68 Ventures Bowl

68 Ventures Bowl
StadiumHancock Whitney Stadium
LocationMobile, Alabama
Previous stadiumsLadd–Peebles Stadium
Operated1999–present
Conference tie-insSun Belt, MAC
Previous conference tie-insACC, C-USA, WAC
PayoutUS$1.5 million (2019 season)
Website68venturesbowl.com
Sponsors
Former names
  • Mobile Alabama Bowl (1999, May–Nov. 2019)
  • GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl (2000)
  • GMAC Bowl (2001–2010)
  • GoDaddy.com Bowl (2011–2013)
  • GoDaddy Bowl (2014–2015)
  • Dollar General Bowl (2016–2018)
  • LendingTree Bowl (2019–2022)
2025 matchup
Louisiana vs. Delaware (Delaware 20–13)

The 68 Ventures Bowl is a postseason NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that has been played annually in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. In 2021, the game was moved from Ladd–Peebles Stadium to Hancock Whitney Stadium, on the campus of the University of South Alabama. The game currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference. Originally known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl during its first two editions, it has since undergone numerous name changes.

History

The game was known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl for its first two playings, in 1999 and 2000. GMAC (now Ally Financial) had become the title sponsor for the 2000 playing, and the game was renamed as the GMAC Bowl for the 2001 though January 2010 playings. It was then the GoDaddy.com Bowl for the January 2011 to January 2013 playings when GoDaddy took over sponsorship. In May 2013, it was announced that the ".com" would be dropped from the bowl's name, rebranding it as the GoDaddy Bowl for the January 2014 through December 2015 editions. Dollar General took over sponsorship on August 17, 2016, with the 2016 through 2018 playings branded as the Dollar General Bowl. It was announced on May 29, 2019, that Dollar General would no longer sponsor the bowl. It was temporarily called by its original name, the Mobile Alabama Bowl, until new sponsorship by LendingTree was announced on November 15, 2019, making it the LendingTree Bowl. On May 15, 2023, the game was renamed as the 68 Ventures Bowl for its new sponsor, Daphne based 68 Ventures, a real estate investment company.

When the bowl first began, it was played as one of the first games of the bowl season in December. The 2006 season saw the game moved to January, and it served as one of the last bowls played before the national championship game of either the Bowl Championship Series or the College Football Playoff. For the 2015 season, the bowl was moved back to December, where it remained for every subsequent playing except for the 2019 season.

Conference tie-ins

From 1999 to 2009, the bowl pitted a Conference USA (C-USA) team against a team from the Mid-American Conference (MAC), except for the first two playings, when the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) could receive the bid if one of its easternmost teams qualified as bowl eligible.

For the January 2010 edition, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) was to participate in the bowl as its ninth bowl tie-in. The ACC failed to have sufficient bowl-eligible teams to fill the slot, and the bowl chose Sun Belt Conference champion Troy as a replacement. A MAC vs. Sun Belt matchup was then featured for a total of 11 consecutive bowls, through the January 2020 edition. That streak was broken when the December 2020 edition invited teams from C-USA and the Sun Belt. After Arkansas State of the Sun Belt appeared in the 2012 through 2015 editions of the bowl, the conference and bowl committee agreed on changing the team selection bylaws to avoid repeat appearances by teams in consecutive years.[citation needed]

Notable games

Game results

Date Bowl name Winning team Losing team Attnd. Ref.
December 22, 1999Mobile Alabama BowlTCU28East Carolina1434,200
December 20, 2000Mobile Alabama BowlSouthern Miss28TCU2140,300
December 19, 2001GMAC BowlMarshall64East Carolina61 (2OT)40,139
December 18, 2002GMAC BowlMarshall38Louisville1540,646
December 18, 2003GMAC BowlMiami (Ohio)49Louisville2840,620
December 22, 2004GMAC BowlBowling Green52Memphis3529,500
December 21, 2005GMAC BowlToledo45UTEP1335,422
January 7, 2007GMAC BowlSouthern Miss28Ohio728,706
January 6, 2008GMAC BowlTulsa63Bowling Green736,932
January 6, 2009GMAC BowlTulsa45Ball State1332,816
January 6, 2010GMAC BowlCentral Michigan44Troy41 (2OT)34,486
January 6, 2011GoDaddy.com BowlMiami (Ohio)35Middle Tennessee2138,168
January 8, 2012GoDaddy.com BowlNorthern Illinois38Arkansas State2038,734
January 6, 2013GoDaddy.com BowlArkansas State17Kent State1337,913
January 5, 2014GoDaddy BowlArkansas State23Ball State2036,119
January 4, 2015GoDaddy BowlToledo63Arkansas State4436,811
December 23, 2015GoDaddy BowlGeorgia Southern58Bowling Green2728,656
December 23, 2016Dollar General BowlTroy28Ohio2332,377
December 23, 2017Dollar General BowlAppalachian State34Toledo028,706
December 22, 2018Dollar General BowlTroy42Buffalo3231,818
January 6, 2020LendingTree BowlLouisiana27Miami (Ohio)1729,212
December 26, 2020LendingTree BowlGeorgia State39Western Kentucky21  5,128
December 18, 2021LendingTree BowlLiberty56Eastern Michigan2015,186
December 17, 2022LendingTree BowlSouthern Miss38Rice2420,512
December 23, 202368 Ventures BowlSouth Alabama59Eastern Michigan1020,926
December 26, 202468 Ventures BowlArkansas State38Bowling Green3119,582
December 17, 202568 Ventures BowlDelaware20Louisiana1317,234

Source:

MVPs

Date playedMVPSchoolPosition
December 22, 1999Casey PrintersTCUQB
December 20, 2000LaDainian TomlinsonTCURB
December 19, 2001Byron LeftwichMarshallQB
December 18, 2002Byron LeftwichMarshallQB
December 18, 2003Ben RoethlisbergerMiami (OH)QB
December 22, 2004Omar JacobsBowling GreenQB
December 21, 2005Bruce GradkowskiToledoQB
January 7, 2007Damion FletcherSouthern MissRB
January 6, 2008Paul SmithTulsaQB
January 6, 2009Tarrion AdamsTulsaRB
January 6, 2010Dan LeFevourCentral MichiganQB
January 6, 2011Austin BoucherMiami (OH)QB
January 8, 2012Chandler HarnishNorthern IllinoisQB
January 6, 2013Ryan AplinArkansas StateQB
January 5, 2014Fredi KnightenArkansas StateQB
January 4, 2015Kareem HuntToledoRB
December 23, 2015Favian UpshawGeorgia SouthernQB
December 23, 2016Justin LucasTroyLB
December 23, 2017Jalin MooreAppalachian StateRB
December 22, 2018Sawyer SmithTroyQB
January 6, 2020Levi LewisLouisianaQB
December 26, 2020Cornelious Brown IVGeorgia StateQB
December 18, 2021Malik WillisLibertyQB
December 17, 2022Frank Gore Jr.Southern MissRB
December 23, 2023Gio LopezSouth AlabamaQB
December 26, 2024Jaylen RaynorArkansas StateQB
December 26, 2024Justin ParksArkansas StateS
December 26, 2024Courtney JacksonArkansas StatePR/WR
December 17, 2025Jo SilverDelawareRB

Most appearances

Updated through the December 2025 edition (27 games, 54 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances
Rank Team Appearances Record
1Arkansas State53–2
2Bowling Green41–3
3Southern Miss33–0
Miami (OH)32–1
Toledo32–1
Troy32–1
7Marshall22–0
Tulsa22–0
Louisiana21–1
TCU21–1
Ball State20–2
East Carolina20–2
Eastern Michigan20–2
Louisville20–2
Ohio20–2
Teams with a single appearance

Won (8): Appalachian State, Central Michigan, Delaware, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Liberty, Northern Illinois, South Alabama
Lost (7): Buffalo, Kent State, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, Rice, UTEP, Western Kentucky

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2025 edition (27 games, 54 total appearances).

Conference Record Appearances by season
Games W L Win pct. Won Lost
MAC22913.409 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009*, 2010*, 2011*, 2014* 2006*, 2007*, 2008*, 2012*, 2013*, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019*, 2021, 2023, 2024
Sun Belt16115.688 2012*, 2013*, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019*, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 2009*, 2010*, 2011*, 2014*, 2025
CUSA1358.385 2000, 2006*, 2007*, 2008*, 2025 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2020, 2022
WAC211.500 1999 2000
Independent1101.000 2021  

Game records

Team Record, Team vs. Opponent Year
Most points scored (one team) 64, Marshall vs. East Carolina 2001
Most points scored (losing team) 61, East Carolina vs. Marshall 2001
Most points scored (both teams) 125, Marshall vs. East Carolina 2001
Fewest points allowed 0, Appalachian State vs. Toledo 2017
Largest margin of victory 56, Tulsa vs. Bowling Green 2008
Total yards 649, Marshall vs. East Carolina 2001
Rushing yards 482, Tulsa vs. Ball State 2009
Passing yards 576, Marshall vs. East Carolina 2001
First downs 36, Marshall vs. East Carolina 2001
Fewest yards allowed 146, Appalachian State vs. Toledo 2017
Fewest rushing yards allowed –16, TCU vs. East Carolina 1999
Fewest passing yards allowed 73, South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan 2023
Individual Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
All-purpose yards566, Byron Leftwich (Marshall)2001
Touchdowns (all-purpose)5, Kareem Hunt (Toledo)Jan. 2015
Rushing yards329, Frank Gore Jr. (Southern Miss)2022
Rushing touchdowns5, Kareem Hunt (Toledo)Jan. 2015
Passing yards576, Byron Leftwich (Marshall)2001
Passing touchdowns5, most recent:
Fredi Knighten (Arkansas State)
Jan. 2015
Receptions17, Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green)2024
Receiving yards234, Denero Marriott (Marshall)2001
Receiving touchdowns3, most recent:
Booker Mays (Arkansas State)
Jan. 2015
Tackles17, Chris Chamberlain (Tulsa)2008
Sacks3, most recent:
Daylen Gill (Southern Miss)		2022
Interceptions2, Toran Davis (Ohio)2016
Long plays Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Touchdown run88 yds., Lionel Gates (Louisville)2003
Touchdown pass79 yds., Jaylen Raynor to Corey Rucker (Arkansas State)2024
Kickoff return95 yds., Antonio Brown (Central Michigan)2010
Punt return60 yds., Courtney Jackson (Arkansas State)2024
Interception return94 yds., Money Hunter (Arkansas State)Jan. 2015
Fumble return93 yds., Tyrone Hill (Buffalo)2018
Punt65 yds., Britt Barefoot (Southern Miss) †
73 yds., Joseph Davidson (Bowling Green)		2007
Dec. 2015
Field goal49 yds., Jesús Gómez (Eastern Michigan)2023

Source:
† While listed in the record book as the bowl's longest punt, contemporary box scores indicate the longest punt happened in the December 2015 game.

Media coverage

The bowl has been televised on ESPN or ESPN2 since its inception.

References

  1. ↑ "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. ↑ "GODADDY.COM JOINS COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL LINEUP". October 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2010 – via Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Inabinett, Mark (May 15, 2013). "GoDaddy Bowl tweaks name, sets date for 2014 game". AL.com/mobile. Mobile Press-Register. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  4. ↑ Stephenson, Creg (August 17, 2016). "Dollar General takes over as title sponsor of Mobile bowl game". AL.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Mobile's college bowl game no longer called 'Dollar General Bowl'". WKRG-TV. May 29, 2019. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Mobile's college bowl game renamed LendingTree Bowl". WPMI-TV. November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  7. ↑ "68 Ventures is New Title Sponsor for Mobile Alabama Bowl". 68venturesbowl.com. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ "ACC adds GMAC Bowl to its postseason lineup : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis". Retrieved May 10, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ↑ "Leftwich throws for 576 yards in 64–61 GMAC Bowl win". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. December 19, 2001. Archived from the original on December 29, 2001.
  10. ↑ Salerno, Cameron (December 24, 2023). "Eastern Michigan-South Alabama brawl: Postgame chaos erupts after sucker punch at 68 Ventures Bowl". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  11. ↑ Bumbaca, Chris (December 24, 2023). "EMU player sucker punches South Alabama player, ignites wild fight after 68 Ventures Bowl". USA Today. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  12. ↑ "1999 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ "2000 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  14. ↑ "2001 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  15. ↑ "2002 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  16. ↑ "2003 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  17. ↑ "2004 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  18. ↑ "2005 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  19. ↑ "2007 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  20. ↑ "2008 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  21. ↑ "2009 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  22. ↑ "2010 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  23. ↑ "2011 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  24. ↑ "2012 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  25. ↑ "2013 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  26. ↑ "2014 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  27. ↑ "2015 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Dec. 2015 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  29. ↑ "2016 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  30. ↑ "2017 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  31. ↑ "2018 Game Recap – LendingTree Bowl". Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Louisiana vs. Miami (OH) - Game Summary". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State - Game Summary". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  34. ↑ Stephenson, Creg (December 18, 2021). "Malik Willis, Liberty rout Eastern Michigan in LendingTree Bowl, 56-20". al.com. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  35. ↑ Busby, Garrett (December 17, 2022). "Gore Jr.'s record night highlights Southern Miss' first bowl victory since 2016". WLBT.com. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Gio Lopez leads South Alabama to 59-10 rout of Eastern Michigan in 68 Ventures Bowl". apnews.com. AP. December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  37. ↑ Stephenson, Creg (December 26, 2024). "Arkansas State holds off Bowling Green in 68 Ventures Bowl, 38-31". al.com. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  38. ↑ Stephenson, Creg (December 17, 2025). "Delaware takes down Louisiana 20-13 in Mobile's 68 Ventures Bowl". al.com. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  39. ↑ "Lending Tree Bowl" (PDF). Bowl/All Star Game Records. NCAA. 2020. p. 13. Retrieved January 3, 2021 – via NCAA.org.
  40. ↑ @JMacDonaldSport (December 26, 2020). "Cornelious Brown is the LendingTree Bowl MVP, Destin Coates is the Offensive MVP, Jontrey Hunter was the Defensive MVP and Noel Ruiz was the Special Teams MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via Twitter.
  41. ↑ @CregStephenson (December 18, 2021). "Malik Willis is your game MVP after accounting for 289 yards & 5 TDs" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via Twitter.
  42. ↑ Busby, Garrett (December 17, 2022). "Gore Jr.'s record night highlights Southern Miss' first bowl victory since 2016". WLBT.com. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Gio Lopez leads South Alabama to rout of Eastern Michigan in 68 Ventures Bowl". triblive.com. AP. December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  44. ↑ "TAKEAWAYS: Arkansas State Win 68 Ventures Bowl Despite Huge Passing Day From Bowling Green". si.com. Sports Illustrated. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  45. ↑ "ed Wolves Top Bowling Green in 68 Ventures Bowl, 38-31". astateredwolves.com. Arkansas State Athletics. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  46. ↑ "ed Wolves Top Bowling Green in 68 Ventures Bowl, 38-31". astateredwolves.com. Arkansas State Athletics. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  47. ↑ "2018 Dollar General Bowl Highlights". Troy Trojans. December 22, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via YouTube.
  48. ↑ "Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green - Play-By-Play". ESPN.com. December 23, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2024. 4th & 11 at BGSU 19 (6:42 - 2nd) Joseph Davidson punt for 73 yds, downed at the GeoSo 8.
  49. ↑ "LendingTree Bowl Records". LendingTree Game Day Program. LendingTree Bowl Media Relations Department. December 2020. pp. 18–19. Archived from the original on December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via lendingtreebowl.com.
  50. ↑ "Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green - Play-By-Play". ESPN.com. December 23, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2024. 4th & 11 at BGSU 19 (6:42 - 2nd) Joseph Davidson punt for 73 yds, downed at the GeoSo 8.