Bahamas Bowl

The Bahamas Bowl is an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played annually in Nassau, Bahamas, at the 15,000-seat Thomas Robinson Stadium.[2] The Bowl has tie-ins with the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA.

Bahamas Bowl
StadiumThomas Robinson Stadium
LocationNassau, Bahamas
Operated2014–present
Conference tie-insConference USA (2014–present)
Mid-American Conference (2014–present)
PayoutUS$225,000 (2019)[1]
Sponsors
Popeyes (2014–2016)
Elk Grove Village, Illinois (2018–2019)
Former names
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (2014–2016)
Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl (2018–2019)
2019 matchup
Buffalo vs. Charlotte (Buffalo 31–9)
2020 matchup
Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns

On October 2, 2020, the 2020 edition of the bowl was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions.[3]

History

The inaugural edition of the Bahamas Bowl, played in 2014, was the first major (FBS or historical equivalent) bowl game to be played outside the United States and Canada between two U.S. teams since the January 1, 1937, Bacardi Bowl in Havana, Cuba.[4] The game featured teams from the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA;[5] that conference matchup has continued annually.[6] In July 2019, the MAC announced a continuation of its tie-in with the bowl through the 2025–26 football season.[7]

From its inception to 2017, the game was sponsored by the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant franchise and officially known as the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.[8] After Restaurant Brands International acquired Popeyes in 2017, they declined to renew sponsorship. Elk Grove Village, Illinois—"home to the largest industrial park in the United States"—picked up title sponsorship in 2018, with the bowl using the official naming of Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.[9] The name lasted until Elk Grove Village ended its sponsorship in March 2020.[10]

The winning team is presented with a trophy, since 2016 named the Prime Minister's Trophy.[11] The current trophy, in use since the 2018 playing, is approximately 30 inches (76 cm) tall and weighs nearly 30 pounds (14 kg).[11]

Game results

Date Winning team Losing team Attendance Notes
December 24, 2014Western Kentucky49Central Michigan4813,667notes
December 24, 2015Western Michigan45Middle Tennessee3113,123notes
December 23, 2016Old Dominion24Eastern Michigan2013,422notes
December 22, 2017Ohio41UAB613,585notes
December 21, 2018FIU35Toledo3213,510notes
December 20, 2019Buffalo31Charlotte913,547notes
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[12]

Source:[13]

MVPs

Year Offensive MVP Defensive MVP Ref.
PlayerTeamPos.PlayerTeamPos.
2014Brandon DoughtyWestern KentuckyQBDerik OverstreetWestern KentuckyDL[14]
2015Jamauri BoganWestern MichiganRBGrant DePalmaWestern MichiganLB[15]
2016Ray LawryOld DominionRBTJ RicksOld DominionLB[16]
2017Dorian BrownOhioRBJavon HaganOhioFS[17]
2018Christian AlexanderFIUQBEdwin FreemanFIULB[18]
2019Jaret PattersonBuffaloRBMalcolm KoonceBuffaloDE[19][20]

Most appearances

Updated through the December 2019 edition (6 games, 12 total appearances); to date, no team has appeared in the bowl more than once.

Teams with a single appearance

Won: Buffalo, FIU, Ohio, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan
Lost: Central Michigan, Charlotte, Eastern Michigan, Middle Tennessee, Toledo, UAB

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2019 edition (6 games, 12 total appearances).

Conference Record Appearances by season
Games W L Win pct. Won Lost
C-USA633.5002014, 2016, 20182015, 2017, 2019
MAC633.5002015, 2017, 20192014, 2016, 2018

Game records

Team Record, Team vs. Opponent Year
Most points scored (one team)49, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan2014
Most points scored (losing team)48, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
Most points scored (both teams)97, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan2014
Fewest points allowed6, Ohio vs. UAB2017
Largest margin of victory35, Ohio vs. UAB2017
Total yards647, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan2014
Rushing yards282, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Passing yards493, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
First downs29, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan2014
Fewest yards allowed278, Buffalo vs. Charlotte2019
Fewest rushing yards allowed80, Buffalo vs. Charlotte2019
Fewest passing yards allowed77, Charlotte vs. Buffalo2019
Individual Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
All-purpose yards215, Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Touchdowns (all-purpose)4, shared by Bogan, Brown, and Davis (see below)
Rushing yards215, Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Rushing touchdowns4, shared by:
Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee
Dorian Brown, Ohio vs. UAB
 
2015
2017
Passing yards493, Cooper Rush, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
Passing touchdowns7, Cooper Rush, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
Receiving yards183, Corey Davis, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Receiving touchdowns4, Titus Davis, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
Tackles12 (total), Grant DePalma, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee
8 (solo), Jamez Brickhouse, Old Dominion vs. Eastern Michigan
2015
2016
Sacks2, shared by:
Derik Overstreet, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan
Malcolm Koonce,[21] Buffalo vs. Charlotte

2014
2019
Interceptions1, by multiple players
Long Plays Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Touchdown run74, Dorian Brown, Ohio vs. UAB2017
Touchdown pass80, Zach Terrell to Corey Davis, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Kickoff return45, Andre Wilson, UAB vs. Ohio2017
Punt return34, Kylan Nelson, Ohio vs. UAB2017
Interception return29, Rontavious Atkins, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015
Fumble return27, Tony Annese, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky2014
Punt54, shared by:
Michael Farkas, Ohio vs. UAB
Bailey Flint, Toledo vs. FIU
 
2017
2018
Field goal47, Andrew Haldeman, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee2015

Source: [22]

Media coverage

Television

Date Network Play-by-play announcers Color commentators Sideline reporters
2014[23] ESPN Steve Levy Lou Holtz & Mark May Laura Rutledge
2015[24] Mack Brown & Mark May Kaylee Hartung
2016 Mack Brown
2017 Desmond Howard Laura Rutledge
2018
2019 Greg McElroy Dianna Russini

Radio

Date Network Play-by-play announcers Color commentators
2014 ESPN Radio John Brickley Pete Najarian
2015 RedVoice, LLC Brian Hanni Rob Best
2016
2017 Gameday Radio Kyle Wiggs
2018
2019 Bowlday Radio

See also

References

  1. "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  2. "MAC Announces Creation of the Bahamas Bowl in 2014". Mid-American Conference. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  3. "Hawaii, Bahamas bowls nixed due to pandemic". ESPN.com. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. "Inaugural Bahamas Bowl set for December 24, 2014". Bahamas Bowl Communications. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  5. "It's Conference USA Against the MAC In The Inaugural Bahamas Bowl". Bahamas Bowl Communications. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  6. "Participating Conferences". bahamasbowl.com. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  7. Kelley, Kevin (23 July 2019). "MAC announces new bowl lineup for 2020 through 2025". Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  8. "Popeyes Announced as Title Sponsor of Popeyes Bahamas Bowl". Bahamas Bowl Communications. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  9. "Elk Grove Village announced as Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl title sponsor". Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  10. Fischer, Bryan (19 March 2020). "Illinois town withdraws unique Bahamas Bowl sponsorship". NBC Sports. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  11. "The Prime Minister's Trophy". bahamasbowl.com. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  12. "ESPN Events Cancels Two Postseason Bowls for 2020 Season". bahamasbowl.com. Bahamas Bowl Communications. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. "Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl" (PDF). Bowl/All Star Game Records. NCAA. 2020. p. 16. Retrieved 3 January 2021 via NCAA.org.
  14. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2014-bowl-recap/
  15. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2015-bowl-recap/
  16. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2016-bowl-recap/
  17. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2017-bowl-recap/
  18. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2018-bowl-recap/
  19. https://www.bahamasbowl.com/news/2019-bowl-recap/
  20. "2019 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Postgame Notes". bahamasbowl.com. Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Communications. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  21. @TheBahamasBowl (20 December 2019). "Malcolm Koonce's 2 sacks tied a Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl record" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 December 2019 via Twitter.
  22. "Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Record Book" (PDF). bahamasbowl.com. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  23. "ESPN College Football – Bowl Schedule and Commentators, College GameDay, College Football Awards, Division I Football Championship and More". ESPN Media Zone. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  24. "College Football Playoff Highlights 2015-16 Bowl Schedule". ESPN Media Zone. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
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