Here at the Sickos Committee, we wanted to do something interesting for our bowl game previews. We wanted to give a brief history of the game and then wanted to rate the Sickos nature of each Bowl Game in a way we hope is unique to Bowl Season. We rated certain aspects of each Bowl from 1 to 5 (1 meaning the lowest rating and 5 meaning the highest rating). 

The aspects the Sickos Committee wished to rate were as follows:

Logo History: We wanted to see where they started with their Bowl logo.

Current Logo: We wanted to see where they are currently at with their Bowl logo. 

Location: Self explanatory - Where is the game being played. 

First Bowl Played: We just wanted to let you know how old the bowl game was.

Match-up: Team vs Team. 

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: What Conference vs What Conference normally or if it had to change this year. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: What glorious company decided to sponsor this Bowl. 

Sicko-ness of Game: We attempt to explain how Sicko this game is or how Sicko this game could potentially be. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Some Bowls dump interesting things on the game winning coach. We rate those here. 

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Most Bowls will just dump Gatorade like normal games. This is a Bowl Game, there should be something unique to dump on the game-winning coach, we explore options for the Bowl Game to change what they dump. Did we just say dump in three straight sentences? (make it 4) You’re damn right we did. 

Bowl Trophy: We rate the Bowl Trophy for the winning team based on how cool the trophy would be to have in your trophy case. Honestly, who cares about the prestige of the game itself, we want some cool hardware with our Bowl win. 

Do we base this criteria on anything factual or do we make it up as we go? You can be the judge.

Will these ratings be anything you can base the Sicko-ness of a game? Maybe. 

The Committee hopes you enjoy our Bowl Preview!

The Bahamas Bowl

Logo History: 

Current Logo:

Location: Thomas Robinson Stadium - Nassau, Bahamas. 5 out of 5, who cares, you are in the Bahamas. 

First Bowl Played: 2014

Match-up: Miami Ohio vs. UAB 

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: MAC vs C-USA - 5 out of 5

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: A Lending Company - 1 out of 5. Also, we all consider this the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl anyway no matter who sponsors this game in the future. It will always be the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.  

Sicko-ness of Game:  6-6 vs 6-6 in another country? 5 out of 5. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Normal Gatorade - 1 out of 5

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach related to the Bowl: Potential to dunk in the Atlantic Ocean. There is about a four mile drive to Junkanoo Beach which could take 15 minutes of driving to get this done. Doesn’t fully seem feasible. However, there is Big Pond near the stadium within walking distance. 2 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy:

Standard style trophy with a silver football on top, while encompassing laser cut palm trees and a conch shell at the base. Solid trophy. 3.5 out of 5.

The Cure Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: Exploria Stadium (The Orlando FC Soccer Stadium) 3 out of 5.  

First Bowl Played: 2015

Match-up: #25 UTSA vs #24 Troy

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: 5 out 5. C-USA vs Sun Belt. Two of our favorite conferences

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: When I think of Duluth, I generally don’t immediately jump to Orlando Florida. 3 out of 5. because they are actually doing a lot of good with the sponsorship. The Cure Bowl donates a lot of money to cancer research which is why the logos are always pink.

Sicko-ness of Game: 2 out of 5, because this is actually a fantastic game between two very good teams. But gets an additional point for being a fantastic game between two very good teams being played in a soccer stadium in Orlando.

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Gatorade 1 out of 5.

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: I guess they could dump pink ribbons on the coach but that’s not really all that fun. 1 out of 5.  

Bowl Trophy: 

It’s a ribbon that has football stitching on it. Kinda weird but looks good. 3 out of 5.

Fenway Bowl

Logo History:  

Current Logo: Only one logo as this is the first Fenway Bowl to be played. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. They’ve tried this one twice so maybe the 3rd time is a charm?

Location: 5/5 - Fenway Park is not a traditional football stadium however it has featured many football games in the past. It hosted the National High School Football Championship game in 1912 and hosted football games every year until the Patriots moved out in 1968. 

First Bowl Played: 2022 Hopefully… 

Matchup: Cincinnati vs Louisville.

Sicko-ness of the Matchup: 3/5 AAC vs ACC. Nothing too crazy. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: 4/5 Wasabi is spicy and green. This company is neither. It’s a cloud storage company. 

Sicko-ness of Game: 6/5 The Scott Satterbowl. We need a camera on him at all times during this game. He is supposedly not attending. Which means I want that camera on him even more as he’s trying to avoid everything about his teams. Also, an old dormant rivalry, KEG OF NAILS game.

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: ?/5 It’s the first one.

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: ?/5 Since we don’t know what they are doing, the options are endless. We could dump the condiment on the coach (keep your eyes closed), we could dump little Wally the Green Monster plushies on him, we could dump large cloud storage servers on him. We can only be disappointed by what they choose.

Bowl Trophy: 

This trophy is a disgrace. It’s never been handed out, so they still have time to change it. But is it supposed to be a model of the stadium? If it is then where’s the Green Monster? Literally the most famous thing about the stadium. It’s small. It’s a box. There’s a mini football field drawn over the dimensions of the baseball field but either they made the football field too large or the baseball field too small. And the facade over the top of the Fenway bowl logo looks like the press box for Fenway, but if that’s true then the fields are facing the wrong direction! I hate this trophy. 0/5.

Celebration Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: Atlanta, GA, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, while the Falcons are very Sicko, the stadium and location is not. 3.5 out of 5 location wise.

First Bowl Played: First played in 2015.

Match-up: The Jackson State University Tigers - The North Carolina Central University Eagles

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: MEAC vs SWAC; 1 out of 5 - This is a National Championship Game.

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: Cricket Wireless Maximum Sickos Sponsor. 5 out of 5. This game is sponsored by Cricket Wireless. As one of the smaller wireless providers in the country and they have been great sponsors for this bowl game. The commercials are about as generic as they get, especially with regards to HBCUs, their cultures, and their diverse natures, but they will put a nondescript drum line on camera and declare that it is indicative of the 101 HBCUs. 

Sicko-ness of Game: This bowl game is another in the long line of postseason games played by HBCUs going back as far as the early 1920s. As the modern iteration of the eponymous “Black National Championship”. Being a game with high stakes, the Sickos’ Rating is 1 out of 5. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: School colored Gatorade. 1 of 5.

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: 0 of 5. It is a National Championship game. Not much of an opportunity here.

Bowl Trophy:

A trophy fitting for a National Championship game. A very sleek and sturdy looking base with elegant spires raising up a silver football. A classic look extremely fitting for this game. 5 out of 5.

The Las Vegas Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location:  Las Vegas baby - 5 out of 5, Allegiant Stadium - it’s just too nice and we really miss Sam Boyd Stadium - 2.5 out of 5. 

First Bowl Played:  1992 

Match-up: Florida vs Oregon State 

Sicko-ness of the Match-up:  Used to be the Mountain West vs the Pac-12. Now this game is Pac-12 vs SEC this year and then Pac-12 vs Big Ten next year. This feels very wrong and like the Vegas Bowl is trying to earn some sort of respect because they got a fancy new stadium. 3 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: Do you know what SRS Distribution is? No. Apparently, it is a roofing and building supply company. Perfect match for Vegas, we guess? We do miss the days of the Royal Purple sponsored bowl game selling auto lubricants and having to clear up that they weren’t personal lubricants on their commercials. Overall 3 out of 5.  

Sicko-ness of Game: Florida is 6-6 and this feels right. Oregon State is 9-3 and this feels like they should be in a better Bowl Game. 3 out of 5.  

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Gatorade - 1 out of 5.  

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: This is Vegas. Could they dump poker chips all over the winning coach? Yes. Would that likely hurt the coach? Yes. Maybe dump some fake coins that would likely not harm the coach? Sure. We have room for improvement here, it is Vegas after all. 4 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy:

This Trophy is Vegas. It’s got rhinestones on a football and looks like an outfit that Elvis used to wear. It’s gaudy and has plenty of gold. It fits Vegas perfectly. 5 out of 5. 

LA Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo: It’s only ever had one logo.

Location: 2/5 SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It’s a giant NFL stadium in a large market, of course it needs a bowl game.

First Bowl Played: 2021

Matchup: Washington State vs Fresno State

Sicko-ness of the Matchup: 3/5 Mountain West vs Pac 12. It’s one of the rare bowls that gives a G5 conference a chance against Power 5 conference

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: 5/5 When I think college football I think of Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy realized this game was a joke, that it was only created in order to put something in the big stadium, and then tried to make a joke of it but ended up enjoying it too much and actually having fun. So a celebrity tried to make too many bowl games jokes and ended up loving there being another bowl game? Jimmy Kimmel, welcome to the committee.

Sicko-ness of Game: 4/5 I can’t resist Jake Haener. Neither should you.

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: 1/5 Gatorade

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: 1/5 I guess you could just dump Jimmy Kimmel on the coach but that doesn’t seem great. And how to fit LA into a bucket? Just smog and plastic? 

Bowl Trophy:

Belts are cool, but I guess I just don’t understand why they’d make a belt for this? But not making sense is why we’re here, so that gives it an extra point. 4/5 

The Lending Tree Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: Hancock-Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL. New stadium and the home of South Alabama. 3.5 out of 5. Mobile is a little underrated for a two or three day stay.

First Bowl Played: 1999

Match-up: 5-7 Rice vs 6-6 Southern Miss. 

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: Typically Sun Belt vs MAC but this year it is Sun Belt vs C-USA. Any time a bowl has to change their tie-ins? 5 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: This game used the GMAC Bowl, the financing arm of General Motors, then became the GoDaddy.Com bowl and then the Dollar General Bowl, then now it is sponsored by a financial company who helps you find loans in tree form? It feels like a downgrade sponsor wise but who knows I could really use that Home Equity Line of Credit to build that fancy Gazebo with a hot tub inside we've always wanted. 1.5 out of 5.  

Sicko-ness of Game: Automatic 5 out of 5 since we get the bonus of a 5-7 team in a Bowl because they had good grades. Thank you Rice for studying so much, your reward is Mobile, Alabama. Also Southern Miss is prone to use its Superback Frank Gore which is a huge plus for the Committee .  

What is Dumped on the winning Coach:  Gatorade 1/5 

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: 5 out of 5. Huge opportunity here. Mr. Lonnie Johnson, a native of Mobile, and a former Air Force and NASA engineer, is known for his invention of the Super Soaker. Give the winning team all Super Soakers filled with Gatorade and let them chase down their coach after the game. Give the coach one to fight back if you want too. This would be phenomenal.  

Bowl Trophy:

This is like two trophies in one. It’s a normal trophy but has a Crystal like punch bowl mounted in the base of it. I am just confused by this trophy concept here but at least the bowl doesn’t appear to fall out while lifting. 2.5 out of 5.

New Mexico Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico - 4.5 out of 5. BYU may be used to seeing Mountains outside of their stadium but University Stadium of the New Mexico Lobos has fantastic sight lines to complement the play on the field. 

First Bowl Played: 2006

Match-up: BYU vs SMU

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: Independent vs American Conference - 3 out of 5, However rematch of the 1980 Holiday Bowl (one of the greatest bowl games ever) 5 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: None - Last year it was PUBG which was a 5 out of 5. This one is just sponsored by New Mexico we guess? The most underrated state? 4.5 out of 5.

Sicko-ness of Game: Potential points fest, should be defense optional, or at least we hope. SMU averaged 38 points per game and BYU averaged 32 points per game. SMU’s defense allowed 34 points per game and BYU’s defense allowed 30 points per game. 4.75 out of 5. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Normal Gatorade - 1 out of 5

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Opportunity to drop New Mexico red and green chile sauce on the coach. That does seem like a waste of good chile sauce but it’d be really amazing viewing for us. 4 out of 5 potential. 

Bowl Trophy:

Just look at this amazing New Mexico Bowl Trophy. “It is a Native American clay pot meticulously handcrafted by artists Marcellus and Elizabeth Media from the Zia Pueblo.” Are you kidding me, this trophy is likely the Best Bowl Game Trophy in all of College Football. The 20-inch bowl-shaped pottery features the iconic Zia sun symbol and images of football players, a deer, mountain lion, buffalo and eagle. Tell me another trophy that features football, deer, lions, buffalo and eagles? That’s right you can’t! There is nothing like this trophy in College Football and who wouldn’t want this trophy to show off in their school’s trophy case? This thing is absolutely gorgeous and would likely be worth $2,500.00 (according to the New Mexico Bowl website).

Oh that is not all you’ll be playing for in this game. Look below the amazing clay pot and check out the Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Player Awards. The New Mexico Bowl tapped another Zia Pueblo artist, Ralph Aragon, who crafted the trophies from traditional leather shields. Two players will have the chance to take home these handcrafted trophies all for themselves. The New Mexico Bowl shows off the best of the Land of Enchantment. 12 out of 5 for a Bowl Game Trophy.    

The Frisco Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: Frisco, TX, a city that has grown frighteningly quickly yet still manages to retain that quaint DFW suburb concrete charm. 2/5 

History of Bowl: Was created as a slight to FCS by putting a small bowl where they have their own championship. Spite bowl. 5/5

Sicko-ness of the Matchup:  MWC vs C-USA - 3 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: None this year. Last was Tropical Smoothie. Dude Perfect is opening their HQ near the stadium, so we’re calling them the new sponsor. 5/5 

Sicko-ness of Game: North Texas got tired of their coach, finally, even though they went 7-5. Boise State lost to UTEP and they found their groove. G5 conference championship game runners up bowl. 3 / 5. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Was smoothie in the past. With no sponsor, we assume it will be the traditional growth industry in Frisco, TX, which is concrete. 4 / 5 

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Last year, they created the Frisco Football Classic (Bowl) out of nothing, and it will not reappear this year. They should dump the concept of a bowl game on the winning coach. 1 / 5 

Bowl Trophy: 

Football on a plinth with Texas Stars. Lame. 1 / 5

Stay Tuned for Part 2.