Tulsa | T | |
January 1, 1954 | Bobby Cavazos | Texas Tech | RB |
Vince Dooley | Auburn | QB | |
December 31, 1954 | Joe Childress | Auburn | FB |
Billy Hooper | Baylor | QB | |
December 31, 1955 | Don Orr | Vanderbilt | QB |
Joe Childress | Auburn | FB | |
December 29, 1956 | Wade Mitchell | Georgia Tech | QB |
Corny Salvaterra | Pittsburgh | QB | |
December 28, 1957 | Bobby Gordon | Tenneessee | TB |
John David Crow | Texas A&M | HB | |
December 27, 1958 | Bobby Franklin | Mississippi | QB |
Dave Hudson | Florida | E | |
January 2, 1960 | Jim Mooty | Arkansas | HB |
Maxie Baughan | Georgia Tech | LB | |
December 31, 1960 | Larry Libertore | Florida | QB |
Bobby Ply | Baylor | QB | |
December 30, 1961 | Galen Hall | Penn State | QB |
Joe Auer | Georgia Tech | HB | |
December 29, 1962 | Tom Shannon | Florida | QB |
Dave Robinson | Penn State | E | |
December 28, 1963 | Ken Willard | North Carolina | RB |
David Sicks | Air Force | C | |
January 2, 1965 | Fred Biletnikoff | Florida State | SE |
Steve Tensi | Florida State | QB | |
Carl McAdams | Oklahoma | LB | |
December 31, 1965 | Lenny Snow | Georgia Tech | TB |
Donny Anderson | Texas Tech | RB | |
December 31, 1966 | Dewey Warren | Tenneessee | QB |
Floyd Little | Syracuse | HB | |
December 30, 1967 | Kim Hammond | Florida State | QB |
Tom Sherman | Penn State | QB | |
December 28, 1968 | Terry McMillan | Missouri | QB |
Mike Hall | Alabama | LB | |
December 27, 1969 | Mike Kelley | Florida | TB |
Curt Watson | Tennessee | FB | |
January 2, 1971 | Pat Sullivan | Auburn | QB |
Archie Manning | Ole' Miss | QB | |
December 31, 1971 | Jimmy Poulos | Georgia | TB |
James Webster | North Carolina | LB | |
December 30, 1972 | Wade Whatley | Auburn | QB |
Mark Cooney | Colorado | LB | |
December 29, 1973 | Joe Barnes | Texas Tech | QB |
Haskell Stanback | Tennessee | TB | |
December 30, 1974 | Phil Gargis | Auburn | QB |
Earl Campbell | Texas | RB | |
December 29, 1975 | Steve Atkins | Maryland | TB |
Sammy Green | Florida | LB | |
December 27, 1976 | Al Hunter | Notre Dame | HB |
Jimmy Cefalo | Penn State | WR | |
December 30, 1977 | Matt Cavanaugh | Pittsburgh | QB |
Jerry Butler | Clemson | SE | |
December 29, 1978 | Steve Fuller | Clemson | QB |
Art Schlichter | Ohio State | QB | |
December 28, 1979 | Matt Kupec | North Carolina | QB |
Amos Lawrence | North Carolina | RB | |
John Wangler | Michigan | QB | |
Anthony Carter | Michigan | WR | |
December 29, 1980 | Rick Trocano | Pittsburgh | QB |
George Rogers | South Carolina | RB | |
December 28, 1981 | Kelvin Bryant | North Carolina | TB |
Ethan Horton | North Carolina | TB | |
Gary Anderson | Arkansas | RB | |
December 30, 1982 | Greg Allen | Florida State | TB |
Paul Woodside | West Virginia | K | |
December 30, 1983 | Tony Lilly | Florida | S |
Owen Gill | Iowa | FB | |
December 28, 1984 | Thurman Thomas | Oklahoma State | RB |
Mike Hold | South Carolina | QB | |
December 30, 1985 | Chip Ferguson | Florida State | QB |
Thurman Thomas | Oklahoma State | RB | |
December 27, 1986 | Rodney Williams | Clemson | QB |
Brad Muster | Stanford | RB | |
December 31, 1987 | Wendell Davis | LSU | SE |
Harold Green | South Carolina | RB | |
January 1, 1989 | Wayne Johnson | Georgia | QB |
Andre Rison | Michigan State | WR | |
December 30, 1989 | Levon Kirkland | Clemson | LB |
Mike Fox | West Virginia | DT | |
January 1, 1991 | Offensive Line | Michigan | N/A |
Tyrone Ashley | Mississippi | DB | |
December 29, 1991 | Cale Gundy | Oklahoma | QB |
Tyrone Davis | Virginia | DB | |
December 31, 1992 | Errict Rhett | Florida | RB |
Reggie Lawrence | North Carolina | WR | |
December 31, 1993 | Brian Burgdorf | Alabama | QB |
Corey Holliday | North Carolina | WR | |
December 30, 1994 | James Stewart | Tennessee | TB |
Maurice DeShazo | Virginia Tech | QB | |
January 1, 1996 | Donovan McNabb | Syracuse | QB |
Peter Ford | Clemson | CB | |
January 1, 1997 | Oscar Davenport | North Carolina | QB |
David Saunders | West Virginia | WR | |
January 1, 1998 | Chris Keldorf | North Carolina | QB |
Nick Sorenson | Virginia Tech | QB | |
January 1, 1999 | Dez White | Georgia Tech | WR |
Joe Hamilton | Georgia Tech | QB | |
Autry Denson | Notre Dame | RB | |
January 1, 2000 | Nate Webster | Miami (Fla.) | LB |
Joe Hamilton | Georgia Tech | QB | |
January 1, 2001 | Michael Vick | Virginia Tech | QB |
Rod Gardner | Clemson | WR | |
January 1, 2002 | Javon Walker | Florida State | WR |
Andre Davis | Virginia Tech | WR | |
January 1, 2003 | Philip Rivers | North Carolina State | QB |
Cedric Hillard | Notre Dame | NG | |
January 1, 2004 | Scott McBrian | Maryland | QB |
Brian King | West Virginia | DB | |
January 1, 2005 | Leon Washington | Florida State | RB |
Kay-Jay Harris | West Virginia | RB | |
January 2, 2006 | Cedric Humes | Virginia Tech | RB |
Hunter Cantwell | Louisville | QB | |
January 1, 2007 | Calvin Johnson | Georgia Tech | WR |
Pat White | West Virginia | QB |
[edit] Most Appearances
Rank | Team | Appearances | Record |
---|---|---|---|
T1 | Florida | 8 | 6-2 |
T1 | Clemson | 8 | 4-4 |
T3 | North Carolina | 7 | 5-2 |
T3 | Georgia Tech | 7 | 3-4 |
T5 | Florida State | 6 | 5-0-1 |
T5 | Auburn | 6 | 4-2 |
T5 | West Virginia | 6 | 1-5 |
T8 | Tennessee | 5 | 3-2 |
T8 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 2-3 |
T10 | Maryland | 4 | 3-0-1 |
T10 | Penn State | 4 | 1-2-1 |
T10 | South Carolina | 4 | 0-4 |
T13 | Georgia | 3 | 2-0-1 |
T13 | Oklahoma | 3 | 2-1 |
T13 | Pittsburgh | 3 | 2-1 |
T13 | Texas Tech | 3 | 2-1 |
T13 | Mississippi | 3 | 1-2 |
T13 | Missouri | 3 | 1-2 |
T13 | North Carolina State | 3 | 1-2 |
T13 | Notre Dame | 3 | 1-2 |