Orange Bowl
| File:Orange Bowl logo.svg Official logo | |
| Company type | Annual college football bowl game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports (college football) |
| Founded | January 1, 1935 in Miami, Florida, United States |
| Headquarters | Miami Gardens , United States |
Area served | United States (college football fans) |
| Products | College football postseason game |
| Owner | Orange Bowl Committee |
| Website | www |
The Orange Bowl is a yearly college football postseason game held in the Miami metropolitan area since January 1, 1935. It is recognized as the second-oldest bowl contest, sharing this distinction with the Sugar Bowl and Sun Bowl, surpassed only by the Rose Bowl Game.
Initially played at Miami Field, the event relocated to the Miami Orange Bowl stadium in 1938. Since 1996, the game has taken place at Hard Rock Stadium located in Miami Gardens. The title sponsorship has been held by Capital One since December 2014, leading to its official designation as the Capital One Orange Bowl. Former sponsors include Discover Financial from 2011 to 2014 and FedEx between 1989 and 2010.
At first, the Orange Bowl had no formal conference affiliations but traditionally pitted teams from the southeastern United States against those from central or northeastern regions. From the 1950s through the mid-1990s, it developed a strong connection with the Big Eight Conference, frequently inviting its champion or runner-up. Typical opponents comprised prominent independents, runners-up from the SEC, or champions from the ACC. Since 2007, the game generally features the ACC champion unless that team participates in the national championship or playoff; in such cases, another leading ACC team is chosen.
Beginning in 1992, the Orange Bowl became part of the Bowl Coalition, which evolved into the Bowl Alliance and later the Bowl Championship Series. It hosted the national championship matchup in 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2005. Additionally, Miami Gardens was the site for BCS National Championship Games in both 2009 and 2013.
With the establishment of the College Football Playoff in 2014 and its inclusion among the "New Year's Six" bowls, the Orange Bowl has acted as a semifinal venue in 2015, 2018, and 2021. When not serving as a semifinal, it features the highest-ranked ACC team available against a top opponent from either the SEC, Big Ten, or Notre Dame.
Looking ahead to the expansion of the College Football Playoff to twelve teams for the 2024–25 season, the Orange Bowl will annually function as either a quarterfinal or semifinal site. It was designated a semifinal venue in 2025 and will serve as a quarterfinal host in 2026. During quarterfinal years, it will showcase the ACC champion if that team ranks within the top four seeds; when acting as a semifinal after New Year's Day, it may include the ACC champion if seeded among the top two teams.
Early roots
The inception of postseason football festivals traces back to Pasadena, California, where in 1890 organizers launched the first Tournament of Roses Parade to highlight their temperate climate compared to colder northern states. One organizer remarked: "In New York, people are buried in snow. Here, our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise." The event incorporated an American football game starting in 1902.
In Miami during 1926, city leaders introduced a "Fiesta of the American Tropics," centering around a New Year's Day football contest. Although this celebration lasted only one year initially, Miami officials such as Earnest E. Seiler later revived a similar concept called the "Palm Festival," which aimed to promote a "Green Christmas in Miami."
Palm Festival Game
In 1932, George E. Hussey, who served as Miami's official greeter, initiated the inaugural Festival of Palms Bowl, which served as a forerunner to what became known as the Orange Bowl. Amidst the economic hardships caused by the Great Depression and the collapse of Florida's land boom, Hussey sought to stimulate Miami’s economy by creating an event inspired by Pasadena’s Rose Bowl.
The first two contests took place at Moore Park, featuring the local University of Miami team competing against invited adversaries. On January 2, 1933, Miami secured a 7–0 victory over Manhattan College. The following year, on New Year's Day 1934, Duquesne, under the leadership of Elmer Layden, one of Notre Dame's legendary Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, defeated Miami with a score of 33–7.
Although these matches are not recognized by the NCAA as official bowl games—since one participant was guaranteed entry regardless of their record—their popularity paved the way for the establishment of the first formal Orange Bowl on New Year's Day in 1935. Unlike the earlier games, this event did not assure participation by the University of Miami and was subsequently acknowledged by the NCAA as an official postseason bowl.
Modern game
The Orange Bowl was initially staged at Miami Field from 1935 through 1937, before moving to the Miami Orange Bowl stadium from 1938 until 1996 and briefly returning there in 1999. Since December 1996, the game has been hosted at Hard Rock Stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The brief return to the Miami Orange Bowl in 1999 occurred due to scheduling conflicts with an NFL playoff game involving the Miami Dolphins; both events were broadcast on ABC.
On January 1, 1965, the Orange Bowl matchup between Texas and Alabama became notable as the first college bowl game broadcast live during prime time television hours.
Beginning in 1954, the contest commonly featured the champion from the former Big Eight Conference. Following the Big Eight's merger with four ex-Southwest Conference teams in 1996 to create the Big 12 Conference, that conference’s champion affiliation shifted to the Fiesta Bowl. During the era of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) from 1998 to 2013, team selections for the Orange Bowl were coordinated alongside other BCS bowls and, from 2006 through 2013, linked to participation in the BCS National Championship Game.
Between 1998 and 2005, unless involved in hosting or qualifying for the National Championship Game, champions from either the ACC or Big East typically competed in this bowl.
Starting in 2006, under the tagline Home of the ACC Champion, the Orange Bowl exclusively featured the ACC champion. As part of its role within the BCS system, it also rotated hosting duties for the national championship every four years alongside the Sugar, Fiesta, and Rose Bowls. This ACC partnership persisted into the College Football Playoff era after 2014. However, with expansion to a 12-team playoff format, all New Year's Six bowls—including the Orange Bowl—became permanent fixtures within the playoff structure, ending its formal ACC tie-in.
King Orange Jamboree Parade
From 1936 until 2001 (excluding World War II years), the Orange Bowl Committee organized the annual King Orange Jamboree Parade. The first parade occurred on December 31 before the 1936 game, showcasing thirty floats with a production cost of $40,000 . Each year, an Orange Bowl Queen and a court of Princesses were chosen from Florida residents. A coronation ball took place every December ahead of game day; during New Year's Day festivities, these honorees rode floats in the parade and presided over halftime ceremonies. Babs Beckwith was crowned as the inaugural queen; among notable past queens were Victoria Principal and Jackie Nespral.
At its height during the 1970s, this parade was broadcast nationally on New Year's Eve and featured illuminated floats parading along Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, attracting audiences estimated at up to half a million spectators. Declining viewership led to losing national television coverage in 1997, which caused sponsorship revenues to fall and attendance numbers to shrink to approximately 20,000 by 2000. As a result, organizers discontinued this longstanding parade tradition in early 2002.
Conference affiliations
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) maintains a 12-year contract with the Orange Bowl, spanning from 2014 through 2025. When the ACC champion advances to the College Football Playoff in years without semifinal participation, the Orange Bowl features the next highest-ranked ACC team. Additionally, guaranteed secondary appearances ensure three slots each for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big Ten Conference, while University of Notre Dame may appear up to two times without a secured berth.
The ACC's adversary is chosen from the highest-ranked eligible team among the SEC, Big Ten, and Notre Dame, excluding champions of the SEC and Big Ten. If these conferences have representatives in the playoff, further exclusions occur due to Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl agreements. To prevent repeat matchups against ACC teams, the Orange Bowl may opt for lower-ranked qualifying teams. Team selections are determined by rankings from the College Football Playoff committee. Broadcasting rights for the event are held by ESPN under a 12-year deal.
Match outcomes
All team rankings listed correspond to their position in the AP poll prior to each contest, dating back to 1936.
| Date played | Winning team | Losing team | Venue | Attendance | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1935 | Bucknell | 26 | Miami (Florida) | 0 | Miami Field | 5,134 | notes |
| January 1, 1936 | Catholic | 20 | Ole Miss | 19 | 6,568 | notes | |
| January 1, 1937 | #14 Duquesne | 13 | Mississippi State | 12 | 9,210 | notes | |
| January 1, 1938 | Auburn | 6 | Michigan State | 0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 18,972 | notes |
| January 2, 1939 | #2 Tennessee | 17 | #4 Oklahoma | 0 | 32,191 | notes | |
| January 1, 1940 | #16 Georgia Tech | 21 | #6 Missouri | 7 | 29,278 | notes | |
| January 1, 1941 | #9 Mississippi State | 14 | #13 Georgetown | 7 | 29,554 | notes | |
| January 1, 1942 | #14 Georgia | 40 | TCU | 26 | 35,786 | notes | |
| January 1, 1943 | #10 Alabama | 37 | #8 Boston College | 21 | 25,166 | notes | |
| January 1, 1944 | LSU | 19 | Texas A&M | 14 | 25,203 | notes | |
| January 1, 1945 | Tulsa | 26 | #13Georgia Tech | 12 | 23,279 | notes | |
Source:
- Indicates a game designated as a Bowl Coalition Championship
- Marks a contest that was part of the Bowl Alliance Championship
- Denotes a game serving as a BCS National Championship Game
- Represents a quarterfinal in the College Football Playoff
- Signifies a semifinal in the College Football Playoff
- Refers to previous names for what is currently known as Hard Rock Stadium
- The matchup in 1999 took place at the Miami Orange Bowl due to scheduling conflicts with the NFL
- USC's win in the 2005 game was later vacated following NCAA penalties
Most Valuable Players
The inaugural MVP award for the bowl was presented in 1965. Between 1970 and 1998, the game honored two MVPs each year. Starting in 1999, the tradition shifted to naming a single MVP annually, except during the College Football Playoff, where both an offensive and defensive MVP receive recognition.[1]
| Year | MVP | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Joe Namath | Alabama | QB |
| 1966 | Steve Sloan | Alabama | QB |
| 1967 | Larry Smith | Florida | TB |
| 1968 | Bob Warmack | Oklahoma | QB |
| 1969 | Donnie Shanklin | Kansas | HB |
| 1970 | Chuck Burkhart | Penn State | QB |
| Mike Reid | Penn State | DT | |
| 1971 | Jerry Tagge | Nebraska | QB |
| Willie Harper | Nebraska | DE | |
| 1972 | Jerry Tagge | Nebraska | QB |
| Rich Glover | Nebraska | DG | |
| 1973 | Johnny Rodgers | Nebraska | WB |
| Rich Glover | Nebraska | DG | |
| 1974 | Tom Shuman | Penn State | QB |
| Randy Crowder | Penn State | DT | |
| 1975 | Wayne Bullock | Notre Dame | FB |
| Leroy Cook | Alabama | DE | |
| 1976 | Steve Davis | Oklahoma | QB |
| Lee Roy Selmon | Oklahoma | DT | |
| 1977 | Rod Gerald | Ohio State | QB |
| Tom Cousineau | Ohio State | LB | |
| 1978 | Roland Sales | Arkansas | RB |
| Reggie Freeman | Arkansas | NG |
| Year | MVP | Team | Position |
|---|
Teams with Most Appearances
Data is current through the January 2025 game (91 games played, totaling 182 appearances).
- Teams with multiple participations
| Rank | Team | Appearances | Record | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | 20 | 12–8 | Template:Winpct |
| 2 | Nebraska | 17 | 8–9 | Template:Winpct |
| 3 | Florida State | 11 | 5–6 | Template:Winpct |
| 4 | Miami (FL) | 10 | 6–4 | Template:Winpct |
| 5 | Alabama | 9 | 5–4 | Template:Winpct |
| "T6" | Clemson | 7 | 4–3 | Template:Winpct |
| "T6" | Georgia Tech | 7 | 4–3 | Template:Winpct |
| "T8" | Penn State | 6 | 4–2 | Template:Winpct |
| "T8" | Notre Dame | 6 | 3–3 | Template:Winpct |
| "T10" | Georgia | 5 | 4–1 | Template:Winpct |
| "T10" | Colorado | 5 | 2–3 | Template:Winpct |
| "T10" | LSU | 5 | 2–3 | Template:Winpct |
| "T10" | Tennessee | 5 | 2–3 | Template:Winpct |
USC's official win-loss tally and winning percentage do not include their vacated victory from 2005.
- Teams with a single bowl appearance
Victorious (11): Bucknell Bison football, Catholic University Cardinals football, Duquesne Dukes football, Louisville Cardinals football, Rice Owls football, Santa Clara Broncos, Stanford Cardinal football, Tulsa Golden Hurricane football, Washington Huskies football, West Virginia Mountaineers football, Wisconsin Badgers football
Defeated (14): Baylor Bears football, Boston College Eagles football, Cincinnati Bearcats football, Georgetown Hoyas football, Holy Cross Crusaders football, Kentucky Wildcats football, Michigan State Spartans football, Navy Midshipmen football, North Carolina Tar Heels football, Northern Illinois Huskies football, Ole Miss Rebels football, TCU Horned Frogs football, Virginia Cavaliers football, Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
Appearances by Conference
Data is current as of the January 2025 edition, covering 91 games and totaling 182 appearances.
| Rank | Conference | Appearances | Record | Number of Teams |
Teams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins | Losses | Winning Percentage | |||||
| 1 | Big Eight | 42 | Template:WinLossPct | 5 | |||
| 2 | SEC | 40 | Template:WinLossPct | 11 | |||
| 3 | ACC | 29 | Template:WinLossPct | 10 |
| ||
| 4 | Independent | 29 | Template:WinLossPct | 15 |
| ||
| 5 | Big Ten | 11 | Template:WinLossPct | 5 |
| ||
| 6 (tie) | Big East | 8 | Template:WinLossPct | 6 |
| ||
| 6 (tie) | SWC | 8 | Template:WinLossPct | 6 | |||
Note that the Pac-12's win-loss tally does not include USC's vacated victory from 2005.
- Conferences no longer active or defunct are shown in italics.
- The Big Eight totals encompass results from the Big Six and Big Seven eras.
- Pacific-10 outcomes are included within the Pac-12 figures.
- Teams have competed under various conference alignments throughout history.
Game records
| Category | Record, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Highest points by one team | 70, West Virginia against Clemson | 2012 |
| Most points by losing team | 35, Ohio State against Clemson | January 2014 |
| Combined highest score (both teams) | 103, West Virginia (70) vs. Clemson (33) | 2012 |
| Lowest points allowed | 0, achieved 8 times, latest: Miami (FL) vs. Nebraska |
1992 |
| Greatest victory margin | 60, Georgia (63) over Florida State (3) | 2023 |
| Total offensive yards gained | 673, Georgia against Florida State | 2023 |
| Most rushing yards gained | 452, Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State | 2014 |
| Highest passing yards recorded | 456, Florida facing Maryland | 2002 |
| Most first downs achieved | 37, Georgia versus Florida State | 2023 |
| Least total yards allowed | 28, Bucknell against Miami | 1935 |
| Lowest rushing yards allowed (negative yardage) | –8, Missouri versus Navy | 1961 |
| Fewest passing yards allowed (zero yards), shared by: Holy Cross vs. Miami Tennessee vs. Rice |
1946 1947 |
| Individual Achievement | Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose yardage | 280, Tavon Austin, West Virginia vs. Clemson (123 receiving, 117 return, 40 rushing) |
2012 |
| Total touchdowns (all-purpose) | 4, shared by: Tavon Austin, West Virginia vs. Clemson Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska vs. Notre Dame |
2012 1973 |
| Rushing yards gained | 206, Ahman Green, Nebraska vs. Tennessee | 1998 |
| Rushing touchdowns | 3, latest: Synjyn Days, Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State |
2014 2014 |
| Passing yards | 453, Dak Prescott, Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech | 2014 |
| Passing touchdown passes | 6, Geno Smith, West Virginia vs. Clemson | 2012 |
| Receiving yards | 227, Sammy Watkins, Clemson vs. Ohio State | 2014 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 4, Tavon Austin, West Virginia vs. Clemson | 2012 |
| Total tackles | 31 (combined), Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama vs. Oklahoma 13 (solo), most recent: Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma vs. Penn State |
1963 1986 |
| Sacks recorded | 4, Rusty Medearis, Miami vs. Nebraska | 1992 |
| Interceptions made | 3, Bud Hebert, Oklahoma vs. Florida State | 1980 |
| Long Play Type | Record Details: Player, Team vs. Opponent | Year |
|---|
Sponsorship
Previously, the event was titled the Discover Orange Bowl following Discover Financial's entry as the primary sponsor in 2010 through a four-year agreement. Prior to this, from 1989 until 2010, it carried the name FedEx Orange Bowl. Beginning with the 2010–11 season, ESPN assumed broadcasting responsibilities from Fox. The game was televised by ABC between 1999 and 2006, while earlier coverage was provided by CBS (1995–1998) and NBC (1964–1994).
In June 2014, Discover declared it would not continue its sponsorship as the Orange Bowl integrated into the College Football Playoff, with ESPN—holder of CFP broadcast rights—requesting increased sponsorship fees. Subsequently, on September 22, 2014, Capital One was announced as the new title sponsor, transferring its sponsorship from the Citrus Bowl (game). Capital One also relocated its "Capital One Mascot Challenge" naming rights to this event. The Orange Bowl Committee’s corporate partners feature iHeart Media, Ernst & Young, Cinch Home Services, Bank of America, Amazon, American Airlines, AT&T, and Uber Technologies.
Broadcasting
Since 2011, ESPN has served as the official broadcaster of the Orange Bowl through an agreement tied to the Bowl Championship Series. In November 2012, ESPN secured an extension of its broadcast rights through 2026 with an annual $55 million contract ahead of the College Football Playoff's debut in 2014–15. The matchup is also aired nationally via ESPN Radio.
Before ESPN's tenure, Fox held broadcasting rights from 2007 until ESPN's acquisition. Earlier telecasts were managed by ABC (1999–2006 and 1962–64), CBS (1996–98 and 1953–61), and NBC (1965–95). Alongside the Fiesta Bowl, it is among only two bowl games that have been broadcast across all four major U.S. television networks. Since 2013, ESPN Deportes has offered a Spanish language broadcast of the contest.
See also
External links
| Longest touchdown run | 94 yards by Larry Smith, Florida versus Georgia Tech | 1967 |
| Longest touchdown pass | 92 yards from Nyqwan Murray to Deondre Francois, Florida State against Michigan | 2016 |
| Longest kickoff return | 100 yards by C. J. Jones, Iowa facing USC | 2003 |
| Longest punt return | 87 yards by Willie Reid, Florida State versus Penn State | 2006 |
| Longest interception return | 94 yards by David Baker, Oklahoma versus Duke | 1958 |
| Longest fumble return | 99 yards by Darwin Cook, West Virginia against Clemson | 2012 |
| Longest punt | 82 yards by Ike Pickle, Mississippi State versus Duquesne | 1937 |
| Longest field goal | 56 yards by Greg Cox, Miami facing Oklahoma | 1988 |
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