Armed Forces Bowl

The Armed Forces Bowl, formerly the Fort Worth Bowl from 2003 to 2005, is an annual postseason college football bowl game. First played in 2003, the game is normally held at the 45,000-seat Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. The 2010 and 2011 editions were instead played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, when Amon G. Carter Stadium underwent a reconstruction project. The game features teams from a variety of collegiate football conferences; in addition, the independent United States Military Academy (Army) is also eligible to participate. Since 2014, the game has been sponsored by Lockheed Martin and officially known as the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Previous sponsors include Bell Helicopter (2006–2013) and PlainsCapital Bank (2003–2004).

Armed Forces Bowl
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
StadiumAmon G. Carter Stadium
LocationFort Worth, Texas
Previous stadiumsGerald J. Ford Stadium (2010–2011)
Previous locationsUniversity Park, Texas (2010–2011)
Operated2003–present
Conference tie-insBig 12 (2014, 2016, 2018)
Big Ten (2015, 2017, 2019)
American (2014, 2018)
MWC (2015, 2019)
Navy (2016)
Army (2017)[1]
PayoutUS$1.35 million (2019 season)[2]
Sponsors
PlainsCapital Bank (2003–2004)
Bell Helicopter (2006–2013)
Lockheed Martin (2014–present)
Former names
PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl (2003–2004)
Fort Worth Bowl (2005)
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (2006–2013)
2018 matchup
Army vs. Houston (Army 70–14)
2019 season matchup
Tulane vs. Southern Miss (Tulane 30–13)

The contest is one of 14 bowls produced by ESPN Events (previously ESPN Regional Television) and has been televised annually on ESPN since its inception. Armed Forces Insurance is the official Insurance Partner of the Armed Forces Bowl and has sponsored the Great American Patriot Award, presented at halftime at the bowl, since 2006.[3]

History

The bowl was first played in December 2003, featuring two ranked teams, No. 18 Boise State and No. 19 TCU. It was the only edition to include a ranked team (per the AP Poll) until No. 22 Army played in December 2018.

In 2010 and 2011 when Amon G. Carter Stadium underwent a reconstruction project, the bowl was moved to Gerald J. Ford Stadium in nearby University Park, Texas.

Through the December 2018 playing, one of the three FBS-playing service academies (Army, Navy, and Air Force) has appeared in the game ten times. Contractual tie-ins with the American Athletic Conference (home of Navy), the Mountain West Conference (home of Air Force) and independent Army assures that one of those schools could appear in the game every year, if bowl-eligible and not already committed to another bowl.

The 2018 game, between Army and Houston, was the first sellout in the bowl's 16-year history.[4]

Sponsorship

The bowl game was inaugurated in 2003 as the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl, reflecting the sponsorship of PlainsCapital Bank. The bank's sponsorship ended after the 2004 edition,[5] and the 2005 game was staged without corporate sponsorship.

In 2006, Fort Worth based Bell Helicopter Textron took over sponsorship, and thus the game became officially known as the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.[6] The Bell sponsorship ended after the 2013 edition.[7] During this time, the 2010 and 2011 Armed Forces Bowl were held at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the campus of Southern Methodist University in the Dallas enclave of University Park, while Amon G. Carter Stadium was undergoing a major renovation. The game returned to Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth in 2012, after construction on that stadium was completed.

Alltel was to assume the title sponsorship and naming rights to the game beginning in 2014, which would have been titled the Alltel Wireless Bowl to promote its mobile division, but the deal fell through. Instead, Lockheed Martin became the game's sponsor.[7] The company has a major presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex: the company's Lockheed Martin Aeronautics division is based in Fort Worth while its Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control division is based in nearby Grand Prairie. In December 2018, Lockheed Martin extended its sponsorship though 2025.[8]

Conference tie-ins

The bowl's partnership with the Big 12 Conference ended with the 2005 season. From 2006 to 2009, the Mountain West Conference was signed to provide a team to face either a team from the Pacific-10 Conference or Conference USA (depending on the year; Pac-10 teams would play in odd number years while C-USA teams would play in even numbered years). As such, the 2006 and 2008 games featured Conference USA teams Tulsa and Houston, respectively, whereas California represented the Pac-10 in 2007. The Pac-10 was unable to send a representative to the game in 2009, so Conference USA sent Houston to the game for a second consecutive year. In 2010, since the Mountain West did not have enough eligible teams and Army was bowl eligible, they played SMU in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Following the 2013 football season, the Armed Forces Bowl signed multi-year agreements with the American Athletic Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Mountain West Conference, Army and Navy to set bowl match-ups for the next six seasons (Navy would later join the American Athletic Conference).[1]

SeasonPlannedActual
2014*The AmericanBig 12The AmericanACC
2015Mountain WestBig TenMountain WestPac-12
2016NavyBig 12NavyC-USA
2017ArmyBig TenArmyMountain West
2018The AmericanBig 12The AmericanArmy
2019*Mountain WestBig TenThe AmericanC-USA

Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.

Game results
Air Force Falcons on offense at the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl

Rankings are based on the AP Poll prior to the game being played.

Date played Bowl name Winning team Losing team Attnd.
December 23, 2003Fort Worth BowlNo. 18 Boise State34No. 19 TCU3138,028
December 23, 2004Fort Worth BowlCincinnati32Marshall1427,902
December 23, 2005Fort Worth BowlKansas42Houston1333,505
December 23, 2006Armed Forces BowlUtah25Tulsa1332,412
December 31, 2007Armed Forces BowlCalifornia42Air Force3640,905
December 31, 2008Armed Forces BowlHouston34Air Force2841,127
December 31, 2009Armed Forces BowlAir Force47Houston2041,414
December 30, 2010Armed Forces BowlArmy16SMU1436,742
December 30, 2011Armed Forces BowlBYU24Tulsa2130,258
December 29, 2012Armed Forces BowlRice33Air Force1440,754
December 30, 2013Armed Forces BowlNavy24Middle Tennessee639,246
January 2, 2015Armed Forces BowlHouston35Pittsburgh3437,888
December 29, 2015Armed Forces BowlCalifornia55Air Force3638,915
December 23, 2016Armed Forces BowlLouisiana Tech48Navy4540,542
December 23, 2017Armed Forces BowlArmy42San Diego State3535,986
December 22, 2018Armed Forces BowlNo. 22 Army70Houston1444,738
January 4, 2020Armed Forces BowlTulane30Southern Miss1338,513

MVPs

An MVP is named from each team.

Date Winning team MVP Losing team MVP
Player Team Position Player Team Position
December 23, 2003Ryan DinwiddieBoise StateQBBrandon HassellTCUQB
December 23, 2004Gino GuidugliCincinnatiQBJosh DavisMarshallWR
December 23, 2005Jason SwansonKansasQBKevin KolbHoustonQB
December 23, 2006Louie SakodaUtahP/KPaul SmithTulsaQB
December 31, 2007Kevin RileyCaliforniaQBShaun CarneyAir ForceQB
December 31, 2008Bryce BeallHoustonRBJared TewAir ForceFB
December 31, 2009Asher ClarkAir ForceRBTyron CarrierHoustonWR
December 30, 2010Stephen AndersonArmyLBDarius JohnsonSMUWR
December 30, 2011Cody HoffmanBYUWRDexter McCoilTulsaDB
December 29, 2012Jordan TaylorRiceWRAustin NiklaasAir ForceLB
December 30, 2013Keenan ReynoldsNavyQBT. T. BarberMiddle TennesseeLB
January 2, 2015Kenneth FarrowHoustonRBChad VoytikPittsburghQB
December 29, 2015Jared GoffCaliforniaQBKarson RobertsAir ForceQB
December 23, 2016Trent TaylorLouisiana TechWRZach AbeyNavyQB
December 23, 2017Ahmad BradshawArmyQBRashaad PennySan Diego StateRB
December 22, 2018Kelvin Hopkins Jr.ArmyQBRomello BrookerHoustonTE
January 4, 2020Justin McMillanTulaneQBQuez WatkinsSouthern MissWR

Source: [9]

Most appearances
Air Force Falcons quarterback Shea Smith in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl

Updated through the January 2020 edition (17 games, 34 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances
Rank Team Appearances Record
T1Houston52–3
T1Air Force51–4
3Army33–0
T4California22–0
T4Navy21–1
T4Tulsa20–2
Teams with a single appearance

Won: Boise State, BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas, Louisiana Tech, Rice, Tulane, Utah
Lost: Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Pittsburgh, San Diego State, SMU, Southern Miss, TCU

Appearances by conference

Updated through the January 2020 edition (17 games, 34 total appearances).

Conference Record Appearances by season
Games W L Win pct. Won Lost
C-USA12480.3332004, 2008, 2012, 20162003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019*
Mountain West7250.2862006, 20092007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017
Independents5501.0002010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018 
The American4220.5002014*, 2019*2016, 2018
Pac-122201.0002007, 2015 
Big 121101.0002005 
WAC1101.0002003 
ACC1010.000 2014*
MAC1010.000 2004
  • Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.
  • Independent appearances: Army (2010, 2017, 2018), BYU (2011), Navy (2013).
  • Pac-12 record includes appearances when the conference was known as the Pac-10 (before 2011).
  • The WAC no longer sponsors football.

Game records
Team Record, Team vs. Opponent Year
Most points scored (one team) 70, Army vs. Houston 2018
Most points scored (losing team) 45, Navy vs. Louisiana Tech 2016
Most points scored (both teams) 93, Louisiana Tech (48) vs. Navy (45) 2016
Fewest points allowed 6, Navy vs. Middle Tennessee 2013
Largest margin of victory 56, Army (70) vs. Houston (14) 2018
Total yards 592, Army vs. Houston 2018
Rushing yards 507, Army vs. Houston 2018
Passing yards 467, California vs. Air Force 2015
First downs 31, shared by:
Louisiana Tech vs. Navy
Army vs. San Diego State
2016
2017
Fewest yards allowed 134, Cincinnati vs. Marshall 2004
Fewest rushing yards allowed –3, Cincinnati vs. Marshall 2004
Fewest passing yards allowed 6, San Diego State vs. Army 2017
Individual Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Total yards
Touchdowns (all-purpose)5, Kelvin Hopkins Jr., Army vs. Houston2018
Rushing yards221, Rashaad Penny, San Diego State vs. Army2017
Rushing touchdowns5, Kelvin Hopkins Jr., Army vs. Houston2018
Passing yards467, Jared Goff, California vs. Air Force2015
Passing touchdowns6, Jared Goff, California vs. Air Force2015
Receiving yards233, Trent Taylor, Louisiana Tech vs. Navy2016
Receiving touchdowns3, most recently:
Kenny Lawler, California vs. Air Force
2015
Tackles23, Marcus McGraw, Houston vs. Air Force2009
Sacks3.5, James Nachtigal, Army vs. Houston2018
Interceptions3, Anthony Wright, Air Force vs. Houston2009
Long Plays Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent Year
Touchdown run81, Rashaad Penny, San Diego State vs. Army2018
Touchdown pass64, Zach Abey to Darryl Bonner, Navy vs. Louisiana Tech2016
Kickoff return100, Jonathan Warzeka, Air Force vs. Houston2009
Punt return85, Brian Murph, Kansas vs. Houston2005
Interception return38, Josh Jackson, Army vs. SMU2010
Fumble return55, Josh McNary, Army vs. SMU2010
Punt60, most recently:
Logan Piper, Houston vs. Pittsburgh
2014
Field goal52, Chris Blewitt, Pittsburgh vs. Houston2014

Source: [10]

Media coverage
Main article: List of Armed Forces Bowl broadcasters

The bowl has been televised on ESPN since its inception.

References
  1. "The Matchup". armedforcesbowl.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
  2. "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  3. "Great American Patriot Award". armedforcesbowl.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  4. "Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Sold Out". Armed Forces Bowl. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  5. Schmadtke, Alan (August 2, 2005). "Conference USA: The Beat". Orlando Sentinel. p. D5. Retrieved December 23, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "New name". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. August 24, 2006. p. 16. Retrieved December 23, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  7. "Lockheed Martin Corp. Takes Over as Armed Forces Title Sponsor". The Oklahoman. February 8, 2014. p. 7B. Retrieved December 23, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "Lockheed Martin Extends Title Sponsorship of Armed Forces Bowl for Six Years". armedforcesbowl.com (Press release). December 21, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  9. "Our History – Past MVPs". armedforcesbowl.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  10. 2018 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Program. Armed Forces Bowl.
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