Peach Bowl

History

The Peach Bowl was approved by the NCAA on May 1, 1968. The game was created to serve as a fundraiser for the Georgia Lighthouse for the Blind Foundation, a project of the Lions Clubs of Georgia. While the Peach Bowl has been described as "the nation's first charity bowl", it was predated by other such games, such as the Pythian Bowl (1949–1951).

In 1986, following years of lackluster attendance and revenue, the Peach Bowl was taken over by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Seven of the first ten meetings (all but the 1968, 1971, and 1974 games) pitted an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team against an at-large opponent. The bowl had no automatic berths prior to 1993, but usually featured an ACC team or a team from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). From 1993 until 2013, the game matched an SEC team against one from the ACC. From 1993 to 2005, this matchup was the third selection from the ACC against the fourth from the SEC.

Chick-fil-A, a fast food restaurant chain based in nearby College Park, has sponsored the game since 1997. From 2006 until 2013, Chick-fil-A's contract gave it full naming rights and the game was referred to as the Chick-fil-A Bowl as a result. Funds from the sponsorship deal were used to increase payouts for the participating teams. In response, from 2006 to 2014, the ACC gave the committee the first pick of its teams after the BCS—usually the loser of the ACC Championship Game or one of the division runners-up. Also from 2006, the bowl got the fifth overall selection from the SEC (including the BCS). However, the BCS took two SEC schools in every season for the last nine years of its run, leaving the Chick-Fil-A with the sixth pick from the conference—usually one of the division runners-up.

In 2007, the Chick-fil-A Bowl became the best-attended non-BCS bowl for the previous decade. According to Sports Illustrated, although the bowl generated $12.3 million in profit in 2007, only $5.9 million of that was paid out to the participating schools. In October 2009, the bowl extended the ACC contract through 2013. As of 2013, the bowl had been sold out for 17 straight years, the second-longest streak behind only the Rose Bowl Game.

The Peach Bowl ascended to major-bowl status when it was added to the "New Year's Six" bowls starting with the 2014 season, assuring that it would feature major conference champions and/or prestigious runners-up. The traditional "Peach Bowl" name was reinstated following the announcement.

The Peach Bowl has donated more than $32 million to charity since 2016.

Notable games

The 1974 edition is the only Peach Bowl to have ended in a tie, as Texas Tech and Vanderbilt each were limited to two field goals in a 6–6 tie, played before the NCAA used overtime.

The 1976 edition was the first, and to date only, shutout in Peach Bowl history, as Kentucky (21 points) held North Carolina scoreless.

The January 1981 edition, following the 1980 season, was the first Peach Bowl to be held outside of December.

The 2005 edition was the first Peach Bowl to feature two teams that were top-10 ranked. LSU, ranked 10th in both major polls, defeated ninth-ranked Miami, 40–3.

The 2007 edition was the first Peach Bowl to utilize overtime, which Auburn won over Clemson, 23–20. With a 5.09 share (4.92 million households), the 2007 game was the highest-rated ESPN-broadcast bowl game of the 2007–2008 season as well as the highest rated in the game's history. The rating was also higher than two New Year's Day bowls, the Cotton and the Gator.

The 2012 edition set a new record for viewership. The New Year's Eve telecast, a 25–24 Clemson victory over LSU, averaged 8.557 million viewers (a 5.6 household coverage rating), making it ESPN's most-viewed non-BCS bowl ever.

The 2017 season matchup, played January 1, 2018, featured an undefeated UCF playing an Auburn team that had notched regular-season wins over both national championship contenders, Georgia and Alabama (the eventual 2018 College Football Playoff Champion). A 34–27 UCF victory resulted in UCF being the only undefeated team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2017 season. As such, UCF was selected as the 2017 national champions by one NCAA recognized selector and thus claims a share of the 2017 national championship.

The 2019 edition saw LSU score 63 points, a Peach Bowl record that still stands, while defeating Oklahoma (28 points) en route to the national championship.

The January 2025 edition, following the 2024 season, was the second Peach Bowl to require overtime play, with Texas defeating Arizona State, 39–31, in double-overtime.

Statistics

• Ninth-oldest bowl game in college football history.
• A then-Georgia Dome attendance record of 75,406 set in 2006 (Georgia vs. Virginia Tech).
• 17 straight sellouts (1998–2013).
• Highest-attended non-BCS bowl game.
• More than $125 million in cumulative payout (through the 2013 season).

Game results

All rankings are taken from the AP poll (inaugurated in 1936), before each game was played. Italics denote a tie game.

EDITORS: Above table uses AP poll rankings, prior to the game being played.

Source: : Denotes College Football Playoff quarterfinal game : Denotes College Football Playoff semifinal game

Most Outstanding Players

Offensive and defensive Most Outstanding Players are selected for each game; from 1989 through 1998, selections were made for both teams.

The trophy is named the 'S. Truett Cathy Most Outstanding Player' award in honor of the founder of Chick-fil-A.

Most appearances

Updated through the January 2026 edition (58 games, 116 total appearances).

;Teams with multiple appearances

;Teams with a single appearance Won (11): Alabama, Army, Baylor, East Carolina, Houston, Michigan State, Syracuse, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCF Lost (11): Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Washington Tied (2): Texas Tech, Vanderbilt

Appearances by conference

Updated through the January 2026 edition (58 games, 116 total appearances).

• Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.
• Records are based on a team's conference affiliation at the time the game was played.
• Conferences that are defunct or no longer active in FBS are marked in italics.
  • SWC and Big Eight appearances were prior to the 1996 merger of four Southwest Conference schools and eight Big Eight schools, which created the Big 12.
  • The WAC no longer sponsors FBS football.
• Independent appearances: Army (1985), East Carolina (1991*), Florida State (1968, 1983), Georgia Tech (1971, 1978), Miami (FL) (1980*), Syracuse (1989), Virginia Tech (1980*, 1986), West Virginia (1969, 1972, 1975, 1981)
• The game following the 1980 season, played in January 1981, was contested between two independent programs.
• The game following the 2025 season, played in January 2026, was contested between two Big Ten programs.

Game records

Source:

Battle for Bowl Week

Battle for Bowl Week has the teams compete in events during the week leading up to the game. Events in 2021 included a basketball challenge and go-kart racing. From 2011 to 2023, the winner of the Battle for Bowl Week won the game eight of thirteen times.

References

References

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2. "About the 12-Team College Football Playoff Format".
3. Hauck, Allen. (May 2, 1968). "Lions Given Okay On Grid Bowl Here". [[The Atlanta Constitution]].
4. (September 2009). "George Crumbley Jr. Obituary". Legacy.com.
5. Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. (21 December 2015). "Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation Celebrates 47-Year Partnership with Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl".
6. (2015-08-12). "History".
7. Murphy, Austin, and Dan Wetzel, "Does It Matter?", ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', 15 November 2010, p. 45.
8. (15 February 2014). "Chick-fil-A Bowl Achieves Earliest Sellout in its History".
9. Tim Tucker. (April 18, 2014). "Chick-fil-A Bowl will restore 'Peach' to its name". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
10. "Chick-Fil-A Bowl adds 'Peach' back to name after playoff inclusion".
11. "Bowl complies with new playoff".
12. Hobson, Will. "He runs one amateur football game per year. He makes more than $1 million - NY Daily News".
13. (2007-12-31). "Auburn uses new spread offense, defeats Clemson for bowl win". ESPN.
14. Matthew Zemek. (2008-01-01). "Burns shows how bright future is for Tigers". Fox Sports.
15. (2008-01-08). "Chick-fil-A Bowl a ratings success as game sets records". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
16. Thamel, Pete. (2008-01-02). "Marquee Mismatches: Blame the System". [[The New York Times]].
17. "Viewership Increases for ESPN Bowl Games".
18. "NCAA Bowls: Clemson/LSU Hits Record-High on ESPN; Music City, Liberty Bowls Down". Sports Media Watch.
19. "Peach Bowl score: Perfection achieved as UCF upsets Auburn, completes 13-0 season".
20. Romero, Iliana Limón. (August 25, 2018). "UCF officially listed among national champions in 2018 NCAA record book".
21. (2015-12-31). "Did You Know/General FAQ". Cvent.
22. (2014-12-31). "No sellout, no problem for Peach Bowl". AJC.
23. (December 3, 2007). "Company not chicken about bowl spending".
24. (2015). "Bowl/All Star Game Records".
25. (2020). "Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl". NCAA.
26. (2015-08-12). "Record Book".
27. "Battle for Bowl Week". Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.