This year's Poinsettia Bowl, officially titled the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, will kick off on December 23, 2009 at 8pm. The bowl was created in 1995 and was created by the organizers of the Holiday Bowl, and this year's bowl is slated to feature a team from the Pac-10 against the Mountain West Conference. Of course, this can change depending on whether the initial conferences have enough bowl-eligible teams. In 2008, Boise State replaced the Pac-10 bid since the Pac-10 did not have enough eligible teams. The bowl game is played in San Diego, and due to it's proximity to several military installations, often tries to consider military academies highly. The first Poinsettia Bowl Navy in a high octane offensive showcase, where the Midshipmen defeated Colorado State 51-30.
In the short history of the Poinsettia Bowl, TCU has hoisted the trophy twice, and along with Navy have the most bowl appearances. The past two bowl games were very competitive, with Utah defeating Navy by only three points, and then a year later, TCU won it's second Poinsettia Bowl by coming back and defeating Boise State by one point, 17-16.
The setting of San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl makes it natural for fans to want to not only enjoy the game, but the city's great weather and attractions. On December 20, the festivities get under way with two team days, where the at-large team will spend their Team Day at the San Diego Zoo, while the MWC team will enjoy their own team day at Sea World. The next day, coaches and players will race karts at the Mirimar Speed Circuit.
The San Diego Gaslamp Quarter will be the center of attention on December 21, when the marching bands meet for the Poinsettia Bowl March Through the Gaslamp. Both bands will start at either end of Fifth Avenue, and parade until they meet at Market Street and have a battle of the Bands. The AT...T Team Luncheon takes place on December 22, giving fans a chance to join their favorite players in a meal at the USS Midway Museum.
Game day festivities include a VIP Tailgate Party at the stadium and a pre-game show on the field. Once the game kicks off, it will be televised across the country on ESPN.
Although some fans find the college bowl system not to their liking, it does give teams who have had success during the season to enjoy their wins and possibly end their season on a winning note. While many fans and sports analysts would like to see the bowl system revised to use a more traditional playoff system, there's no question that the college bowl atmosphere is a lot of fun. - 31493
In the short history of the Poinsettia Bowl, TCU has hoisted the trophy twice, and along with Navy have the most bowl appearances. The past two bowl games were very competitive, with Utah defeating Navy by only three points, and then a year later, TCU won it's second Poinsettia Bowl by coming back and defeating Boise State by one point, 17-16.
The setting of San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl makes it natural for fans to want to not only enjoy the game, but the city's great weather and attractions. On December 20, the festivities get under way with two team days, where the at-large team will spend their Team Day at the San Diego Zoo, while the MWC team will enjoy their own team day at Sea World. The next day, coaches and players will race karts at the Mirimar Speed Circuit.
The San Diego Gaslamp Quarter will be the center of attention on December 21, when the marching bands meet for the Poinsettia Bowl March Through the Gaslamp. Both bands will start at either end of Fifth Avenue, and parade until they meet at Market Street and have a battle of the Bands. The AT...T Team Luncheon takes place on December 22, giving fans a chance to join their favorite players in a meal at the USS Midway Museum.
Game day festivities include a VIP Tailgate Party at the stadium and a pre-game show on the field. Once the game kicks off, it will be televised across the country on ESPN.
Although some fans find the college bowl system not to their liking, it does give teams who have had success during the season to enjoy their wins and possibly end their season on a winning note. While many fans and sports analysts would like to see the bowl system revised to use a more traditional playoff system, there's no question that the college bowl atmosphere is a lot of fun. - 31493
