Myrtle Beach Bowl

Last updated

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Myrtle Beach Bowl presented by Engine
Myrtle Beach Bowl logo.png
Stadium Brooks Stadium
Location Conway, South Carolina
Operated2020–present
Conference tie-ins
Website myrtlebeachbowlgame.com
Sponsors
Engine (2025–present)
2025 matchup
Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan
(Western Michigan 41–6)

The Myrtle Beach Bowl is an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game first played in December 2020 in the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. Coastal Carolina University hosts the game at its Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina, which has a capacity of 20,000 seats following an expansion project completed prior to the 2019 season. [1]

Contents

Owned by ESPN Events, the bowl has tie-ins with Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. [2] The affiliation contract with ESPN Events has each conference supplying a team four times in a six-year bowl cycle from 2020 to 2025. [3] The Myrtle Beach Bowl is one of three contemporary bowl games that have never released payout totals for the teams involved in the game (the Fenway Bowl and the LA Bowl are the others).

History

In 2013, "Group of Five" conferences were looking to start bowl games for their leagues, as the Power Five conferences "prefer to play each other in bowl games". [4] The NCAA had a restriction on championship games, including bowl games, being held in South Carolina due to display of the Confederate flag on State House grounds, which was lifted in July 2015. [5] Organizers for the Medal of Honor Bowl, an all-star game, announced their intent to apply for NCAA sanctioning as a traditional postseason bowl game featuring FBS college teams, with a tentative game date of December 18, 2016. [6] However, in April 2016, the NCAA announced a three-year moratorium on new bowl games. [7]

In June 2018, the NCAA indicated that the Grand Strand area was approved for a bowl game. [5] The Myrtle Beach Bowl was subsequently announced on November 13, 2018, by ESPN Events, [8] with tie-ins to three conferences: the Sun Belt Conference, Conference USA (C-USA), and Mid-American Conference (MAC). [9] During 2017–18 bowl season, there had been three teams that were bowl eligible but did not go to a bowl, as all slots were filled: Western Michigan and Buffalo from the MAC, and UTSA from C-USA. [3]

The bowl made its debut as part of the 2020–21 bowl season, matching North Texas of C-USA and Appalachian State of the Sun Belt. [10]

On November 6, 2025, Engine, a business and group travel platform, signed on a sponsor of the game, officially named the Myrtle Beach Bowl presented by Engine. [11]

Game results

Tulsa quarterback Davis Brin takes a knee to end the 2021 game 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl victory formation.png
Tulsa quarterback Davis Brin takes a knee to end the 2021 game
DateWinning TeamLosing TeamAttendanceNotes
December 21, 2020 Appalachian State 56 North Texas 285,000 notes
December 20, 2021 Tulsa 30 Old Dominion 176,557 notes
December 19, 2022 Marshall 28 UConn 1412,023 notes
December 16, 2023 Ohio 41 Georgia Southern 218,059 notes
December 23, 2024 UTSA 44 Coastal Carolina 158,164 notes
December 19, 2025 Western Michigan 41 Kennesaw State 69,139 notes

MVPs

YearPlayerCollegePositionRef.
2020 Camerun Peoples Appalachian State RB [12]
2021 Davis Brin Tulsa QB [13]
2022 Rasheen Ali Marshall RB [14]
2023Rickey Hunt Jr. Ohio RB [15]
2024 Owen McCown UTSA QB [16]
2025Jaylen Buckley Western Michigan RB

Appearances by team

Updated through the December 2025 edition (6 games, 12 total appearances).

Teams with a single appearance

Won (6): Appalachian State, Marshall, Ohio, Tulsa, UTSA, Western Michigan
Lost (6): Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, North Texas, Old Dominion, UConn

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2025 edition (6 games, 12 total appearances).

ConferenceRecordAppearances by season
GamesWLWin pct.WonLost
Sun Belt 422.5002020, 20222023, 2024
C-USA 303.000 2020, 2021, 2025
American 2201.0002021, 2024 
MAC 2201.0002023, 2025 
Independent 101.000 2022

Independent appearances: UConn (2022)

Media coverage

The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception.

Game records

Updated through the December 2024 game.

TeamPerformance vs. OpponentYear
Most points scored56, Appalachian State vs. North Texas2020
Fewest points allowed6, Western Michigan vs. Kennesaw State2025
Margin of victory35, Western Michigan vs. Kennesaw State2025
First downs35, Tulsa vs. Old Dominion2021
Total yards638, Appalachian State vs. North Texas2020
Rushing yards502, Appalachian State vs. North Texas2020
Passing yards350, Georgia Southern vs. Ohio2023
Most points scored (losing team)28, North Texas vs. Appalachian State2020
Most points scored (both teams)84, Appalachian State vs. North Texas2020
Fewest yards allowed247, Old Dominion vs. Tulsa2021
Fewest rushing yards allowed33, Ohio vs. Georgia Southern2023
Fewest passing yards allowed93, Marshall vs. UConn2022
IndividualPlayer (Team)Year
Points scored30, shared by:
Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)
Rickey Hunt (Ohio)
2020
2023
All-Purpose yards317, Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)2020
Rushing yards317, Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)2020
Passing yards350, Davis Brin (Georgia Southern)2023
Receiving yards131, Austin Ogunmakin (North Texas)2020
Touchdowns (all-purpose)5, shared by:
Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)
Rickey Hunt (Ohio)
2020
2023
Passing touchdowns2, shared by:
Jason Bean (North Texas)
Davis Brin (Tulsa)
Cam Fancher (Marshall)
Davis Brin (Georgia Southern)
Tad Hudson (Coastal Carolina)
Broc Lowry (Western Michigan)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Rushing touchdowns5, Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)2020
Receiving touchdowns2, shared by:
Henry Pearson (Appalachian State)
Loronzo Thompson (North Texas)		2020
Receptions8, Josh Johnson (Tulsa)2021
Tackles13, shared by:
Kaiden Smith (Appalachian State)
Jason Henderson (Old Dominion)
R'Tarriun Johnson (Old Dominion)
2020
2021
2021
Tackles for loss3, shared by:
Nick Hampton (Appalachian State)
Jordan Young (Old Dominion)
Bradley Weaver (Ohio)
Martavius French (UTSA)
2020
2021
2023
2024
Sacks2.5, Rodney McGraw (Western Michigan)2025
Interceptions1, shared by multiple people; most recent:
Caleb Offord (Kennesaw State)
Joey Pope (Western Michigan)
Tate Hallock (Western Michigan)
2025
Long PlaysRecord, Player, TeamYear
Touchdown run70 yds., Marcus Williams Jr. (Appalachian State)2020
Touchdown pass82 yds., Amari Odom (Kennesaw State)2025
Kickoff return100 yds., LaMareon James (Old Dominion)2021
Punt return15 yds., Keegan Wilburn (Georgia Southern)2023
Interception return75 yds., Joey Pope (Western Michigan)2025
Fumble return47 yds., Kershawn Fisher (Western Michigan)2025
Punt56 yds., Caile Hogan (UTSA)2024
Field goal38 yds., Tate Sandell (UTSA)2024

References

  1. ↑ Blondin, Alan (August 8, 2019). "Expansion of Brooks Stadium is complete. What the new capacity and features mean for CCU". Myrtle Beach Sun News . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. ↑ "New FBS postseason game, Myrtle Beach Bowl, to start in 2020". AP News. November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Nothaft, Patrick (November 13, 2018). "New college football bowl game to feature MAC, Sun Belt and C-USA teams". Kalamazoo Gazette. MLive Media Group. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ McMurphy, Brett (June 11, 2013). "'Group of Five' look to add bowls". ESPN . Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Asberry, Derrek (November 13, 2018). "Myrtle Beach Bowl to become first college football bowl game played in South Carolina". Post and Courier. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  6. ↑ Hartsell, Jeff (August 26, 2015). "Medal of Honor Bowl now a 'traditional' bowl game". The Post and Courier . Charleston, South Carolina . Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ McMurphy, Brett (April 11, 2016). "NCAA approves three-year halt to new bowl games". ESPN.com . Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Taylor, John (November 13, 2018). "ESPN-owned Myrtle Beach Bowl to debut in 2020". CollegeFootballTalk. NBC Sports. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  9. ↑ "ESPN Events Announces Creation of Myrtle Beach Bowl Beginning in 2020". myrtlebeachbowlgame.com. November 13, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Myrtle Beach Bowl Preview: App State vs. North Texas". App State Athletics. December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Engine Named Presenting Sponsor of Myrtle Beach Bowl" . Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  12. ↑ "App State's Peoples has historic day in Inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl". WCSC-TV . AP. December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ IACOBELLI, PETE (December 21, 2021). "Brin, Tulsa take Myrtle Beach Bowl 30-17 over Old Dominion". Chron. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ @LukeCreasy (December 19, 2022). "Rasheen Ali is the 2022 Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 19, 2022– via Twitter.
  15. ↑ @OhioFootball (December 16, 2023). "MVP RICKEYYYYYY !!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 16, 2023– via Twitter.
  16. ↑ @4thandsaturday (December 23, 2024). "Myrtle Beach Bowl MVP Owen McCown" (Tweet). Retrieved December 23, 2024– via Twitter.
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