Sugar Bowl History, Tradition & Past Winners

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The Sugar Bowl has been part of the college football bowl games since 1935. Played annually, it has almost always been in New Orleans. However, in 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina, it was temporarily moved to the Georgia Dome. Along with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl, it is the second oldest bowl game, behind only the Rose Bowl.

This year, top-ranked Alabama will face fourth-ranked Ohio State at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for a ticket to the National Championship game.


History

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For the first four decades, the Sugar Bowl was played in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. From there, it moved to its current home of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The only year it wasn’t played there was 2006, where it moved to the Georgia Dome while repairs were being made after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf.

The name Sugar Bowl comes from the fact that the location of Tulane Stadium was originally the location of the first sugar plantation. It was owned by a colonial planter named Étienne de Boré, who ignored everyone who told him cane juice would not crystalize, according to the Sugar Bowl’s website. Boré succeeded in producing the first sugar grains in 1795. The game symbolizes success and the growth of an industry.

The website also gives the Bowl’s mission statement:

“The Sugar Bowl’s mission is to seek out, promote, finance, sponsor, schedule, conduct, and operate an annual calendar of local, state, national and international amateur and collegiate sporting events in the Greater New Orleans area and the State of Louisiana for the purpose of generating tourism.” — AllstateSugarBowl.org


Past Sugar Bowl Games

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1935 – Tulane, 20, Temple, 14
1936 – TCU, 3, LSU, 2
1937 – Santa Clara, 21, LSU, 14
1938 – Santa Clara, 6, LSU, 0
1939 – TCU, 15, Carnegie Tech, 7
1940 – Texas A&M, 14, Tulane, 13
1941 – Boston College, 19, Tennessee, 13
1942 – Fordham, 2, Missouri, 0
1943 – Tennessee, 14, Tulsa, 7
1944 – Georgia Tech, 20, Tulsa, 18
1945 – Duke, 29, Alabama, 26
1946 – Oklahoma State, 33, Saint Mary’s (CA) 13
1947 – Georgia, 20, North Carolina, 10
1948 – Texas 27, Alabama, 7
1949 – Oklahoma, 14, North Carolina, 6
1950 – Oklahoma, 35, LSU, 0
1951 – Kentucky, 13, Oklahoma, 7
1952 – Maryland 28, Tennessee, 13
1953 – Georgia Tech, 24, Mississippi, 7
1954 – Georgia Tech, 42, West Virginia, 19
1955 – Navy 21, Mississippi, 0
1956 – Georgia Tech, 7, Pittsburgh, 0
1957 – Baylor, 13, Tennessee, 7
1958 – Mississippi, 39, Texas, 7
1959 – LSU, 7, Clemson, 0
1960 – Mississippi, 21, LSU, 0
1961 – Mississippi, 14, Rice, 6
1962 – Alabama, 10, Arkansas, 3
1963 – Mississippi, 17, Arkansas, 13
1964 – Alabama, 12, Mississippi, 7
1965 – LSU, 13, Syracuse, 10
1966 – Missouri, 20, Florida, 18
1967 – Alabama, 34, Nebraska, 7
1968 – LSU, 20, Wyoming, 13
1969 – Arkansas, 16, Georgia, 2
1970 – Mississippi, 27, Arkansas, 22
1971 – Tennessee, 24, Air Force, 13
1972 – Oklahoma, 40, Auburn, 22
1973 – Oklahoma, 14, Penn State, 0
1974 – Notre Dame, 24, Alabama 23
1975 – Nebraska, 13, Florida, 10
1976 – Alabama, 13, Penn State, 6
1977 – Pittsburgh, 27, Georgia, 3
1978 – Alabama, 35, Ohio State, 6
1979 – Alabama, 14, Penn State, 7
1980 – Alabama, 24, Arkansas, 9
1981 – Georgia, 17, Notre Dame, 10
1982 – Pittsburgh, 24, Georgia, 20
1983 – Penn State, 27, Georgia, 23
1984 – Auburn, 9, Michigan, 7
1985 – Nebraska, 28, LSU, 10
1986 – Tennessee, 35, Miami, 7
1987 – Nebraska, 30, LSU, 15
1988 – Syracuse 16, Auburn 16
1989 – Florida State, 13, Auburn, 7
1990 – Miami, 33, Alabama, 25
1991 – Tennessee, 23, Virginia, 22
1992 – Notre Dame, 39, Florida, 28
1993 – Alabama, 34, Miami, 13
1994 – Florida, 41, West Virginia, 7
1995 – Florida State, 23, Florida, 17
1996 – Virginia Tech, 28, Texas, 10
1997 – Florida, 52, Florida State, 20
1998 – Florida State, 31, Ohio State, 14
1999 – Ohio State, 24, Texas A&M, 14
2000 – Florida State, 46, Virginia Tech, 29
2001 – Miami, 37, Florida, 20
2002 – LSU, 47, Illinois, 34
2003 – Georgia, 26, Florida State, 13
2004 – LSU, 21, Oklahoma 14
2005 – Auburn, 16, Virginia Tech, 13
2006 – West Virginia, 38, Georgia, 35
2007 – LSU, 41, Notre Dame, 14
2008 – Georgia, 41, Hawaii, 10
2009 – Utah, 31, Alabama, 17
2010 – Florida, 51, Cincinnati, 24
2011 – Ohio State, 31, Arkansas, 26
2012 – Michigan, 23, Virginia Tech, 20
2013 – Louisville, 33, Florida, 23
2014 – Oklahoma, 45, Alabama, 31