LA Bowl

Last updated

LA Bowl
Bucked Up LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk
LA Bowl Logo.png
Stadium SoFi Stadium
Location Inglewood, California, U.S.
Operated2021–present
Conference tie-ins
Website labowl.sofistadium.com
Sponsors
  • Stifel (2021–2022)
  • Starco Brands (2023–2024)
  • Bucked Up (2025-present)
Former names
  • Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel (2021–2022)
  • Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk (2023)
  • Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk (2024)
2023 matchup
Boise State vs. UCLA (UCLA 35–22)
2024 matchup
California vs. UNLV (UNLV 24–13)

The LA Bowl is an American annual NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, first played in December 2021. The bowl has tie-ins with the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences. The Pac-12 or its "legacy schools" (the 10 schools departing the conference in 2024 for the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC) will continue to fulfill the Pac-12 tie-in obligation through the 2025 season. [1] The LA Bowl is one of three bowl games that have never released payout totals for the teams involved in the game (Myrtle Beach Bowl and the Fenway Bowl are the others).

Contents

History

The Mountain West Conference and Pac-12 Conference announced tie-ins for the new bowl in July 2019, under a five-year agreement. [2] The game was officially unveiled in February 2020. It matches up the Mountain West champion (or the next-highest pick available if the conference champion is selected for the New Year's Six) against the fifth pick from the Pac-12. Previously, the Mountain West champion had received an automatic bid to the Las Vegas Bowl. [3] The game is owned and operated by the owners of SoFi Stadium, [4] StadCo LA, LLC. [5]

Three weeks before the scheduled bowl game debut on December 30, 2020, the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

On June 16, 2021, the game was renamed the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl as part of a naming rights agreement with comedian and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Announcing the renaming on Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Kimmel remarked that it was the first bowl game to be named for a living person. [7] The investment bank Stifel was later added as a presenting sponsor. [4]

On October 21, 2023, the bowl announced that it had signed a new multi-year sponsorship deal with former NFL star Rob Gronkowski. [8] On December 1, 2023, it added a naming rights partnership with Starco Brands, renaming the bowl the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk. [9] In 2024, the sponsorship was moved to Starco's Art of Sport brand, renaming the game the Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk. [10]

On September 30, 2025, it was announced that Bucked Up, a leading sports nutrition brand, signed on as the title sponsor of the game, officially called as the Bucked Up LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk. [11]

Game results

All rankings are taken from the AP poll prior to the game being played.

DateWinning TeamLosing TeamAttendanceNotes
December 18, 2021 Utah State 24 Oregon State 1329,896 notes
December 17, 2022 Fresno State 29 Washington State 632,405 notes
December 16, 2023 UCLA 35 Boise State 2232,780 notes
December 18, 2024No. 24 UNLV 24 California 1324,420 notes

MVPs

YearOffensive MVPDefensive MVPRef.
PlayerTeamPos.PlayerTeamPos.
2021 Deven Thompkins Utah StateWRNick HeningerUtah StateDE [12]
2022 Jordan Mims Fresno StateRBDevo BridgesFresno StateDE [13]
2023 Ethan Garbers UCLAQB Darius Muasau UCLALB [14]
2024Jacob De JesusUNLVWR Jackson Woodard UNLVLB [15] [16]

Appearances by team

Updated through the December 2024 edition (4 games, 8 total appearances).

Teams with a single appearance

Won (4): Fresno State, UCLA, UNLV, Utah State
Lost (4): Boise State, California, Oregon State, Washington State

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2024 edition (4 games, 8 total appearances).

ConferenceRecordAppearances by season
GamesWLWin pct.WonLost
Mountain West 431.7502021, 2022, 20242023
Pac-12 312.33320232021, 2022
ACC 101.000 2024

Game records

[ needs update ]

TeamPerformance vs. OpponentYear
Most points scored35, UCLA vs. Boise State2023
Fewest points allowed6, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
Margin of victory23, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
First downs27, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
Rushing yards280, UCLA vs. Boise State2023
Passing yards280, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
Most points scored (losing team)22, Boise State vs. UCLA2023
Most points scored (both teams)57, UCLA vs. Boise State2023
Fewest yards allowed182, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
Fewest rushing yards allowed45, Fresno State vs. Washington State2022
Fewest passing yards allowed117, Boise State vs. UCLA2023
IndividualPlayer, TeamYear
All-Purpose yards236, Jordan Mims (Fresno State)2022
Points scored12, multiple (most recently):
TJ Harden (UCLA)
Ethan Garbers (UCLA)
George Holani (Boise State)
2023
Passing touchdowns2, shared by:
Jake Haener (Fresno State)
Ethan Garbers (UCLA)
Hajj-Malik Williams (UNLV)
2022
2023
2024
Rushing yards209, Jordan Mims (Fresno State)2022
Passing yards280, Jake Haener (Fresno State)2022
Receiving yards142, J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA)2023
Receptions10, Robert Ferrel (Washington State)2022
Rushing touchdowns2, shared by:
Jordan Mims (Fresno State)
George Holani (Boise State)
TJ Harden (UCLA)
2022
2023
2023
Receiving touchdowns1, multiple (most recently):
Jacob De Jesus (UNLV)
Kayden McGee (UNLV)
2024
Tackles13, Marsel McDuffie (UNLV)2024
Sacks3, Nick Heninger (Utah State)2021
Interceptions1, shared by:
Hunter Reynolds (Utah State)
Akili Arnold (Oregon State)
Kitan Oladapo (Oregon State)
LJ Early (Fresno State)
Alex Johnson (UCLA)
2021
2021
2021
2022
2023
Long PlaysRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYear
Touchdown run66 yds., George Holani (Boise State)2023
Touchdown pass62 yds., Cooper Legas to Deven Thompkins (Utah State)2021
Kickoff return79 yds., Kadarius Calloway (Cal)2024
Punt return38 yds., Jacob De Jesus (UNLV)2024
Interception return11 yds., Alex Johnson (UCLA)2023
Fumble return0 yds., Jett Elad (UNLV)2024
Punt57 yds., Marshall Nichols (UNLV)2024
Field goal48 yds., Caden Chittenden (UNLV)2024

Media coverage

The bowl has been televised by ABC from its inception to 2021. It will air on ESPN in the 2024 edition.

References

  1. ↑ McMurphy, Brett (July 9, 2024). "Departing Pac-12 Schools to Play in Pac-12 Affiliated Bowl Games, Brett Yormark Says". actionnetwork.com. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Crepea, James (July 25, 2019). "Pac-12 adds Los Angeles Bowl to postseason lineup starting in 2020". oregonlive. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  3. ↑ "SoFi Stadium will be home to new college bowl game this season". Los Angeles Times. February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Stifel and Jimmy Kimmel team up as big names on college bowl game". St. Louis Business Journal. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ "How much will Rams, Chargers season tickets cost in Inglewood's new stadium?". Orange County Register. March 7, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Inaugural LA Bowl Postponed Until 2021 Due To Coronavirus". Associated Press. December 7, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  7. ↑ Tapp, Tom (June 17, 2021). "Jimmy Kimmel Gets College Football Bowl Game Named After Him: The 'Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl' At SoFi Stadium". Deadline. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  8. ↑ Reedy, Joe (October 21, 2023). "Move over Jimmy Kimmel, it's now the LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk". Associated Press News. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  9. ↑ "LA BOWL HOSTED BY GRONK PARTNERS WITH STARCO BRANDS FOR NAMING RIGHTS TO BOWL GAME, NOW STARCO BRANDS LA BOWL HOSTED BY GRONK" . Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Art of Sport To Be Title Sponsor of 2024 LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk". Bowl Season. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  11. ↑ "GET BUCKED UP AT LA BOWL!! Bucked Up Energy Becomes Title Sponsor..." Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  12. ↑ Henline, Mitch (December 18, 2021). "Aggies finish championship season with LA Bowl victory over Oregon State". Cache Valley Daily. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ Stoeckle, Savannah (December 17, 2022). "'Dogs make history with 29-6 win in Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl". Fresno State Athletics. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Dominant Second Half Carries UCLA to 35-22 Victory Over Boise State in LA Bowl". mynewsla.com. December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  15. ↑ @LABowlGame (December 18, 2024). "Our 2024 Offensive MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 19, 2024– via Twitter.
  16. ↑ @LABowlGame (December 18, 2024). "Our 2024 Defensive MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 19, 2024– via Twitter.
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