Military Bowl

Division I college football bowl game

Military Bowl

Military Bowl presented by GoBowling.com
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

* EagleBank (2008–2009)
* Northrop Grumman (2010–2019)
* Perspecta Inc. (2020)
* Peraton (2021–2022)
* GoBowling.com (2023–present)

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[23][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:[24]

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:[25]: 12 [26]

## 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 | 60, Mitch McCarthy, UCF vs. Duke | 2022
Field goal | 49, Joey Slye, Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati | 2014

Source:[25]: 24–29

## Media coverage[edit]

Main article: List of Military Bowl broadcasters

The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception.

## See also[edit]

* Sports in Washington, D.C.

## 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. ^ 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. ^ Adelson, Andrea (December 26, 2021). "Military, Fenway Bowls Canceled Because of COVID-19 Issues". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
24. ^ "Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman" (PDF). Bowl/All Star Game Records. NCAA. 2020. p. 15. Retrieved January 3, 2021 - via NCAA.org.
25. ^ a b "Military Bowl Media Guide" (PDF). militarybowl.org. 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
26. ^ @MatejS247 (December 27, 2023). "QB Kyron Drones. MVP. #Hokies" (Tweet). Retrieved December 27, 2023 - via Twitter.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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