Guaranteed Rate Bowl

"Cactus Bowl" had been the originally planned name for what became the Copper Bowl in 1989.[5] The game was played under the Copper Bowl name through 1996, after which title sponsorship rights were assumed by Insight Enterprises, which self-titled the game from 1997 through 2011. In 2012, restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings became the sponsor and self-titled the game for two years.[6] Buffalo Wild Wings declined to renew sponsorship following the 2013 game,[7] at which time organizers opted to rename the game "Cactus Bowl" rather than reverting to the Copper Bowl name. There had been a Texas-based Cactus Bowl played in Division II, but that game was discontinued after 2011. For 2014, TicketCity sponsored the new Cactus Bowl,[8] and Motel 6 became the sponsor in 2015.[9] In 2018, Kellogg's became the sponsor and rebranded the bowl, naming it after its cheese cracker brand, Cheez-It.[10] In May 2020, the Cactus Bowl name returned, as Cheez-It sponsorship moved to what had been known as the Camping World Bowl played in Orlando, Florida.[11]

For the first ten years, the game was played at Arizona Stadium, on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson. In 2000, the bowl's organizers moved the game to Bank One Ballpark, a baseball-specific stadium, in downtown Phoenix. In 2006, the game moved to Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University in Tempe to replace the Fiesta Bowl, which had moved to University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. The 2006 game set a record (since tied in the 2016 Alamo Bowl) for the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I FBS bowl history,[12] as Texas Tech came back from a 38–7 third-quarter deficit to defeat Minnesota in overtime, 44–41.

For the first three playings of the Copper Bowl, TBS carried the game. Beginning in 1992 and continuing until the 2005 playing, the game aired on ESPN. After a four-year hiatus, during which NFL Network carried the game, ESPN regained the rights beginning in 2010.

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

Source:[15]

Games  1–11 played in Tucson at Arizona Stadium

Games 12–17 played in Phoenix at Bank One Ballpark (now Chase Field)

Games 18–26 played in Tempe at Sun Devil Stadium

Games 27–present played in Phoenix at Chase Field (formerly Bank One Ballpark)

Two MVPs are selected for each game; one an offensive player, the other a defensive player.[16]

The bowl awarded a sportsmanship award for the 2001 through January 2016 games.[16]

Chase Field prior to the 2019 edition of the bowl

Texas is the only current Big 12 school that has not played in this bowl. Seven of the current Big 12 schools have appeared multiple times. Former Big 12 members Colorado and Missouri have appeared in the bowl, but former Big 12 members Nebraska and Texas A&M have not.

Updated through the December 2019 edition (31 games, 62 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances

Teams with a single appearance

Won: BYU, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan State, Syracuse, Wisconsin
Lost: Boise State, Boston College, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Rutgers, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Washington

Updated through the December 2019 edition (31 games, 62 total appearances).

• Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.
• Records reflect conference affiliations at the time the game was played. For example, current Pac-12 member Colorado appeared as a member of the Big 12 in 1999.
• The Pac-12's record includes appearances when the conference was the Pac-10. From 1989 through 2005, Pac-10 teams made eight appearances and were 7–1.
• Big East teams made seven appearances and were 2–5; the American Athletic Conference (The American) retains the conference charter following the 2013 split of the original Big East along football lines.
• Conferences that are defunct or no longer active in FBS are marked in italics.
• Independent appearances: Notre Dame (2004)

Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the noted calendar year.

Source:[17]

The bowl has been televised by three different networks; TBS (1989–1991), ESPN (1992–2005, 2010–present), and NFL Network (2006–2009).[18]

• Official website