It’s New Year’s Day, and for many, that means football – and lots of it! Fans across the country are enjoying the excitement of the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and the prestigious Sugar Bowl, often making it a central part of their holiday celebrations. The Sugar Bowl, in particular, boasts a rich and storied history, continuing its legacy today. This article delves into the details of this year’s game, exploring its history and the teams vying for victory.
The Sugar Bowl is one of the oldest bowl games in college football, a major fixture in the New Year’s Six bowl games for nine decades. According to Sportskeeda, its name was coined in 1927 by Fred Digby, an editor for the now-defunct New Orleans Item, reflecting Louisiana’s then-unique status as the sole U.S. sugar producer. The inaugural game took place seven years later, on New Year’s Day 1935, drawing a crowd of 22,000 to watch the Temple Owls defeat the Tulane Green Wave.
This year’s Sugar Bowl features a highly anticipated matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. While ESPN favors the Fighting Irish, College Football News predicts a Georgia victory, creating considerable pre-game buzz. The game will be held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Originally scheduled for January 1, 2025, at 8:45 PM ET, the Sugar Bowl was postponed 24 hours following a tragic incident in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, where a car plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street, resulting in 10 fatalities and numerous injuries. The rescheduled game time is yet to be announced. However, the game is expected to air live on ESPN and stream on platforms such as Hulu and YouTube TV.
Separately, the sporting world anticipates the 59th Super Bowl, scheduled for Sunday, January 9, 2025, also at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Music superstar Kendrick Lamar will headline the highly anticipated halftime show.