Event: Citrus Bowl
Conferences: Big Ten vs. SEC
Operated: From 1947 to Present
Previously Known As: The Tangerine Bowl
Previous Matchups: Kentucky vs. Penn State, Notre Dame vs. LSU, and LSU vs. Louisville
The Citrus Bowl boasts some of the greatest teams from the
SEC
and the
Big Ten
Conference. It is located at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., where you can join up to 60,000 fans in enjoying the live spectacle of college football. Since 1947, the Citrus Bowl has hosted a variety of teams. Just last year, Benny Snells Jr., a
Kentucky Wildcats
running back, took this opportunity to break the all-time Wildcats rushing record. He scored two touchdowns and had 144 yards in his last game as a Wildcat. While we still do not know which teams will play this year, there are many amazing potential matchups, with teams such as
Alabama
,
Georgia
,
Michigan
,
Nebraska
and
LSU
. If you want to catch some college football action, be sure to grab your tickets at StubHub.
Tickets vary between $139 and $180 depending on your preferred seating. Parking passes vary between $155 and $300. You can purchase both sets directly at StubHub.
The Citrus Bowl schedule currently has tie-ins with the SEC and the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten has the following teams: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers and Wisconsin. The SEC has Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
In 2008, the game between the 2008 Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators had some major pregame build-up. It was a significant game for multiple reasons. For the Michigan Wolverines, it was to be Lloyd Carr's last game. This created an incredible emotional moment for those who have followed his legacy. For the Florida Gators, it was a chance for Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to win in front of a strong Florida crowd. The Wolverines were able to total at 524 yards against the Gators, creating a 41-35 victory in favor of Michigan.
Camping World Stadium has experienced many renovations that have resulted in expansions and improvements. In the 1980s, the venue underwent a $30 million renovation that added improved upper decks with a total of 9,000 seats, with 30 private suites. In 2014, the stadium was further improved with a $208 million reconstruction. During this update, the stadium was modernized to include large displays, six additional inches of legroom and armrests. The venue also has club space on the inside and outside to allow for another 5,000 viewers.
Previous MVPs from history include famous names such as Terry Miller, Jimmy Jordan, Ted Brown, David Woodley and Cris Collinsworth. These were all MVPs dating back to 1976. They all held a variety of offensive positions from quarterback to wide receiver. More recent MVPs include Benny Snell Jr., Miles Boykin, Darius Guice, Jake Rudock and Markus Golden. These were MVPs primarily on the offensive side, with Markus Golden being the only defensive player on the list.
In 1952, this event was dubbed the “ ”Little Bowl With the Big Heart“ ” because all proceeds were donated to charity, and it was known as the Tangerine Bowl. With the exception of the 1973 game in Gainesville, Fla., it's always been played in Orlando, and in 1997, the Citrus Bowl set an attendance record of 72,940 fans.