Peach Bowl

Seven of the first ten meetings (all but the 1968, 1971, and 1974 games) pitted an Atlantic Coast Conference team against an at-large opponent. The bowl had no automatic berths prior to 1993, but usually featured an ACC team or a team from the Southeastern Conference. From 1993 until 2013, the game matched an SEC team against one from the ACC. From 1993 to 2005, this matchup was the third selection from the ACC against the fourth from the SEC. In 2005, the bowl hosted its first-ever matchup of top 10 ranked teams.

The Peach Bowl was the first charity bowl, and is credited to being created by Lions Club member George Pierre Crumbley Jr., known as the "Father of the Peach Bowl", who shepherded it through NCAA certification.{{cite web |url= https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/atlanta/name/george-crumbley-obituary?id=6924241 |title= George Crumbley Jr. Obituary |publisher= Legacy.com |date= September 2009 }}{{cite news |url= https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgia-lions-lighthouse-foundation-celebrates-47-year-partnership-with-chick-fil-a-peach-bowl-300195480.html |title= Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation Celebrates 47-Year Partnership with Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl |date= 21 December 2015 |author= Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation }} The game was originally created as a fund-raiser by the Lions Clubs of Georgia in 1968, but after years of lackluster attendance and revenue, the game was taken over by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in 1986.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chick-fil-apeachbowl.com/bowl/bowl-history/|title=History|date=2015-08-12|website=Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl|access-date=2018-12-15}}

Chick-fil-A, a fast food restaurant chain based in nearby College Park, has sponsored the game since 1997. From 2006 until 2013, Chick-fil-A's contract gave it full naming rights and the game was referred to as the Chick-fil-A Bowl as a result. The traditional "Peach Bowl" name was reinstated following the announcement that the bowl would be one of the six College Football Playoff bowls.{{cite web|title=Chick-fil-A Bowl will restore 'Peach' to its name|author=Tim Tucker|publisher=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=April 18, 2014|access-date=April 20, 2014|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college-football/chick-fil-a-bowl-will-restore-peach-to-its-name/nfcpT/}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24531797/playoff-will-add-peach-back-to-chick-fil-a-bowl-name |title=Chick-Fil-A Bowl adds 'Peach' back to name after playoff inclusion |website=CBSSports.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/10802190/chick-fil-bowl-adds-peach-back-title-comply-college-football-playoff |title=Bowl complies with new playoff |website= ESPN.com}}

The funds from the deal were used to increase payouts for the participating teams. In response, from 2006 to 2014 the ACC gave the committee the first pick of its teams after the BCS—usually the loser of the ACC Championship Game or one of the division runners-up. Also from 2006, the bowl got the fifth overall selection from the SEC (including the BCS). However, the BCS took two SEC schools in every season for the last nine years of its run, leaving the Chick-Fil-A with the sixth pick from the conference—usually one of the division runners-up. It ascended to major-bowl status when it was added to the "New Year's Six" bowls starting with the 2014 season, assuring that it would feature major conference champions and/or prestigious runners-up.

As of 2013, the bowl was sold out for 17 straight years, the second-longest streak behind only the Rose Bowl Game.{{cite web|url=http://www.chick-fil-abowl.com/PressBox/BowlNews/BowlNewsViewer/tabid/122/ArticleId/106/Chick-fil-A-Bowl-Achieves-Earliest-Sellout-in-its-History.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215190242/http://www.chick-fil-abowl.com/PressBox/BowlNews/BowlNewsViewer/tabid/122/ArticleId/106/Chick-fil-A-Bowl-Achieves-Earliest-Sellout-in-its-History.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|title=Chick-fil-A Bowl Achieves Earliest Sellout in its History|date=15 February 2014|access-date=11 July 2018}} In 2007, the Chick-fil-A Bowl became the best-attended non-BCS bowl for the previous decade.

The 2007 game was played on December 31, 2007, featuring the second Peach Bowl matchup between #15 Clemson and #21 Auburn. It was the first time the Peach Bowl had ended regulation play with a tie, and with the rules in play since the early 1990s, required an overtime, which Auburn won, 23–20.{{cite news|title=Auburn uses new spread offense, defeats Clemson for bowl win |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=273650002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120084957/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=273650002 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 20, 2017 |publisher=ESPN |date=2007-12-31 |access-date=2008-01-01}}{{cite news |title=Burns shows how bright future is for Tigers |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7624206 |author=Matthew Zemek |work=Fox Sports |date=2008-01-01 |access-date=2008-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102163207/http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7624206 |archive-date=2008-01-02 |url-status=dead }} With a 5.09 share (4.92 million households), the 2007 game was the highest-rated ESPN-broadcast bowl game of the 2007–2008 season as well as the highest rated in the game's history.{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/01/07/daily42.html?f=et50&ana=e_du |title=Chick-fil-A Bowl a ratings success as game sets records |publisher=Atlanta Business Chronicle |date=2008-01-08 |access-date=2008-01-12}} The rating was also higher than two New Year's Day bowls, the Cotton and the Gator.{{cite news |title=Marquee Mismatches: Blame the System |author=Thamel, Pete |author-link=Pete Thamel |newspaper=The New York Times|url=http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/marquee-mismatches-blame-the-system/ |date=2008-01-02 |access-date=2008-01-12}} In October 2009, the bowl extended the Atlantic Coast Conference contract through 2013. According to Sports Illustrated, although the bowl generated $12.3 million in profit in 2007, only $5.9 million of that was paid out to the participating schools.Murphy, Austin, and Dan Wetzel, "Does It Matter?", Sports Illustrated, 15 November 2010, p. 45. On December 31, 2012, the bowl set new records for viewership. The New Year's Eve telecast – a 25-24 Clemson victory over LSU – averaged 8.557 million viewers (a 5.6 household coverage rating), making it ESPN's most-viewed non-BCS bowl ever.{{cite web|title=Viewership Increases for ESPN Bowl Games|url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/01/viewership-increases-for-espn-bowl-games/|website=ESPN.com|access-date=13 January 2013}}{{cite web|title=NCAA Bowls: Clemson/LSU Hits Record-High on ESPN; Music City, Liberty Bowls Down|url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013/01/ncaa-bowls-clemsonlsu-hits-record-high-on-espn-music-city-liberty-bowls-down/|publisher=Sports Media Watch|access-date=13 January 2013}}

The 2017 season matchup, played January 1, 2018, featured an undefeated UCF playing an Auburn team that had in the regular season defeated both national championship contenders Georgia and Alabama (the eventual 2018 College Football Playoff Champion). A 34–27 UCF victory resulted in UCF being the only undefeated FBS team for the 2017 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/peach-bowl-score-perfection-achieved-as-ucf-upsets-auburn-completes-13-0-season/|title=Peach Bowl score: Perfection achieved as UCF upsets Auburn, completes 13-0 season|website=CBSSports.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-15}} As such, UCF was selected as the 2017 national champions by one NCAA recognized selector and thus claims a share of the 2017 national championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/sports-editor-blog/os-sp-ucf-ncaa-record-book-national-champs-20180825-story.html|title=UCF officially listed among national champions in 2018 NCAA record book|last=Romero|first=Iliana Limón|date=August 25, 2018|website=Orlando Sentinel}}

The Peach Bowl has donated more than $32 million to charity since 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/national-sports/sns-he-runs-one-amateur-football-game-per-year-he-makes-more-than-1-million-20181226-story.html|title=He runs one amateur football game per year. He makes more than $1 million - NY Daily News|last=Hobson|first=Will|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2018-12-30}}

• Ninth-oldest bowl game in college football history.{{cite news|title=Did You Know/General FAQ| journal= Cvent| date=2015-12-31}}
• A then-Georgia Dome attendance record of 75,406 set in 2006 (Georgia vs. Virginia Tech).
• 17 straight sellouts (1998–2013).{{cite news|title=No sellout, no problem for Peach Bowl| journal= AJC| date=2014-12-31}}
• Highest-attended non-BCS bowl game.{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Michael|title=Company not chicken about bowl spending|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2007/12/20071203/SBJ-In-Depth/Company-Not-Chicken-About-Bowl-Spending.aspx|website=Sportsbusinessdaily.com|date=December 3, 2007}}
• More than $125 million in cumulative payout (through the 2013 season).

All rankings are taken from the AP poll (inaugurated in 1936), before each game was played. Italics denote a tie game.

Source:{{cite magazine |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/Bowls.pdf |magazine=Bowl/All Star Game Records |title=Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl |pages=8–9 |via=NCAA.org |publisher=NCAA |date=2020 |access-date=January 3, 2021}}

:{{note|QF|QF}} Denotes College Football Playoff quarterfinal game

:{{note|SF|SF}} Denotes College Football Playoff semifinal game

{{main|New Year's Six#Future games}}

An offensive and defensive MVP are selected for each game; from 1989 through 1998, selections were made for both teams.

Updated through the January 2025 edition (57 games, 114 total appearances).

;Teams with multiple appearances

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;Teams with a single appearance

Won (11): Alabama, Army, Baylor, East Carolina, Houston, Michigan State, Syracuse, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCF

Lost (10): Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Washington

Tied (2): Texas Tech, Vanderbilt

Updated through the January 2025 edition (57 games, 114 total appearances).

• Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.
• Records are based on a team's conference affiliation at the time the game was played.
• Conferences that are defunct or no longer active in FBS are marked in italics.
• SWC and Big Eight appearances were prior to the 1996 merger of four Southwest Conference schools and eight Big Eight schools, which created the Big 12.
• The WAC no longer sponsors FBS football.
• Independent appearances: Army (1985), East Carolina (1991*), Florida State (1968, 1983), Georgia Tech (1971, 1978), Miami (FL) (1980*), Syracuse (1989), Virginia Tech (1980*, 1986), West Virginia (1969, 1972, 1975, 1981)
• The game following the 1980 season, played in January 1981, was contested between two independent programs.

Source:{{Cite web|url=http://www.chick-fil-apeachbowl.com/media/record-book/|title=Record Book|date=2015-08-12|website=Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl|access-date=2019-12-27}}

Battle for Bowl Week has the teams compete in events during the week leading up to the game. Events in 2021 included a basketball challenge and go-kart racing. From 2011 to 2023, the winner of the Battle for Bowl Week won the game eight of thirteen times.{{cite web |url=https://chick-fil-apeachbowl.com/sports/2020/6/9/battle-for-bowl-week.aspx | title=Battle for Bowl Week | work = Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | access-date=October 14, 2022}}

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