What is the Gator Bowl in college football? Date, venue, history and more explored

The Gator Bowl is one of the most historic bowl games in the world of college football. It is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated among fans at the end of the college football season.

Following the conclusion of another exciting regular season in the realm of college football, another Gator Bowl is on the way. With fans expecting another thrilling encounter in Jacksonville this year, let's examine the bowl game and its history in college football.

What is the Gator Bowl?

The Gator Bowl, organized by Gator Bowl Sports, is an annual college football bowl game which is hosted in Jacksonville, Florida. Established in 1946, it stands as the sixth-oldest college bowl and holds the distinction of being the inaugural bowl game to be nationally televised.

The inception of the event can be attributed to Charles Hilty Sr., along with Ray McCarthy, Maurice Cherry, and W. C. Ivey, who pooled $10,000 to sponsor the inaugural game. This historic event took place on January 1, 1946, at Jacksonville's football stadium, Fairfield Stadium.

Up until the 1993 edition of the bowl game, the Gator Bowl took place at Gator Bowl Stadium. However, the December 1994 game saw a change in venue to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. This shift occurred due to the demolition of the original Gator Bowl Stadium.

The 1995 edition of the game was also held at “The Swamp,” paving the way for the construction of the Gator Bowl’s successor, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Now known as the Everbank Stadium, the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium has hosted the bowl game since 1996.

Who usually plays in the Gator Bowl?

The selection of participants for the Gator Bowl has evolved over time. It started with a Southeastern Conference team playing against an at-large opponent. The Atlantic Coast Conference teams were subsequently incorporated into the bowl game schedule.

Commencing in 2015, the bowl adopted a hybrid format that spanned six years. In this arrangement, SEC teams faced ACC teams for three years, while in the alternate three years, Big Ten teams took the stage. Notably, Notre Dame is considered part of the ACC in the selection.

When is the Gator Bowl in 2023?

The 2023 Gator Bowl is set to take place on Friday, December 29, 2023, at the regular venue, the Everbank Stadium. This will be the 79th edition of the bowl game and will be presented by TaxSlayer

In accordance with conference tie-ins, the Gator Bowl will showcase teams from either the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big Ten Conference, or the Southeastern Conference.