Aztec Bowl (game)

The Aztec Bowl (Spanish: Tazón Azteca) is an NCAA-sanctioned college division/minor (prior to 1997); AFCA Division III (since 1997) Division II/III (since 2011) post-season bowl game that has been played intermittently since 1947, traditionally in mid-December. From 1947 to 1949 the event was called the Silver Bowl, and in 1950 the name was changed to the Aztec Bowl.

History

The inaugural Silver Bowl was played in Mexico City on December 19, 1947. A Mexican college all-star team defeated Randolph Field Air Base by a score of 24–19.[1][2] Randolph Field featured Doc Blanchard and Arnold Tucker, with the former accusing the Mexican team of fielding American ringers. However, according to Wilbur "Bud" Fellows of Mexico City College: "There were only two Americans on the Mexican squad–myself and Morris Williams, a tackle from Washington, D. C. It just happens that football has developed in Mexico and there are now some pretty fair native players."[3]

With but one exception, all editions of the bowl game have been played in Mexico; the exception was the 1957 game played in San Antonio, Texas. From 1997 to 2008, under sponsorship of the American Football Coaches Association, the bowl featured a team of Division III All-Stars against a team of Mexican All-Stars. 360 Sports Events Division II/III All-American Eagles took over sponsoring players, along with ONEFA in 2010.

The 1970 and 1980 editions are considered junior college bowl games, and games played in 1947, 1948, 1952, and 1996 are considered military bowl games. No games were played in 1954–1956, 1958–1963, 1967–1969, 1972–1978, 1981–1983, 1985, and 1995.

Under the new format there were no games in 2008 and 2010 because of lack of sponsors.[4] The Aztec Bowl returned in 2011 in Chihuahua.[5] There was no game in 2013 because of venue issues in Mexico.

The Aztec Bowl has always been an International Bowl Game, however in 1997 the Aztec Bowl was re-formed into a Bowl Game between Small College All-Stars from the United States and Mexico, billed as Team USA vs. Team Mexico.

Game results

Date played Winning team Result Losing team Venue Bowl Games I - XLIV Ref.
December 19, 1947 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 24–19 United States Randolph Field Air Base Mexico City Military Bowl Game - I [1][2]
December 11, 1948 United States San Diego Marines 33–26 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Military Bowl Game - II
December 17, 1949 United States Trinity University 52–6 College Bowl Game - III
December 23, 1950 United States Whittier Poets 27–14 College Division Bowl Game - IV
December 22, 1951 United States Sul Ross State Lobos 41–40 College Division Bowl Game - V
December 20, 1952 United States Hamilton Air Force Base 55–33 Military Bowl Game - VI
December 19, 1953 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 45–26 United States Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds College Division Bowl Game - VII
December 16, 1957 United States Wiley Wildcats 78–20 Mexico Mexico All-Stars San Antonio, Texas College Division Bowl Game - VIII
November 28, 1964 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 20–7 United States UC Santa Barbara Mexico City College Division Bowl Game - IX
December 14, 1965 28–6 United States San Diego Sabres All-Star Bowl Game - X
December 13, 1966 United States Tarleton State Texans 42–8 Mexico Mexico All-Stars College Division Bowl Game - XI
December 10, 1970 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 7–6 United States Mesabi State Junior College Junior College Bowl Game - XII
December 20, 1971 United States Navy Freshmen 47–9 Mexico Mexico All-Stars College Division Bowl Game - XIII
December 9, 1979 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 8–0 United States Trinity Tigers Division III Bowl Game - XIV
December 13, 1980 28–17 United States La Mesa Junior College Junior College Bowl Game - XV
December 15, 1984 22–15 United States Tarleton State Texans Division III Bowl Game - XVI
December 20, 1986 United States Washburn Ichabods 27–8 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Division III Bowl Game - XVII
December 14, 1987 United States Adams State Indians 35–17 Division III Bowl Game - XVIII
December 10, 1988 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 49–21 United States Western New Mexico Mustangs Division III Bowl Game - XIX
December 9, 1989 United States Southeastern Oklahoma State Savages 22–0 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Division III Bowl Game - XX
December 12, 1990 United States Southern Arkansas Muleriders 41–29 Division III Bowl Game - XXI
December 15, 1991 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 35–28 United States Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs NAIA Bowl Game - XXII
December 14, 1992 United States Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils 21–14 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Division III Bowl Game - XXIII
December 18, 1993 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 34–20 United States McMurry Indians Division III Bowl Game - XXIV
December 17, 1994 24–24 United States Southeastern Oklahoma State Savages Division III Bowl Game - XXV
December 19, 1996 63–8 Italy Palermo (Italy) Cardinals Military Bowl Game - XXVI
December 20, 1997 United States AFCA Division III All-Stars 42–41 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Toluca All-Star Bowl Game - XXVII
December 12, 1998 40–13 Monterrey All-Star Bowl Game - XXVIII
December 18, 1999 44–13 Mexico City All-Star Bowl Game - XXIX
December 16, 2000 27–26 Mérida All-Star Bowl Game - XXX
December 15, 2001 37–5 Saltillo All-Star Bowl Game - XXXI
December 14, 2002 15–9 Torreón All-Star Bowl Game - XXXII
December 13, 2003 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 34–31 United States AFCA Division III All-Stars Cancún All-Star Bowl Game - XXXIII
December 11, 2004 United States AFCA Division III All-Stars 23–3 Mexico Mexico All-Stars Cancún All-Star Bowl Game - XXXIV
December 17, 2005 53–15 Toluca All-Star Bowl Game - XXXV
December 17, 2006 28–7 Aguascalientes All-Star Bowl Game - XXXVI
December 8, 2007 37–19 Chihuahua All-Star Bowl Game - XXXVII
December 5, 2009 Mexico Mexico All-Stars 42–17 United States Central Methodist Eagles Mexico City All-Star Bowl Game - XXXVIII [6]
December 10, 2011 United States Division II/III All-American Eagles 28–14 Mexico ONEFA Mexico All-Stars Chihuahua All-Star Bowl Game - XXXIX [7]
December 14, 2012 49–26 Monterrey All-Star Bowl Game - XL
November 29, 2014 24–21 Chihuahua All-Star Bowl Game - XLI
December 5, 2015 Mexico ONEFA Mexico All-Stars 17–14 United States Division II/III All-American Eagles Mexico City All-Star Bowl Game - XLII
December 9, 2016 27–19 Monterrey All-Star Bowl Game - XLIII
December 9, 2017 34–24 Texcoco All-Star Bowl Game - XLIV
December 8, 2018 17–10 Mexico City All-Star Bowl Game - XLV
December 11, 2022 27–2 United States Texas All-Stars/Air Radar Tour Texcoco All-Star Bowl Game - XLVII
December 1, 2023 56–0 United States Division II/III All-American Eagles Monterrey All-Star Bowl Game - XLVIII

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Randolph Field Dumped In Mexico Silver Bowl". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Associated Press. December 21, 1947. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b "Mexicans Win Silver Bowl Game 24-19". El Paso Times. United Press. December 21, 1947. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Toner, Richard (December 25, 1947). "Daly City Gridder 'Toast of Mexico'". San Francisco Examiner. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Ranger Football". Archived from the original on 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  5. ^ "Home". allamericanbowl.com.
  6. ^ "Apalea México en Tazón Azteca". December 5, 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-01-05.
  7. ^ "Apalea México en Tazón Azteca". December 10, 2011.