The idea for the EagleBank Bowl originated with the Washington, D.C. Bowl Committee, a group founded by Marie Rudolph and Sean Metcalf in December 2006 with the intended purpose of bringing a bowl game to the Washington, D.C. area as a boon to the region's economy. The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation announced their support of the proposed event in 2007.
History
The bowl game was one of two approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the 2008 college football bowl season, the other being the St. Petersburg Bowl. The NCAA's Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee approved the bowl on April 30, 2008, allowing the committee that had proposed the game to host it after the 2008 college football season. The inaugural game had its kickoff scheduled for 11 AM EST on December 20, 2008, making it the first bowl game of the 2008–09 bowl season. In 2010, organizers announced that the NCAA had granted a four-year extension of the game's bowl certification, taking it through the 2013–14 bowl season; additionally, the game received sponsorship from Northrop Grumman and was renamed. In 2010, the game generated in excess of $18 million for the Washington, D.C. area. Also, over $100,000 was donated to the USO.
Conference tie-ins
Prior to the game's approval by the NCAA, Navy and the Atlantic Coast Conference signed agreements to participate in the game if it was approved. Under the agreement, the ACC would provide its ninth-best team for the bowl if the league had nine bowl eligible teams. In December 2008, the initial game featured Navy against Wake Forest representing the ACC. Along with its ACC tie-in, the bowl signed an agreement with Army to play in the 2009 edition of the game, however Army did not finish its season bowl eligible. Additionally, the ACC did not have enough eligible teams and Conference USA could not provide a team, so organizers chose Mid-American Conference team Temple to fill one spot and Pac-10 Conference team UCLA to fill the other spot. For the 2010 through 2013 games, the bowl reached agreement for an ACC team to face a C-USA team, Navy, Army, and a Big 12 team. If Navy or Army were not bowl eligible, a Big 12 team would be selected in 2011, and a C-USA team in 2012. In 2012, Army was not bowl eligible and the ACC could not supply a team, so a MAC vs. Western Athletic Conference matchup was organized. Starting with the 2014 game, organizers entered a six-year agreement for the game to feature an ACC vs. American Athletic Conference matchup. In July 2019, the bowl announced that the ACC vs. AAC arrangement would continue through the 2025–26 football season. Bold conference denotes winner of games played.
Game results
Rankings are based on the AP Poll prior to the game.
