NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game for NFL draft-eligible college players, held annually in January. The event was founded in 2012 by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Players predominantly, but not exclusively, are from teams within the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
StadiumRose Bowl
LocationPasadena, California
Previous stadiumsHome Depot Center / StubHub Center (2012–2017)
Previous locationsCarson, California (2012–2017)
Operated2012–present
Preceded byTexas vs The Nation
Sponsors
NFL Players Association
2020 matchup
National vs. American (National 30–20)
2021 matchup
Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns

The first six editions of the game were played in Carson, California, at the venue previously known as Home Depot Center and later as StubHub Center. Starting with the 2018 edition, the game has been held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

History

In January 2012, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) founded the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl after sponsoring the Texas vs The Nation game in previous years.[1] The inaugural NFLPA Collegiate Bowl was open to NFL draft-eligible underclassmen players but, beginning with the second annual event, only draft-eligible seniors were allowed to participate.[2][3]

The event was established in part to prepare draft-eligible college football players for a career in the NFL. During the week preceding the game, the NFLPA provides an introduction to the players union and educates players on the business side of an NFL career. Current and former NFL players are invited to attend the week's events to share their NFL experiences with the draft eligible players.[3][2][4] The NFLPA also hosts community-focused events including a youth football clinic.[5]

The 2012 and 2013 games were hosted at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.[3][5] The Home Depot Center was renamed the StubHub Center in June 2013; the venue subsequently hosted the 2014 through 2017 games. In November 2017, bowl organizers announced the game would relocate to the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, effective with the 2018 game.[6] The game was sponsored by AstroTurf in 2012,[2][5] Winnol in 2013,[7] and Panini America in 2014.[8]

The game utilizes some special rules. As of the 2018 edition, a kickoff starts each half (per normal rules), while the second and fourth quarters begin with the team that kicked off the half starting with a first-and-ten at their 25-yard-line. Also, a team trailing by 20 or more points retains possession of the ball following a score.[9]

According to the game's official website, 112 players participated in the 2018 game, representing 84 colleges; 42 players were invited to the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, with 19 selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.[10]

Game results
Dick Vermeil led the National team to victory three times.

Through the 2020 playing of the game, the National team leads the series, 8–1. Coach and score of the winning team are in bold font.

Date National team American team Box
score		 Rosters Video Ref.
CoachScoreCoach
January 21, 2012 Dick Vermeil2014Tom Flores box rosters [5]
January 19, 2013 Dick Vermeil340Herman Edwards box rosters [11]
January 18, 2014 Dick Vermeil3117Dennis Green box rosters [12]
January 17, 2015 Mike Martz170Mike Holmgren box rosters video [13]
January 23, 2016 Mike Martz1817Mike Holmgren box rosters video [14]
January 21, 2017 Mike Martz277Jim Zorn box rosters video [15]
January 20, 2018 Mike Martz230Darrell Green box rosters video [16][17]
January 19, 2019 Mike Tice710Chuck Pagano box rosters video [18][19]
January 18, 2020 Marvin Lewis3020Hue Jackson box rosters video [20][21][22]
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [23]

Source: [10]

MVPs
Troy Apke was MVP of the 2018 game.
YearNamePositionCollege team
2012G. J. KinneQBTulsa
2013Dayne CristQBKansas
2014J. C. CopelandRBLSU
2015Terrell WatsonRBAzusa Pacific (D-II)
2016Andrew BaggettKMissouri
2017Lorenzo JeromeSSaint Francis (FCS)
2018Troy ApkeDBPenn State
2019Wes HillsRBSlippery Rock (D-II)
2020Nick TianoQBChattanooga (FCS)

Source: [10][24]

Broadcasting

In 2012, the inaugural NFLPA Collegiate Bowl was broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.[25] In December 2012, the NFLPA and ESPN signed a multiyear agreement to air the game on the ESPN network.[26] The 2013 game was broadcast on ESPN2 and, as part of the agreement, some of the practices leading up to the event were aired on ESPNU.[2][4] ESPN continued as the broadcaster through the 2016 game. In 2017, the game moved to Fox Sports 1.[27] In 2020, it moved to the NFL Network, the first game in an agreement to run through the 2024.[28]

See also

References
  1. Matt Verderame (19 January 2013). "NFLPA Collegiate Bowl 2013 rosters: Jordan Rodgers and Marquise Goodwin stand out". SB Nation. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  2. Tom Hoffarth (15 January 2013). "Q&A with Dick Vermeil: Former UCLA, NFL coach becomes teacher again with NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. Josh Alper (7 November 2011). "NFLPA will hold pre-draft game in Los Angeles". Reuters. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. Peter Berkes (18 December 2012). "ESPN, NFLPA announce multiyear agreement for Collegiate Bowl". SB Nation. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  5. "National team wins NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". Associated Press. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  6. "NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Moves to the Rose Bowl for Seventh Edition". nflpa.com (Press release). November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  7. "NFLPA Bowl Welcomes Winnol as Presenting Sponsor" (Press release). NFLPA. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  8. "Panini America Teams with NFL Players Association to Become Presenting Sponsor of 2014 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl" (Press release). December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2018 – via prweb.com.
  9. "American vs. National - NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2019 – via YouTube.
  10. "About the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". nflpa.com. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  11. Patrick Vint (20 January 2013). "NFLPA Collegiate Bowl 2013: Dayne Crist named NFLPA Collegiate Bowl MVP". SB Nation. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  12. "J.C. Copeland earns MVP honors at NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". USA Today. Associated Press. January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  13. "Azusa Pacific's Watson stars in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". USA Today. Associated Press. January 17, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  14. "Baggett kicks 6 FGs in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". USA Today. Associated Press. January 23, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  15. "Box Score (Final)" (PDF). nflpa.com. January 21, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  16. "Mike Martz, Darrell Green to Lead Teams at NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". nflpa.com (Press release). January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  17. "Scoring Summary (Final)" (PDF). nflpa.com. January 20, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  18. "CHUCK PAGANO, MIKE TICE NAMED HEAD COACHES OF NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL". collegiate.nflpa.com (Press release). August 28, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  19. "Scoring Summary (Final)" (PDF). nflpa.com. January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  20. "HUE JACKSON, MARVIN LEWIS NAMED HEAD COACHES FOR 2020 NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL". collegiate.nflpa.com (Press release). October 30, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  21. "Getting to Know NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Coach Hue Jackson". nflpa.com. November 22, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2020. Hue Jackson...will serve as head coach of the American Team at the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
  22. "Getting To Know: National Team Collegiate Bowl Coach Marvin Lewis". nflpa.com. November 25, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2020. Marvin Lewis will be back in a head coaching role for the National Team at the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
  23. "Statement On 2021 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Game". nflpa.com (Press release). November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020. After careful consideration, the NFLPA has decided to cancel the 2021 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
  24. @360SportsRep (January 18, 2020). "Great performance tonight at the @NFLPABowl game by @NickTiano which earned him MVP honors!" (Tweet). Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via Twitter.
  25. Liz Mullen (7 December 2011). "NBC Sports Network to carry AstroTurf NFLPA collegiate Bowl". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  26. "Extra points". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. December 19, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  27. "Collegiate Bowl". ESPN. Associated Press. December 2, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  28. "NFLPA Collegiate Bowl to Air Live on NFL Network Through 2024". nflpa.com (Press release). October 16, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
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