Cure Bowl
Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl
StadiumFBC Mortgage Stadium
LocationOrlando, Florida
Previous stadiums
Operated2015–present
Conference tie-insThe American, Sun Belt
PayoutUS$573,125 (2019)[1]
Sponsors
Former names
  • AutoNation Cure Bowl (2015–2018)
  • FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl (2019–2020)
  • Tailgreeter Cure Bowl (2021)
  • Duluth Trading Cure Bowl (2022)
2022 matchup
UTSA vs. Troy (Troy 18–12)
2023 matchup
Appalachian State vs. Miami (OH)
(Appalachian State 13–9)

The Cure Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game that has been played in December of each year since 2015 in Orlando, Florida. It is currently held at FBC Mortgage Stadium, and in the past has been held at Camping World Stadium and Exploria Stadium. The Cure Bowl is so named to promote awareness and research of breast cancer, with proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The Cure Bowl usually features teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. It is currently sponsored by Avocados from Mexico and is officially known as the Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl.

History

The game has tie-ins with the American Athletic Conference (The American) and the Sun Belt Conference. The inaugural game took place on December 19, 2015,[2] featuring the San Jose State Spartans from the Mountain West Conference and the Georgia State Panthers of the Sun Belt Conference. A Mountain West team was invited to the bowl due to The American not having enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the tie-in.[3]

During the planning stages, it was originally proposed to hold the game at Bright House Networks Stadium (now known as FBC Mortgage Stadium) on the campus of UCF.[4] However, it was later decided to hold the game at the newly-renovated Camping World Stadium in downtown Orlando, joining the Camping World Bowl and the Citrus Bowl as annual bowl games at the venue.[5] The game was at held Camping World Stadium in 2015–2018 and 2020,[6] and at Exploria Stadium in 2019, 2021–2022.[7] Beginning in 2023, it will move to FBC Mortgage Stadium at UCF.

The game was acquired by ESPN Events in May 2020.[8] The 2020 edition of the bowl, between Liberty and Coastal Carolina, became the first Cure Bowl to go to overtime.

Sponsorship

From its inaugural playing in 2015 through 2018, the game was sponsored by AutoNation and was known as the AutoNation Cure Bowl.[9] In December 2019, FBC Mortgage became the new title sponsor, making the game the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl.[10] In December 2020, FBC Mortgage renewed its sponsorship of the bowl.[11] On December 2, 2021, digital marketplace Tailgreeter became the new sponsor of the bowl, making the game the Tailgreeter Cure Bowl.[12] On June 29, 2022, Duluth Trading Company was announced as the new title sponsor for the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl.[13] On October 31, 2023, Avocados From Mexico, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association, became the new title sponsor of the game.[14]

Game results

All rankings are taken from the AP Poll prior to the game being played.

Date Winning Team Losing Team Venue Attendance Notes
December 19, 2015 San Jose State 27 Georgia State 16 Camping World Stadium 18,536 notes
December 17, 2016 Arkansas State 31 UCF 13 27,213 notes
December 16, 2017 Georgia State 27 Western Kentucky 17 19,585 notes
December 15, 2018 Tulane 41 Louisiana 24 19,066 notes
December 21, 2019 Liberty 23 Georgia Southern 16 Exploria Stadium 18,158 notes
December 26, 2020 23 Liberty 37 9 Coastal Carolina 34OT Camping World Stadium  4,488 notes
December 17, 2021 Coastal Carolina 47 Northern Illinois 41 Exploria Stadium 9,784 notes
December 16, 2022 23 Troy 18 22 UTSA 12 11,911 notes
December 16, 2023 Appalachian State 13 Miami (OH) 9 FBC Mortgage Stadium 11,121 notes

Source:[15]

MVPs

Year MVP Team Position
2015 Kenny Potter San Jose State QB
2016 Kendall Sanders Arkansas State WR
2017 Conner Manning Georgia State QB
2018 Darius Bradwell Tulane RB
2019 Jessie Lemonier Liberty DE
2020 Malik Willis Liberty QB
2021 Grayson McCall Coastal Carolina QB
2022 KJ Robertson Troy LB
2023 Anderson Castle Appalachian State RB

Source:[16]

Most appearances

Updated through the December 2023 edition (9 games, 18 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances
Team Appearances Record Win pct.
Liberty 2 2–0 1.000
Georgia State 2 1–1 0.500
Coastal Carolina 2 1–1 0.500
Teams with a single appearance

Won (5): Appalachian State, Arkansas State, San Jose State, Troy, Tulane
Lost (7): Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, UCF, UTSA, Western Kentucky

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2023 edition (9 games, 18 total appearances).

Conference Record Appearances by season
Games W L Win pct. Won Lost
Sun Belt 9 5 4 .556 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020
Independents 2 2 0 1.000 2019, 2020  
The American 2 1 1 .500 2018 2016
C-USA 2 0 2 .000   2017, 2022
MAC 2 0 2 .000   2021, 2023
Mountain West 1 1 0 1.000 2015  

Independent appearances: Liberty (2019, 2020)

Game records

Team Performance vs. Opponent Year
Most points scored 47, Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois 2021
Fewest points allowed 9, Miami (OH) vs. Appalachian State 2023
Margin of victory 18, Arkansas State vs. UCF 2016
First downs 29, Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina 2021
Rushing yards 337, Tulane vs. Louisiana 2015
Passing yards 351, Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State 2017
Most points scored (losing team) 41, Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina 2021
Most points scored (both teams) 88, Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois 2021
Fewest yards allowed 223, UCF vs. Arkansas State 2016
Fewest rushing yards allowed -2, Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State 2017
Fewest passing yards allowed 44, Miami (OH) vs. Appalachian State 2023
Individual Player, Team Year
Points scored 24, shared by:
Malik Willis (Liberty)
Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina)
2020
2021
Passing touchdowns 4, Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina) 2021
Rushing yards 180, Rashad Amos (Miami (OH)) 2023
Passing yards 351, Mike White (Western Kentucky) 2017
Receiving yards 178, Jaivon Heiligh (Coastal Carolina) 2020
Rushing touchdowns 4, Malik Willis (Liberty) 2020
Receiving touchdowns 3, Kendall Sanders (Arkansas State) 2016
Tackles 14, shared by:
Demeitre Brim (UCF)
Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina)
Carlton Martial (Troy)
2016
2021
2022
Sacks 2, shared by:
Rolland Jones (Arkansas State)
Ceridor McKendry (Georgia State)
Zachery Harris (Tulane)
Trey Moore (Troy)
2016
2017
2018
2022
Interceptions 1, by multiple players—most recent:
Yashyn McKee (Miami (OH))
2023
Long Plays Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Touchdown run 60 yds., Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina) 2021
Touchdown pass 75 yds., Justice Hansen to Kendall Sanders (Arkansas State) 2016
Kickoff return 41 yds., Trayvon Rudolph (Northern Illinois) 2018
Punt return 85 yds., Tyler Ervin (San Jose State) 2015
Interception return 63 yds., Bralen Trahan (Louisiana) 2018
Fumble return 8 yds., Dre Pinckney (Coastal Carolina) 2021
Punt 70 yds., Wil Lutz (Georgia State) 2015
Field goal 46 yds., Alex Probert (Liberty) 2019

Source:[17]

Media coverage

Television

The game was initially televised by CBS Sports Network, making it one of the few bowl games to not be televised by an ESPN network. Following the bowl's acquisition by ESPN Events in 2020, broadcasting moved to ESPN.[18]

Date Network Play-by-play announcers Color commentators Sideline reporters
2015 CBS Sports Network Carter Blackburn Aaron Taylor Jenny Dell
2016
2017
2018
2019 John Schriffen
2020 ESPN Roy Philpott Kelly Stouffer Alex Chappell
2021 ESPN2 Mike Morgan Kirk Morrison Dawn Davenport
2022 ESPN Beth Mowins Stormy Buonantony
2023 ABC Bob Wischusen Robert Griffin III Kris Budden

Radio

Date Network Play-by-play announcers Color commentators Sideline reporters
2015 iHeartRadio Paul Kennedy Max Starks Jamie Seh
2016 Touchdown Radio Bernie Guenther Gino Torretta
2017 JP Shadrick
2018
2019[19] Bowlday Radio Jamie Seh Dani Welniak Melanie Newman
2020[20] First Team Radio Tenitra Batiste
2021 Bowl Season Radio Landry Burdine Despina Barton
2022
2023 Rene Ingoglia

See also

References

  1. ^ "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. ^ "Citrus Bowl to host Cure Bowl in 2015". WESH.com. Hearst Television. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  3. ^ "AAC, Sun Belt to meet in 2015 Cure Bowl on CBS Sports Network". CBSSports.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  4. ^ Washington, Chad (April 14, 2014). "Report: Sun Belt to be tie-in to new bowl game in Orlando". The Daily Advertiser. Lafayette, Louisiana. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  5. ^ Murschel, Matt (April 14, 2014). "Orlando set to host third bowl game featuring teams from AAC, Sun Belt". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  6. ^ "Cure Bowl to be Played Saturday, December 26 on ESPN". curebowl.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Murschel, Matt (May 1, 2019). "Orlando City Stadium to host Cure Bowl". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  8. ^ "ESPN Events Reveals 13-Game College Football Bowl Schedule for 2020-21". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  9. ^ "AutoNation signs on as title sponsor of Cure Bowl". Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  10. ^ "FBC Mortgage Named Title Sponsor of the Cure Bowl and March 2 Cure". CureBowl.com (Press release). December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  11. ^ "FBC Mortgage Continues as Title Sponsor of the 2020 Cure Bowl". CureBowl.com (Press release). December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  12. ^ "Tailgreeter Named Title Sponsor of 2021 Cure Bowl in Orlando". Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Duluth Trading Company Named Title Sponsor of 2022 Cure Bowl in Orlando". espnevents.com (Press release). June 29, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  14. ^ "Avocados From Mexico® Named Title Sponsor of 2023 Cure Bowl in Orlando". Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  15. ^ "FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl" (PDF). Bowl/All Star Game Records. NCAA. 2020. p. 16. Retrieved January 3, 2021 – via NCAA.org.
  16. ^ "The History". curebowl.com. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Cure Bowl Records" (PDF). 2019 Media Prospectus. Orlando Sports Foundation. pp. 22–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via curebowl.com.
  18. ^ "Bowl season is going to be an even more ESPN-centric affair this year". Awful Announcing. 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  19. ^ "More history to be made at Exploria Stadium". Twitter. 2019-12-08. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  20. ^ "Announcer for Cure Bowl shares what the game means to her". Click Orlando. 2020-12-22.

External links

Cure Bowl
NCAA Division I FBS bowl games
NCAA Division I FBS bowl game broadcasters
Categories