Bowl Season has become a fan favorite, and not just because of the great matchups.
The holiday season brings about more than just Christmas presents, holiday gatherings, and overcrowded family parties. In college football, the stretch from December to January is when every team hopes to be playing at least one game, and maybe even more, with the new twelve-team playoff race.
Bowl game season offers the chance for college football teams to earn extra money, practice time, and national exposure. Teams fight to be considered for one of the classic quarterfinal or semifinal games, like the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Rose Bowl, but this year, the more interesting story has followed the bowl games surrounding the road to the College Football Playoffs (CFP).
Zany mascots, close games, and hilarious post-game traditions have become the new normal. Bowl season thrives on this new era of celebrity involvement and corporate sponsorships. Below, SGC breaks down the best moments from the 2024-25 bowl season.
Best Drama: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Wedding & Coach Drama
Courtesy of Getty Images
The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl was filled with wild moments both on and off the field. .
During the first half of the game, Erin Doolin and Erik Yakes tied the knot in a “Two-Minute Timeout Wedding” after winning the “Football Fantaseez” sweepstakes. The two college football fans brought along six of their closest family members to watch them enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Lifesize Cheez-It mascot Ched-Z was the officiant, of course.
Tension at the Citrus Bowl got extra toasty in the third quarter after South Carolina attempted to run a trick play on Illinois, which got the Fighting Illini Head Coach Bret Bielema fired up. Instead of simply using the “T-bar” signal to convey a touchback, South Carolina slowed up Illinois, since they believed it was a fair catch and nothing more, then proceeded to lateral the ball in their own end zone, which allowed for WR Nyck Harbor to make it to the 25-yard line.
It was a bit of a silly play, seeing as the Gamecocks could have allowed a safety if the ball had not been caught or given an Illinois player a chance to recover the ball for a touchdown, and the ball would have been placed at the 25-yard line regardless of the distraction.
When Bielema checked on an injured Illini player, he made the “T-bar” signal towards the South Carolina sideline in retaliation for South Carolina Head Coach Shane Beamer using the same gesture on the previous play. Bielema believed that the T-bar signaled a fair catch/touchback as to limit injury, something he learned during his coaching stint in the NFL. Beamer had to be restrained by members of his coaching staff from charging at Bielema on gameday, and then the two continued to indirect each other with heated messages on X. I don’t think they’ll be bonding over a box of Cheez-Its anytime soon!
Best Redemption Story: Northern Illinois Defeats Fresno State in 2 OT
Courtesy of Kenna Harbison
The Northern Illinois Huskies took on the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, completing one of their most prominent years in program history. Earlier in the season, the Huskies defeated Notre Dame, and the program built on the momentum all the way to Boise, Idaho.
The Bulldogs maintained a 13-3 lead through the first half of the game before scoring in the third quarter to even the score. The game went to overtime after Fresno State kicker Dylan Lynch missed a 35-yard field goal. NIU was aggressive, tying the game at 20-20 in the first overtime and scoring a TD and two-point conversion in 2 OT to make it 28-20. Jordan Hansen, a fifth-year safety for NIU, sealed the deal when he sacked Fresno QB Joshua Wood on FSU’s final attempt to tie the game.
“Drilled, ball game! Huskies celebrating like it’s South Bend!” Broadcaster Lowell Galindo yelled.
NIU showcased many bright spots to be excited about for the future. Josh Holst, a walk-on quarterback for NIU, made his third career start, completing 18/30 passes for 182 yards and 2 TDs and rushing for 65 yards on 16 carries. Holst received the MVP award for his efforts. Freshman WR George Dimopoulos completed a 25-yard TD pass to WR Dane Pardridge in 2 OT and notched the two-point conversion pass to Holst, too.
Best Mascot: Flavor Flav at Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Courtesy of Alex Cason Photography
Minnesota and Virginia Tech battled it out in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, but the excitement centered around the mayonnaise mascot, Tubby. During the game, NBC Sports reporter Nicole Auerbach received word that there was a celebrity dressed as Tubby. Viewers waited anxiously to see who was inside, and as Minnesota Head Coach P.J. Fleck was being interviewed post-game, Tubby was revealed to be hype-man and rapper Flavor Flav.
“It’s Flavor Flav, holy crap!” Fleck yelled in excitement. After an exciting year as the hype man for the U.S. women’s water polo team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Flavor Flav began 2025 with a bang. The rapper gave a strong “Yeah, boy!” before he helped to douse Coach Fleck in the celebratory condiment of mayonnaise.
Edited by Elle Chavis
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