:Gasparilla Bowl
{{Short description|NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game}}
{{Infobox college football bowl game
| name = Gasparilla Bowl
| full_name = Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
| nickname =
| defunct =
| logo = UnionGasparillaBowl.png
| logo_size = 215px
| caption =
| stadium = Raymond James Stadium
| previous_stadiums = Tropicana Field
(2008–2017)
| location = Tampa, Florida
| previous_locations = St. Petersburg, Florida
(2008–2017)
| years = 2008–present
| website = {{URL|https://www.gasparillabowl.com/|gasparillabowl.com}}
| conference_tie-ins = see tie-ins
| previous_tie-ins = Big East/AAC, C-USA, ACC
| payout = 1.125 million (2019){{cite web |url=http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bowl-schedule/2019/ |title=2019 Bowl Schedule |website=collegefootballpoll.com |access-date=December 13, 2019}}
| sponsors = {{unbulleted list
|magicJack (2008)
|Beef O'Brady's (2009–2013)
|BitPay (2014)
|Bad Boy Mowers (2017–2019)
|Union Home Mortgage (2020–present)
}}
| former_names = {{unbulleted list
|magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl (2008)
|St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef O'Brady's (2009)
|Beef O'Brady's Bowl (2010–2013)
|Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl (2014)
|St. Petersburg Bowl (2015–2016)
|Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl (2017–2019)
|Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (2020–present)
}}
| prev_matchup_year = 2023
| prev_matchup_season = 2023
| prev_matchup_teams = Georgia Tech vs. UCF
| prev_matchup_score = Georgia Tech 30–17
| next_matchup_year = 2024
| next_matchup_season = 2024
| next_matchup_teams = Tulane vs. Florida
| next_matchup_date = Florida 33–8
}}
The Gasparilla Bowl is an annual NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game played in the Tampa Bay area. It was first played in 2008 as the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, one of several new bowl games played in Major League Baseball venues. The game was renamed the Gasparilla Bowl in 2017 as a nod to the legend of José Gaspar, a mythical pirate who supposedly operated in the Tampa Bay area and who is the inspiration for Tampa's Gasparilla Pirate Festival. The bowl relocated to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2018.
Since 2020, the game has been sponsored by Union Home Mortgage and has been officially known as the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. Previous sponsors include magicJack (2008), Beef O'Brady's (2009–2013), BitPay (2014), and Bad Boy Mowers (2017–2019).{{cite web|title='O' No! Beef 'O' Brady's to drop sponsorship of local bowl game|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/blog/morning-edition/2014/01/o-no-beef-o-bradys-to-drop.html|website=Tampa Bay Business Journal}}
History
The Gasparilla Bowl is the third college bowl game to be played in the Tampa Bay area. The first was the Cigar Bowl, which was played in Tampa from 1947 to 1954, and the second was the ReliaQuest Bowl, which has been held in Tampa since 1986 and was known as the Outback Bowl for over 20 years.
In 2008, the NCAA's Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee approved a yet-to-be-named bowl game to be owned by ESPN and played at Tropicana Field after the 2008 college football season.[https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=3375759 NCAA committee approves 34 football bowl games] The Associated Press, ESPN.com. April 30, 2008. Accessed April 30, 2008. Telecom company magicJack signed on as the title sponsor, and the inaugural magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl was played on December 20, 2008, between South Florida and Memphis, with the Bulls winning 41–14 behind Most Outstanding Player quarterback Matt Grothe.[http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/usf-no-longer-headed-to-st-pete-bowl "No longer St. Pete Bowl"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120914045913/http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/usf-no-longer-headed-to-st-pete-bowl |date=2012-09-14 }} from Tampa Tribune, 2008-11-25, retrieved 2008-12-02
For the 2009 game, restaurant chain Beef O'Brady's took over as presenting sponsor. The game became known as St. Petersburg Bowl Presented by Beef O'Brady's in December 2009 after the restaurant chain obtained a title sponsorship.*[http://www.stpetersburgbowl.com/BOB-release.php "Beef O Brady's Sponsorship Press Release" 2009-12-09, retrieved 2009-12-13] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214020404/http://www.stpetersburgbowl.com/BOB-release.php |date=2009-12-14 }} Rutgers defeated UCF 45–24.
In 2010, the bowl's name was shortened to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. Southern Miss faced Louisville; it was the 29th meeting between former Conference USA rivals.[http://southernmiss.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120510aaa.html "Golden Eagles to Face Louisville in Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928184402/http://southernmiss.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120510aaa.html |date=2011-09-28 }} 2010-12-05, retrieved 2010-12-05 Louisville rallied from a 14-point deficit to win their sixth contest in a row against Southern Miss.{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/louisville-holds-on-for-31-28-win-over-southern-miss-in-beef-o-bradys-bowl/1141414|title=Louisville holds on for 31-28 win over Southern Miss in Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl|website=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=2010-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118050355/http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/louisville-holds-on-for-31-28-win-over-southern-miss-in-beef-o-bradys-bowl/1141414|archive-date=2014-01-18|url-status=dead}}
Beef 'O' Brady's stopped sponsoring the bowl after the 2013 edition. On June 18, 2014, it was announced that Bitcoin payment service provider BitPay would become the new sponsor of the game under a two-year deal, renamed the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl. Bitcoin, the digital currency, was accepted for ticket and concession sales at the game as part of the sponsorship, and the sponsorship itself was also paid for using bitcoin.{{Cite web|url = http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/blog/2014/08/bitpay-exec-we-paid-espn-for-our-sponsorship-in.html|title = BitPay exec: We paid ESPN for our sponsorship in bitcoin|date = August 22, 2014|website = Tampa Bay Business Journal|last = Wilkerson|first = Chris}}{{cite news|title=BitPay to Sponsor St. Petersburg Bowl in First Major Bitcoin Sports Deal|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=18 June 2014|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/bitpay-to-sponsor-st-petersburg-bowl-in-first-major-bitcoin-sports-deal-1403098202|access-date=18 June 2014|last1=Casey|first1=Michael J.}} On April 2, 2015, after one year of sponsorship, BitPay declined to renew sponsorship of the game, and it was again called the St. Petersburg Bowl for the next two years.{{cite web|title=Bitcoin backer BitPay dumps St. Pete Bowl sponsorship|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2015/04/02/bitcoin-backer-bitpay-dumps-st-pete-bowl.html?iana=ind_sports|access-date= 2 April 2015}}
On August 23, 2017, Bad Boy Mowers signed a three-year deal to become the official title sponsor of the game, which was rebranded as the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl, after Tampa's Gasparilla Pirate Festival.{{cite news |url=http://www.gasparillabowl.com/bad-boy-mowers-signs-new-bowl-game-title-sponsor-bowl-game-changes-name-bad-boy-mowers-gasparilla-bowl/ |title=Bad Boy Mowers Signs on as New Bowl Game Title Sponsor Bowl Game Changes Name to Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl |website=gasparillabowl.com |access-date= August 23, 2017}} The sponsorship ended after the 2019 game.{{cite news |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bulls/2020/05/28/bad-boy-mowers-gasparilla-bowl-appears-to-be-no-more/ |title=Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl will, sadly, no longer be the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl |access-date=May 28, 2020}}
On October 20, 2020, Union Home Mortgage signed on as title sponsor of the bowl, making it the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.{{cite news |url=https://www.gasparillabowl.com/union-home-mortgage-named-new-title-sponsor-for-gasparilla-bowl/ |title=Union Home Mortgage Named New Title Sponsor For Gasparilla Bowl |website=gasparillabowl.com |access-date=October 20, 2020}} The 2020 edition of the bowl was set to matchup South Carolina and UAB. However, on December 22, South Carolina had to withdraw from the bowl due to COVID-19 issues within their program. As no replacement team was available, the bowl was subsequently canceled.{{cite web |title=Tampa's Gasparilla Bowl canceled after South Carolina bails |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/12/22/south-carolina-pulls-out-of-tampas-gasparilla-bowl-because-of-coronavirus/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=December 22, 2020 |language=en}}
=Conference tie-ins=
The first three editions of the bowl featured teams from C-USA and the Big East. The American Athletic Conference (AAC) succeeded the Big East after 2013. The bowl entered a six-year agreement with the ACC for the 2014 to 2019 seasons; the ACC would provide a team in 2014 and 2016, and would be an alternate for the other seasons.{{cite news |url=https://www.fayobserver.com/article/20130808/Sports/308089761 |title=ACC announces 2014 bowl partnerships |first=Sammy |last=Batten |website=The Fayetteville Observer |location=Fayetteville, North Carolina |date=August 8, 2013 |access-date=December 6, 2020}} Ultimately, the only ACC team to play in the bowl during this period was NC State in 2014. Four of the five games from 2015 through 2019 featured a matchup between AAC and C-USA teams. The exception was 2016, when an overall lack of bowl-eligible teams yielded some "odd matchups";{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64780078/miss-state-north-texas-headed-to/ |title=Miss. State, North Texas headed to bowls at 5-7 |first=Noah |last=Trister |agency=AP |newspaper=Tallahassee Democrat |page=D2 |date=December 5, 2016 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}} the bowl's 2016 edition featured teams from the MAC and SEC.
As of the 2020 football season, the bowl has a large set of tie-ins, such that it could feature teams from eight different conferences as well as two independent programs:{{cite news |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bulls/2020/10/20/gasparilla-bowl-announces-new-title-sponsor/ |title=Gasparilla Bowl announces new title sponsor |first=Matt |last=Baker |website=Tampa Bay Times |date=October 20, 2020 |access-date=December 6, 2020}}
- from the Power Five conferences: ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
- from the Group of Five conferences: AAC, C-USA, MAC, MWC
- independent programs: Army, BYU
Note: since 2020, both Army and BYU have joined conferences.
=Stadium=
{{multiple image
| footer = Tropicana Field (left) and Raymond James Stadium
| align = right
| total_width = 300
| image1 = PXL 20220528 205520913.jpg
| image2 = RaymondJamesStadium2022.jpg
}}
The bowl has been played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa since the 2018 edition. The first ten games were played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/college/ncaaf/gasparilla-bowl-leaving-st-petersburg-after-10-years/67-557429262|title=Gasparilla Bowl leaving St. Petersburg after 10 years|work=10NEWS|access-date=2018-05-23|language=en-US}}
"The Trop" is the home ballpark of the Tampa Bay Rays of MLB, and when it was first established, the then-St. Pete Bowl was one of several new college bowl games to be played in baseball venues.{{cite web |last1=Gharib |first1=Anthony |title=College football bowl season adds to events in unique settings |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39100368/college-football-2023-bowl-season-unique-sports-venues |website=ESPN.com |language=en |date=December 15, 2023}} At Tropicana Field, the football gridiron was situated down the right field line from near home plate to the outfield wall with just enough room for the endzones.{{cite web |last1=Krishner |first1=Alex |title=How a bowl game fits in a baseball stadium |url=https://www.bannersociety.com/2018/11/18/20872120/bowl-games-baseball-stadiums |publisher=Banner Society}}
Game results
MVPs
From 2008 through 2016, an MVP was selected from each team; since 2017, a single game MVP is named.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" rowspan=2 |Year ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" colspan=3 |Winning team MVP ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" colspan=3 |Losing team MVP | ||||||
| style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Player
! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Team ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Position ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Player ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Team ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Position | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Matt Grothe | South Florida | QB | Duke Calhoun | Memphis | WR |
| 2009 | Mohamed Sanu | Rutgers | WR | Kamar Aiken | UCF | WR |
| 2010 | Jeremy Wright | Louisville | RB | Austin Davis | Southern Miss | QB |
| 2011 | Aaron Dobson | Marshall | WR | T. Y. Hilton | FIU | WR |
| 2012 | Blake Bortles | UCF | QB | Jahwan Edwards | Ball State | RB |
| 2013 | Vintavious Cooper | East Carolina | RB | Donte Foster | Ohio | WR |
| 2014 | Jacoby Brissett | NC State | QB | Josh Reese | UCF | WR |
| 2015 | Deandre Reaves | Marshall | WR | Bobby Puyol | Connecticut | K |
| 2016 | Nick Fitzgerald | Mississippi State | QB | Gus Ragland | Miami (OH) | QB |
| 2017 | Frank Nutile | Temple | QB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2018 | Keion Davis | Marshall | RB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2019 | Dillon Gabriel | UCF | QB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2021 | Ryan O'Keefe | UCF | WR | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2022 | Sam Hartman | Wake Forest | QB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2023 | Jamal Haynes | Georgia Tech | RB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} | ||
| 2024 | DJ Lagway | Florida | QB | colspan=3 bgcolor=lightgrey|{{nbsp}} |
Source:{{cite web |url=https://www.gasparillabowl.com/the-game/ |title=Game Facts and History |website=gasparillabowl.com |access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite tweet |user=GasparillaBowl |number=1738397795503980839 |title=Congrats to the 2023 @unionhomemtg Gasparilla Bowl MVP, #11 @jamalhaynes16 ! |date=December 22, 2023|access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/gators-qb-dj-lagway-gasparilla-bowl-mvp-01jfkdn6z3ks |title=Gators QB DJ Lagway Takes Home Gasparilla Bowl MVP |first=Harrison |last=Smajovits |website=Sports Illustrated |date=December 20, 2024 |access-date=December 20, 2024}}
Most appearances
File:2021GasparillaBowl-UCF-UF.jpg in the red zone during the 2021 game]]
Updated through the December 2024 edition (16 games, 32 total appearances).
;Teams with multiple appearances
| class = "wikitable"
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Rank ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Team ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Appearances ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Record | |||
| 1 | UCF | 6 | 3–3 |
| 2 | Marshall | 4 | 3–1 |
| rowspan=3|3 | South Florida | 2 | 1–1 |
| Florida | 2 | 1–1 | |
| FIU | 2 | 0–2 |
;Teams with a single appearance
Won (8): East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Mississippi State, NC State, Rutgers, Temple, Wake Forest
Lost (8): Ball State, Connecticut, Memphis, Miami (OH), Missouri, Ohio, Southern Miss, Tulane
Appearances by conference
Updated through the December 2024 edition (16 games, 32 total appearances).
| class="wikitable sortable"
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" rowspan=2|Conference ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" colspan=4|Record ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;" colspan=2|Appearances by season | ||||
| style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" |Games
! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" |W ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" |L ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" |Win pct. ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" class=unsortable|Won ! style="border: 2px solid #F47321;" class=unsortable|Lost | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The American | 10 | {{WinLossPct|6|4}} | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021 | 2014, 2015, 2018, 2024 |
| C-USA | 10 | {{WinLossPct|5|5}} | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019 |
| SEC | 4 | {{WinLossPct|2|2}} | 2016, 2024 | 2021, 2022 |
| ACC | 3 | {{WinLossPct|3|0}} | 2014, 2022, 2023 | {{nbsp}} |
| MAC | 3 | {{WinLossPct|0|3}} | {{nbsp}} | 2012, 2013, 2016 |
| Sun Belt | 1 | {{WinLossPct|0|1}} | {{nbsp}} | 2011 |
| Big 12 | 1 | {{WinLossPct|0|1}} | {{nbsp}} | 2023 |
- The American's record includes appearances of the Big East Conference, as The American retains the charter of the original Big East, following its 2013 realignment. Teams representing the Big East appeared in three games, compiling a 3–0 record.
- UCF has appeared as a member of C-USA (2009 and 2012) The American (2014, 2019, 2021) and the Big 12 (2023).
Game records
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Team
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Performance, Team vs. Opponent ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Most points scored (one team)
|48, UCF vs. Marshall |2019 | ||
| Most points scored (both teams)
|73, UCF vs. Marshall |2019 | ||
| Most points scored (losing team)
|28, Southern Miss vs. Louisville |2010 | ||
| Fewest points allowed
|3, Temple vs. FIU |2017 | ||
| Margin of victory
|27, South Florida vs. Memphis |2008 | ||
| Total yards
|587, UCF vs. Marshall | 2019 | ||
| Rushing yards
|310, UCF vs. Marshall | 2019 | ||
| Passing yards
|328, Ohio vs. East Carolina | 2013 | ||
| First downs
|30, East Carolina vs. Ohio | 2013 | ||
| Fewest yards allowed
|194, Florida vs. Tulane | 2024 | ||
| Fewest rushing yards allowed
|35, Rutgers vs. UCF | 2009 | ||
| Fewest passing yards allowed
|86, Marshall vs. Connecticut | 2015 | ||
| style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Individual
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Player, Team vs. Opponent ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Year | ||
| All-purpose yards | 251, Ryan O'Keefe (UCF) | 2021 |
| Touchdowns (all-purpose) | 3, shared by: Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers) Latavius Murray (UCF) Josh Reese, (UCF) | | |
| Rushing yards
| 198, Vintavious Cooper (East Carolina) | 2013 | |
| Rushing touchdowns
| 2, multiple times—most recent: | 2021 | |
| Passing yards
| 305, DJ Lagway (Florida) | 2024 | |
| Passing touchdowns
|3, shared by: | 2008 2012 2014 2022 | |
| Receptions
| 11, A. T. Perry (Wake Forest) | 2022 | |
| Receiving yards
| 165, Randall St. Felix (South Florida) | 2018 | |
| Receiving touchdowns | 3, Josh Reese (UCF) | 2014 |
| Tackles | 14 by several players, most recently: Greg Reaves (South Florida){{cite news |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/usf-bulls/2018/12/21/gasparilla-bowl-journal-barnett-st-felix-connection-shines/ |title=Gasparilla Bowl journal: Barnett-St. Felix connection shines |first=Joey |last=Knight |website=tampabay.com |date=December 21, 2018}} | 2018 |
| Sacks | 2, shared by: Steve Beauharnais (Rutgers) Tyler Williams (Wake Forest) | 2009 2022 |
| Interceptions | 1, by several players, most recently: Kevin Adams III (Tulane) Dickson Agu (Tulane) Trikweze Bridges (Florida) Alfonzo Allen Jr. (Florida) Myles Graham (Florida) | 2024 |
| style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Long Plays
! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Player, Record, Team vs. Opponent ! style="background:#01796F; color:#FFFFFF; border: 2px solid #F47321;"|Year | ||
| Touchdown run | 62 yds., Desmond Johnson (Southern Miss) | 2010 |
| Touchdown pass | 80 yds., Donte Foster from Derrius Vick (Ohio) | 2013 |
| Kickoff return | 95 yds., Jeremy Wright (Louisville) | 2010 |
| Punt return | 39 yds., Andre Snipes-Booker (Marshall) | 2011 |
| Interception return | 75 yds., Micah Abraham (Marshall) | 2019 |
| Fumble return | 55 yds., Tre'Mon Morris-Brash (UCF) | 2019 |
| Punt | 61 yds., Tyler Williams (Marshall) | 2015 |
| Field goal | 52 yds., Bobby Puyol (UConn) | 2015 |
Source:{{cite web |url=https://issuu.com/trifectateam/docs/bad_boy_mowers_gasparilla_bowl_medi |title=Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl Media Guide |publisher=ESPN Events |via=issuu.com |pages=27–36 |date=2017 |access-date=December 23, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gasparillabowl.com/ucf-gasparilla-bowl-2019/ |title=UCF Jumps Out to 21-0 Lead and Rolls to 48-25 Win Over Marshall in 2019 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl |website=gasparillabowl.com |date=December 23, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019}}
Media coverage
The bowl has been televised on ESPN since its inception, and broadcast on ESPN Radio and later Gameday Radio.
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.gasparillabowl.com}}
{{Gasparilla Bowl navbox}}
{{Bowl game navbox}}
Category:2008 establishments in Florida
Category:College football bowls