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Thursday, December 11, 2025
College football bowl game history: Notable records to know

By Keith Jenkins

The Alabama Crimson Tide have won more bowl games than any other college football team.

'Tis the season for an abundance of bowl games.

College football's very first bowl game was the Rose Bowl in 1902. Michigan blew out Stanford 49-0 on New Year's Day. Though the College Football Playoff games headline the modern postseason landscape, a myriad FBS bowl games will also flood the airwaves during the holidays and put an exclamation point on another action-packed season.

Whether it's long returns or high-scoring games, many of college football's most eye-popping statistical feats have happened during bowl season. Take a look at some of the most notable records in bowl game history below:

Most bowl game appearances

Alabama, 78

Georgia, 63

Texas, 60

Most bowl game victories

Alabama, 45

Georgia, 38

USC, 35

Most total points in a bowl game

125 - Marshall def. East Carolina 64-61, 2001 GMAC Bowl

Fewest total points in a bowl game

0 (four times) - most recently Air Force vs. TCU, 1959 Cotton Bowl

Most total points in first half of a bowl game

76 - Virginia Tech (45) vs. Tulsa (31), 2015 Independence Bowl

Most total points in second half of a bowl game

84 - Idaho�(41) vs. Colorado State�(43), 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Most total touchdowns scored in a bowl game

17 - Washington (8) vs. Baylor (9), 2011 Alamo Bowl

Most total yards in a bowl game

1,397 - Washington (620) vs. Baylor (777), 2011 Alamo Bowl

Most total first downs in a bowl game

70 - Arizona (31) vs. Nevada (39), 2012 New Mexico Bowl

Most total rushing yards in a bowl game

889 - Baylor (645) vs. North Carolina (244), 2015 Russell Athletics Bowl

Most total rushing touchdowns in a bowl game

12 - Texas Tech (6) vs. Air Force (6), 1995 Copper Bowl

Most total passing yards in a bowl game

971 - Western Kentucky (486) vs. Central Michigan (485), 2014 Bahamas Bowl

Most total passing touchdowns in a bowl game

12 - Western Kentucky (5) vs. Central Michigan (7), 2014 Bahamas Bowl

Most total interceptions thrown in a bowl game

12 - Auburn (4) vs. Arizona (8), 1968 Sun Bowl

Most total fumbles lost in a bowl game

9 - Alabama (3) vs. Ole Miss (6), 1964 Sugar Bowl (17 combined fumbles are also a bowl record)

Most total field goals made in a bowl game

8 - Notre Dame (5) vs. Rutgers (3), 2013 Pinstripe Bowl

Most total punts in a bowl game

28 (twice) - Santa Clara (14) vs. LSU (14), 1938 Sugar Bowl; Rice (13) vs. Tennessee (15), 1947 Orange Bowl

Most total penalties in a bowl game

29 (three times) - 1999 Peach Bowl; 1997 Sugar Bowl; 1976 Independence Bowl

Most total penalty yards in a bowl game

315 - Kansas (216) vs. UNLV (99), 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Most points by a team in a bowl game

70 (twice) - West Virginia vs. Clemson, 2012 Orange Bowl; Army vs. Houston, 2018 Armed Forces Bowl

Most points by a team in a bowl game loss

61 - East Carolina vs. Marshall, 2001 GMAC Bowl

Fewest points by a team in a bowl game win

2 - Fordham vs. Missouri, 1942 Sugar Bowl

Most points by a team in first half of a bowl game

56 - Auburn vs. Purdue, 2018 Music City Bowl

Most points by a team in second half/overtime of a bowl game

56 - Marshall vs. East Carolina, 2001 GMAC Bowl

Most points by a team in a single quarter of a bowl game

36 - Colorado State vs. Idaho, fourth quarter of 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Most touchdowns by a team in a bowl game

10 (twice) - Nebraska vs. Northwestern, 2000 Alamo Bowl; West Virginia vs Clemson, 2012 Orange Bowl

Largest margin of victory in a bowl game

60 points - Georgia 63-3 vs. Florida State, 2023 Orange Bowl

Largest comeback win in a bowl game

31 points (twice) - Texas Tech (trailed 38-7) vs. Minnesota, 2006 Insight Bowl; TCU (trailed 31-0) vs. Oregon, 2016 Alamo Bowl

Most total yards by a team in a bowl game

777 - Baylor vs. Washington, 2011 Alamo Bowl

Most first downs by a team in a bowl game

39 - Nevada vs. Arizona, 2012 New Mexico Bowl

Most rushing attempts by a team in a bowl game

87 (twice) - Army vs. San Diego State, 2017 Armed Forces Bowl; Oklahoma vs. Auburn, 1972 Sugar Bowl

Most rushing yards by a team in a bowl game

645 - Baylor vs. North Carolina, 2015 Russell Athletic Bowl

Most rushing touchdowns by a team in a bowl game

8 (three times) - Army vs. Houston, 2018 Armed Forces Bowl; Baylor vs. Washington, 2011 Alamo Bowl; Centre vs. TCU, 1921 Fort Worth Classic

Fewest rushing yards by a team in a bowl game

minus-66 - Middle Tennessee vs. San Diego State, 2022 Hawaii Bowl

Most passing yards by a team in a bowl game

601 - Baylor vs. Michigan State, 2015 Cotton Bowl

Fewest passing yards by a team in a bowl game

minus-50 - UNAM Pumas (Mexico) vs. Southwestern (Texas), 1945 Sun Bowl

Most passing touchdowns by a team in a bowl game

7 (twice) - LSU vs. Oklahoma, 2019 Peach Bowl; Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky, 2014 Bahamas Bowl

Most pass attempts by a team in a bowl game

78 - Northwestern vs. Auburn, 2010 Outback Bowl

Fewest pass attempts by a team in a bowl game

1 - Navy vs. Virginia, 2017 Military Bowl

Most completions by a team in a bowl game

47 - Northwestern vs. Auburn, 2010 Outback Bowl

Fewest completions by a team in a bowl game

0 (15 times) - Most recently Navy vs. Virginia, 2017 Military Bowl

Most interceptions thrown by a team in a bowl game

8 - Arizona vs. Auburn, 1968 Sun Bowl

Most fumbles by a team in a bowl game

11 - Ole Miss vs. Alabama, 1964 Sugar Bowl

Most fumbles lost by a team in a bowl game

6 (six times) - Most recently Tulsa vs. Georgia Tech, 2004 Humanitarian Bowl

Most field goals made by a team in a bowl game

6 - Memphis vs.�Penn State, 2019 Cotton Bowl

Most punts by a team in a bowl game

17 - Duke vs. USC, 1939 Rose Bowl

Most penalties by a team in a bowl game

21 - Mississippi State vs. Clemson, 1999 Peach Bowl

Most penalty yards by a team in a bowl game

216 - Kansas vs. UNLV, 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Most yards of total offense by a player in a bowl game

594 yards - Ty Detmer (BYU) vs. Penn State, 1989 Holiday Bowl

Most touchdowns responsible for by a player in a bowl game

8 - Joe Burrow (LSU) vs. Oklahoma, 2019 Peach Bowl

Most touchdowns by a player in a bowl game

5 (15 times) - Most recently Rickey Hunt Jr. (Ohio) vs. Georgia Southern, 2023 Myrtle Beach

Most rushing attempts by a player in a bowl game

46 - Ron Jackson (Tulsa) vs. San Diego State, 1991 Freedom Bowl

Most rushing yards by a player in a bowl game

329 - Frank Gore Jr. (Southern Miss) vs. Rice, 2022 Lending Tree Bowl

Most rushing yards by a quarterback in a bowl game

229 - Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) vs. Oklahoma, 2013 Cotton Bowl

Most rushing touchdowns by a player in a bowl game

5 (seven times) - Most recently by Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State) vs. North Texas, 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl

Most pass attempts by a player in a bowl game

78 - Mike Kafka (Northwestern) vs. Auburn, 2010 Outback Bowl

Most completions by a player in a bowl game

47 - Mike Kafka (Northwestern) vs. Auburn, 2010 Outback Bowl

Most consecutive completions by a player in a bowl game

19 - Mike Bobo (Georgia) vs. Wisconsin, 1998 Outback Bowl

Most passing yards by a player in a bowl game

576 (twice) - Byron Leftwich (Marshall) vs. East Carolina, 2001 GMAC Bowl; Ty Detmer (BYU) vs. Penn State, 1989 Holiday Bowl

Most passing touchdowns by a player in a bowl game

7 (twice) - Joe Burrow (LSU) vs. Oklahoma, 2019 Peach Bowl; Cooper Rush (Central Michigan) vs. Western Kentucky, 2014 Bahamas Bowl

Most interceptions thrown by a player in a bowl game

6 (twice) - Case Keenum (Houston) vs. Air Force, 2009 Armed Forces Bowl; Bruce Lee (Arizona) vs. Auburn, 1968 Sun Bowl

Most receptions by a player in a bowl game

20 (twice) - Norman Jordan (Vanderbilt) vs. Air Force, 1982 Hall of Fame Classic; Walker Gillette (Richmond) vs. Ohio, 1968 Tangerine Bowl

Most receiving yards by a player in a bowl game

347 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) vs. Utah, 2022 Rose Bowl

Most receiving touchdowns by a player in a bowl game

4 (five times) - Most recently by Justin Jefferson (LSU) vs. Oklahoma, 2019 Peach Bowl

Most scrimmage yards by a player in a bowl game

375 - Gartrell Johnson (Colorado State) vs. Fresno State, 2008 New Mexico Bowl (285 rushing, 90 receiving)

Most field goals made by a player in a bowl game

6 - Riley Patterson (Memphis) vs. Penn State, 2019 Cotton Bowl

Most punts by a player in a bowl game

21 - Everett Sweeney (Michigan) vs. Stanford, 1902 Rose Bowl

Most punt return yards by a player in a bowl game

180 - Willie Reid (Florida State) vs. Penn State, 2006 Orange Bowl

Most kickoff return yards by a player in a bowl game

221 - Steve Breaston (Michigan) vs. Texas, 2005 Rose Bowl

Most all-purpose yards by a player in a bowl game

408 - Chris Johnson (East Carolina) vs. Boise State, 2007 Hawaii Bowl (223 rushing, 32 receiving, 153 kick return)

Most interceptions by a player in a bowl game

4 (twice) - Jim Dooley (Miami) vs. Clemson, 1952 Gator Bowl; Manuel Aja (Arizona State) vs. Xavier, 1950 Salad Bowl

Most total tackles by a player in a bowl game

31 - Lee Roy Jordan (Alabama) vs. Oklahoma, 1963 Orange Bowl

Most solo tackles by a player in a bowl game

18 - Rod Smith (Notre Dame) vs. Florida, 1992 Sugar Bowl

Most tackles for loss by a player in a bowl game

6 (three times) - Most recently by LeMarcus McDonald (TCU) vs. Texas A&M, 2001 galleryfurniture.com Bowl

Most sacks by a player in a bowl game

6 - Shay Muirbrook (BYU) vs. Kansas State, 1997 Cotton Bowl

Longest rush in a bowl game

99 yards - Terry Baker (Oregon State) vs. Villanova, 1962 Liberty Bowl

Longest completion in a bowl game

99 yards - Tommy Armstrong Jr. to Quincy Enunwa (Nebraska) vs. Georgia, 2014 Gator Bowl

Longest punt return in a bowl game

92 yards (three times) - Tarheeb Still (Maryland) vs. Virginia Tech, 2021 Pinstripe Bowl; Brandon Boykin (Georgia) vs. Michigan State, 2012 Outback Bowl; Quinton Jones (Boise State) vs. Boston College, 2005 MPC Computers Bowl

Longest kickoff return in a bowl game

100 yards (many times) - Most recently by Barion Brown (Kentucky) vs. Clemson, 2023 Gator Bowl

Longest field goal in a bowl game

62 yards - Tony Franklin (Texas A&M) vs. Florida, 1977 Sun Bowl

Longest punt in a bowl game

85 yards - Caleb Junko (Pittsburgh) vs. UCLA, 2022 Sun Bowl

Longest interception return in a bowl game

100 yards (five times) - Most recently by Tyree Robinson (Oregon) vs. Boise State, 2017 Las Vegas Bowl

Longest fumble return in a bowl game

99 yards - Darwin Cook (West Virginia) vs. Clemson, 2012 Orange Bowl

Longest blocked field goal return in a bowl game

80 yards - Antonio Banks (Virginia Tech) vs. Indiana, 1993 Independence Bowl

Check out the ESPN college football hub page for scores, stats, schedules, standings and more.


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