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 Part 4 of our Bowl Previews!

The Holiday Bowl

Logo History:

Current Logo: 

Location:  Petco Park, San Diego, CA. More Football on Baseball Fields. LOVE IT!!! 5 out of 5. 

First Bowl Played:  1978

Match-up: Oregon vs North Carolina

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: PAC 12 vs ACC. Making one conference fly all the way across the country and making the other make what is like a normal road game trip in conference. 4.5 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: San Diego Credit Union is the sponsor now. Really not too Sickos of a sponsor but seems hyper localized of a bank style. 3 out of 5. Here are the former sponsors of this game. Sea World Holiday Bowl (1986–1990), Thrifty Car Rental Holiday Bowl (1991–1994), Plymouth Holiday Bowl (1995–1997), Culligan Holiday Bowl (1998–2001), Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (2002–2009), Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl (2010–2012), National University Holiday Bowl (2013–2014), National Funding Holiday Bowl (2015–2016).

Sicko-ness of Game: Seems like it’ll be somewhat entertaining. North Carolina is up and down but Oregon seems like they won’t mess around. 3 out of 5.

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

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Really struggling to think of something San Diego related to dump on someone. Also, I mean what could you dump on a coach from a Credit Union? A bucket of those counter pens with metal string attached? 0.5 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy: 

A classy silver football mounted on top of a circular base with many spires holding up the trophy. Seems elegant and yet understated. Solid Trophy. 4 out of 5. 

TEXAS BOWL

Logo History:

Current Logo:

Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas 

First Bowl Played: 2006

Match-up: Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: Big 12 vs SEC since 2014, this year’s match-up does not break the standard tie-ins or feature either of the Big 12 teams that are moving to the SEC in the near future. 2 out of 5, would’ve preferred a future conference match-up

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: The second of two bowls sponsored by TaxAct this year. Unlike the Camellia Bowl, TaxAct put their name in the logo on this one. 3 out of 5 for the US tax code being so complex that a tax prep software company can sponsor two bowl games. 

Sicko-ness of Game: These two teams last played in 2018, when they opened their seasons with a neutral site game in …. NRG Stadium in Houston. Ole Miss won that game in a blowout and holds a 4-2 lead in the all-time series. Small bonus points for replaying a regular season game in the same location as a bowl a few years later. Texas Tech are the winners of the 2022 Sickos Committee Endowment for Extraordinary Execution and the Elevation of Extra Football Award for the season’s most successful overtime team, so the pressure is on Ole Miss if this one is close late. 3.5 out of 5.

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

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: It’s called the Texas Bowl and played in Houston, the possibilities are nearly endless. Barbecue sauce? Sure. Crude oil? Unsanitary and dangerous, but certainly available. Could even go for shredded tax documents if the sponsor wants to stay involved. 4 out of 5.

Bowl Trophy: 

A two-part trophy consisting of a tall wooden pedestal base inlaid with details about the game. Use of multiple different shades of wood add color and contrast while dark pillars at the corners draw the eye upward to the second part of the trophy, a metal shield in the shape of the bowl logo partly cradled in a glass bowl.  This cap appears to be removable, allowing for a more portable prize during celebrations. Form and function, 5 out of 5.

PINSTRIPE BOWL

Logo History: 

Current Logo: 

Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY. Baseball field for College Football. 5 out of 5.

First Bowl Played: 2010

Match-up: Syracuse vs. Minnesota

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: Big Ten vs. ACC since 2014. (The 2013 Notre Dame vs. Rutgers game is an honorary B1G-ACC game in hindsight). Despite never breaking tie-ins, the Pinstripe Bowl has given us Sickos classics such as Duke 44 - Indiana 41 (OT) (the kick was good?) or Penn State 31 - Boston College 30 (OT), and rarely produces blowouts. (Apologies to any 2018 Miami fans or 2021 Virginia Tech fans who may be reading this) 3 out of 5.

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: Bad Boy Mowers, who sell only the largest, most overcompensating lawn care machines known to man, sponsoring a bowl game in a city where no one has lawns? Perfect, no notes. 5 out of 5.

Sicko-ness of Game: Syracuse and Minnesota both started the season hot, before stumbling in the middle. Minnesota was able to turn things around thanks to getting some players back from injury and a Northwestern-Nebraska-Rutgers stretch of their schedule before a 13-10 loss to Iowa eliminated them from B1G West competition.  Syracuse on the other hand needed a win over Boston College in the final week of the season to avoid the perfect 6-0, 0-6 season. Minnesota just extended PJ Fleck through 2029, while Syracuse’s OC just left for the same position at conference rival NC State. Expect a game in keeping with the Pinstripe Bowl’s history of glorious mess. 4 out of 5.

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

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: In keeping with the sponsor, lawn clippings. In keeping with the location, Yankees uniforms, pizza sauce, Hudson River water. The possibilities are endless, just not particularly good. 2 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy:

A clear plastic football inlaid with the bowl logo and columned arch motif from the upper rim of Yankee Stadium (and the bowl logo) rises above a cylindrical metal cage with the same columned arch motif. The bowl logo is repeated on the front of the cage. The lower section of the trophy and wood base are quite nice and a good break from the standard “football or bowl on a pedestal” pattern of most trophies. Points for originality in construction are lost somewhat due to the repetition of the same logo and motif in every aspect of the trophy. Could do without the secondary logo and column pattern in the football section of the trophy, in this writer’s opinion. 3 out of 5

*Disclaimer:* Given the prevalence of the old bowl logo in the old trophy, it seems likely we will see a new trophy with the new sponsor this year, which will be reevaluated at that time.

CHEEZ-IT BOWL

Logo History: 

1990-1993. And yes this is cropped from the 1991 program because the logo doesn’t appear by itself anywhere on the internet.

Current Logo: 

Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

First Bowl Played: 1990

Match-up: Oklahoma vs Florida State

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: Nominally ACC vs Big 12, actually ACC vs Big 12, nothing remarkable here. Not a fan of teams playing bowl games in their home state. 2 out of 5.

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: Cheez-it has sponsored some all-time great bowl games, but this bowl game is not the 2018 bowl of the same name (That game was played in Arizona). Feeling the Cheesiest out of 5.

Sicko-ness of Game: An extremely exciting helmet match-up if you’ve been asleep since 2015. Oklahoma holds a six game winning streak over Florida State that dates back to 1975. In a more modern context, Oklahoma is 6-6 capable of both scoring and giving up immense amounts of points. They ended on a 1-3 streak with losses to Baylor, West Virginia, and Texas Tech by 3 points each. Florida State has been quietly one of the most consistently competent teams this season after some lucky breaks early on, and hasn’t scored less than 38 points since mid-October. Expect points. 3 out of 5  

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: Cheez-Its. Exactly what it says on the tin. 4.75 out of 5.

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Limited room for innovation due to near perfection already. Perhaps each team could bring a favorite style of Cheez-It. Some Duoz could add a bit of color contrast for an aesthetic touch. 1 out of 5.

Bowl Trophy:

A glass bowl full of Cheez-Its on a glossy black and metallic gray stand. Not especially original but the players seem to like it.

Importantly, the bowl seems to change shape and style each year. 3.5 out of 5

ALAMO BOWL

Logo History: 

Current Logo: 

Location:  The Alamodome, San Antonio, TX. Home of the UTSA Roadrunners. 4 out of 5 Meeps.

First Bowl Played: 1993

Match-up: Washington vs Texas

Sicko-ness of the Match-up:  Typically upper tier Big XII vs Upper Tier Pac-12, not always necessarily Sickos in nature of a match up but the games tend to be kind of crazy here in San Antonio. 4 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: This is sponsored by a Oil & Gas Company with a huge headquarters in San Antonio. You really can’t get any more Texas than this. Gas is not inherently Sicko though. Solid Corporate Sponsor. 2 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness of Game: Texas vs Washington should be quite fun. Don’t really think it’ll be Sickos though. Likely just a fun good game. 2 out of 5.  

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

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Maybe you can dump a margarita on the coach. Maybe some Queso dip or some Salsa. What I really would like to happen is the coach jumping into the San Antonio River from the Riverwalk. I don’t think it’ll ever happen though. 2 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy:  They changed sponsors and then they changed the trophy. They used to have something that resembled the Alamo here with a big blocky base.  

However, they switched to something fancier in their mind. It feels like it lacks charm but it is still nice. 3.5 out of 5. 

DUKE’S MAYO BOWL

Logo History:

Current Logo: 

Location:  Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC. Home of the very Sicko NFC South Member Carolina Panthers. 5 out of 5. 

First Bowl Played: 2002

Match-up: Maryland vs NC State

Sicko-ness of the Match-up:   ACC vs Big Ten (even number years) or SEC (odd number years). Alternating SEC and Big Ten vs the ACC is very Sicko. 5 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating:  Duke’s Mayo is the game’s sponsor. It is a Sickos Committee staple in our fridge. We’re very heavily biased here. 5 out of 5. 

Sicko-ness of Game: Two middling ACC and Big Ten teams to fight which coach gets mayo dumped on them. Automatic 5 out of 5. 

What is Dumped on the winning Coach:  GATORADE BUCKET FULL OF MAYO. 1,000,000,000 out of 5. 

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: Change the Mayo Dump to a Mayo Bath??? Which would be hilarious to see a coach get into an old school bathtub and then have Mayo dumped on them. 1,000,000,000 out of 5. 

Bowl Trophy: 

This is a majestic crystal football on top of a sterling silver base. It's shiny and super pretty. It is worthy of a National Championship Game and it would be our Sickos National Championship trophy. 10 out of 5. However, the broken trophy version is even better in our opinion. 

When Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz dropped the normal trophy and then taped a bottle of Duke’s Mayo to the broken portion, this trophy unveiled its final form. 1,000,000,000 out of 5. 

SUN BOWL (Praise the Sun!)

Logo History: 

Current Logo: 

Location: Scenic El Paso, Texas in the Sun Bowl, home of UTEP. 5 out of 5.

First Bowl Played: 1935 Tied for second oldest bowl game, along with the Orange and Sugar. WELCOME TO THE GRANDUNCLE OF THEM ALL, FOLKS! 

Match-up: Pitt and UCLA

Sicko-ness of the Match-up: The Match-up is PAC-12 vs ACC which is basically Pac 12 After Dark vs the ACC Coastal. Also, anytime Pitt is in the Sun Bowl it’s automatically a 5/5 Sickos thanks to the 2008 game (Oregon State/Pitt; OSU won 3-0). 

Sicko-ness Sponsor Rating: Tony the Tiger is the sponsor. Not Kellogg’s the company that makes Frosted Flakes. Just Tony the Tiger. 5 out of 5.

Sicko-ness of Game:  Pitt is down to their 2nd String QB and they are in the Sun Bowl. UCLA had an really good year but faded a little at the end. Pitt being in the Sun Bowl is basically an automatic 5 out of 5.

What is Dumped on the winning Coach: A Gatorade Container of Frosted Flakes. 7 out of 5.

Opportunity to Dump Something Different on the Coach: With the Frosted Flakes being dumped, it is basically perfection already. Tony the Tiger sponsoring this bowl offers some more opportunities here. I would personally suggest dozens of tiny stuffed Tony the Tigers. 

Bowl Trophy: 

 It’s a football inside a pedestal, though I guess the stadium and the mountains are a nice touch. Too modern and too boring for such an old bowl game, to be honest. 3.75/5.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 5!!