1947
The first Tangerine Bowl is played between Maryville and Catawba College in Orlando.
80 years of impact
History
The seventh-oldest collegiate bowl game in the country, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl began as the Tangerine Bowl in 1947. The initial game sponsors, members of Elks Lodge #1079 of Orlando, each put up $100 to fund initial expenses.
Since 1993 the bowl has hosted top teams from the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences.
In the new “College Football Playoff” era of college football’s postseason, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl will continue to host the top Big Ten and SEC teams from outside the CFP series of bowls (including Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange, Cotton and Peach).
The game moved to a New Year’s Day date in 1987 and has remained a New Year’s Day tradition except in years when the holiday falls on a Sunday.
All-Time Game Results
12-31-24
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
South Carolina
(9-3)
17
COACH Shane Beamer
VS
Illinois
(9-3)
21
COACH Bret Bielema
1-1-24
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Iowa
(10-3)
0
COACH Kirk Ferentz
VS
Tennessee
(8-4)
35
COACH Josh Heupel
1-2-23
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
LSU
(9-4)
63
COACH Brian Kelly
VS
Purdue
(8-5)
7
COACH Brian Brohm
80 Years of Impact
→
1952
The Stetson Hatters become the first Florida team to play — and win — the Tangerine Bowl, upsetting Arkansas State 35–20.
1966
Morgan State becomes the first HBCU to compete in the Tangerine Bowl, marking Orlando’s first integrated college or high school game.
1971
Toledo quarterback Chuck Ealey earns his third straight Tangerine Bowl MVP, leading the Rockets to three consecutive bowl wins.
1972
The Tangerine Sports Association forms to rally broader community support for the annual game.
1973
The Tangerine Bowl is played outside Orlando for the only time, as Miami faces Florida in Gainesville.
1976
The stadium expands to 50,000 seats, adding an upper deck on the east side.
1977
Bert Lacey becomes the first full-time executive director of the Tangerine Sports Association.
1979
The Zonies, a rowdy and passionate fan section, debut in the stadium’s west end zone.
1980
Former LSU head coach Charlie McClendon becomes executive director of the Tangerine Sports Association.
1982
Chuck Rohe takes over as executive director, a role he holds for two decades. He’s later inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame (2019).
1983
The game is rebranded as the Florida Citrus Bowl, with title sponsorship from the Florida Department of Citrus — college football’s first title sponsor.
1984
The Citrus Bowl lands its first national TV deal, with NBC as the broadcast partner.
1990
The Blockbuster Bowl debuts in Miami. The game later moves to Orlando and becomes today’s Pop-Tarts Bowl.
1991
Georgia Tech defeats Nebraska 45–21 in the Citrus Bowl, earning recognition as the 1990 national champions.
1991
A 12-foot replica of the George L. Stuart Sr. Trophy is unveiled at the stadium’s south end.
1993
The SEC–Big Ten partnership begins, establishing the Citrus Bowl matchup still in place today.
1994
Florida Citrus Sports hosts a neutral-site matchup between Florida State and Notre Dame — an early example of its modern event portfolio.
1995
The MVP Summer Camp launches, offering a free summer program for local children that grows into an eight-week experience.
1996
Orlando hosts Olympic soccer matches during the Atlanta Games, with Florida Citrus Sports helping stage the events. That same year, Peyton Manning’s Tennessee beats Eddie George’s Ohio State in the 50th Citrus Bowl.
1997
The Florida Blue Florida Classic moves to Orlando, uniting Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M in the nation’s largest HBCU rivalry.
1999
Florida Citrus Sports launches the All-Star Gridiron Classic, featuring top college players in an annual postseason showcase.
2001
The Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl returns to Orlando, marking the debut of what’s now known as the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
2002
Tom Mickle, former ACC associate commissioner and “father of the BCS,” becomes executive director. The stadium press box is later named in his honor.
2006
Steve Hogan is named the fifth executive director of Florida Citrus Sports.
2012
Florida Citrus Sports leaders begin shaping a charitable initiative to revitalize Orlando’s 32805 zip code — a seed that grows into Lift Orlando.
2014
The stadium reopens after a $207.7 million renovation, with 90% of the venue rebuilt. Two years later, it becomes Camping World Stadium.
2016
Florida State rallies to beat Ole Miss in the Camping World Kickoff, the first in a new series of neutral-site season openers. That same year, Orlando hosts the ACC Championship Game, moved on six weeks’ notice.
2017
Orlando welcomes the NFL Pro Bowl, along with lasting community investments in the West Lakes neighborhood. That summer, Tottenham Hotspur tops Paris Saint-Germain in an international soccer friendly — Florida Citrus Sports’ first such event in nearly 20 years.
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