Military Bowl
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 are featuring teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.[3][4]
| Military Bowl | |
|---|---|
| Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman | |
 | |
| Stadium | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium |
| Location | Annapolis, Maryland |
| Previous stadiums | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium |
| Previous locations | Washington, D.C. (2008–2012) |
| Operated | 2008–present |
| Conference tie-ins | ACC & American |
| Previous conference tie-ins | Army, Navy, C-USA |
| Payout | US$2,066,990 (2019)[1] |
| Sponsors | |
| Former names | |
Congressional Bowl (2008, working title) EagleBank Bowl (2008–09) | |
| 2018 matchup | |
| Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech (Cincinnati 35–31) | |
| 2019 matchup | |
| Temple vs. North Carolina (North Carolina 55–13) | |
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. After Northrop Grumman, one of the world's leading defense contractors, became its sponsor in 2010, it was officially renamed the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman.[5]
Origins
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.[6] 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.[6]
History
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.[7] 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;[8] 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.[9]
Conference tie-ins
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.[10][11] Under the agreement, the ACC would provide its ninth-best team for the bowl if the league had nine bowl eligible teams.[12] 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, 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).[8] If Navy or Army were not bowl eligible, a Big 12 team would be selected in 2011, and a C-USA team in 2012.[13] In 2012, Army was not bowl eligible and the ACC could not supply a team,[14] 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][15] In July 2019, the bowl announced that the ACC vs. AAC arrangement would continue through the 2025–26 football season.[16]
| 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 | ||
Bold conference denotes winner of games played.
Game results
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 |
- 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
| 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 |
Source:[17]:12
Most appearances
Updated through the December 2019 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
- Teams with multiple appearances
| Rank | Team | Appearances | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Navy | 3 | 2–1 |
| T1 | Temple | 3 | 0–3 |
| T3 | Wake Forest | 2 | 2–0 |
| T3 | Cincinnati | 2 | 1–1 |
| T3 | Maryland | 2 | 1–1 |
| T3 | Virginia Tech | 2 | 1–1 |
- Teams with a single appearance
Won: Marshall, North Carolina, San Jose State, Toledo, UCLA
Lost: Air Force, Bowling Green, East Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia
Appearances by conference
Updated through the December 2019 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
| Conference | Record | Appearances by season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | W | L | Win pct. | Won | Lost | |
| ACC | 9 | 5 | 4 | .556 | 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2019 | 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
| The American | 6 | 3 | 3 | .115 | 2015, 2017, 2018 | 2014, 2016, 2019 |
| 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 | |
Independent appearances: Navy (2008)
Game records
| 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, Josh Banks, Wake Forest vs. Temple | 2016 |
| 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 | ||
| Punt | 59, Austin Lopez, San Jose State vs. Bowling Green | 2012 |
| Field goal | 49, Joey Slye, Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati | 2014 |
Source:[17]:24–29
Media coverage
The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception.
See also
References
- "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- 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.
- "American Athletic Conference Partners With Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman". theamerican.org.
- http://www.militarybowl.org/military-bowl-presented-by-northrop-grumman-announces-continued-partnership-with-the-atlantic-coast-conference/
- "Bowl game in U.S. capital renamed Military Bowl". ESPN.com. 26 October 2010.
- Proposed D.C. Bowl Would Feature Service Academies The Washington Post. November 29, 2007. Accessed April 30, 2008.
- NCAA committee approves 34 football bowl games The Associated Press, ESPN.com. April 30, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008.
- http://militarybowl.org/d-cs-eaglebank-bowl-granted-four-year-extension/
- http://militarybowl.org/uso-district-of-columbia-to-again-benefit-from-the-military-bowls-return-to-rfk-stadium-on-december-28/
- Mids could play in new D.C. bowl game in 2008 The Navy Times, December 12, 2007. Accessed April 30, 2008.
- Johnson on DC Bowl: We'll play Navy Scout.com. March 31, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008.
- Group awaits decision on bowl Tim Lemke, The Washington Times. April 18, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008.
- http://militarybowl.org/eaglebank-bowl-announces-bowl-lineups-for-2010-2013/
- /http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/12/military_bowl_reports_college.html
- http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/military-bowl-strikes-deal-american
- Bartholomew, Ryan (July 16, 2019). "Military Bowl Extends Partnership With ACC and The American". militarybowl.org (Press release). Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- "Military Bowl Media Guide" (PDF). militarybowl.org. 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
