The Boca Raton Bowl is an annual National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sanctioned post-season Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game played in Boca Raton, Florida, since December 2014 on the campus of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) at FAU Stadium. Winners of the game received the Howard Schnellenberger championship trophy, named for the football head coach at FAU from 2001 to 2011.
History The bowl was founded on October 10, 2013, and was first played in December 2014 as one of the 2014–15 bowl games.
The bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events, in partnership with Good Karma Brands (owner of the local ESPN Radio affiliate WESP). On October 6, 2015, Marmot, an outdoor clothing and sporting goods company, was announced as the title sponsor of the game. On December 1, 2017, Cheribundi, a New Yorkbased beverage company, was announced as the new title sponsor. From 2020 through 2023, the bowl was sponsored by RoofClaim.com. On November 20, 2025, Bush Brothers and Company was announced as the new title sponsor, rebranding the game as the Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans. The deal expired after the 2025 season.
Conference tie-ins The bowl had a tie-in with the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for 2014 and 2015, to face opponents from Conference USA (C-USA) in the first year and the American Athletic Conference (The American) in the second.
In 2014, Northern Illinois, winner of the 2014 MAC Championship Game, was sent as the conference's representative, while C-USA also sent its champion, Marshall. The MAC and C-USA did not have automatic bowl bids for their champions entering 2014; C-USA had lost its contract with the Liberty Bowl, while the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, which usually took the MAC champion, was discontinued after its 2013 playing and the GoDaddy Bowl, which takes a MAC team and has the option to take the conference champion if it desires, did not invite Marshall. In 2015, the MAC sent Toledo and The American sent Temple.
In 2016 and 2017, C-USA and The American had primary tie-ins with the bowl. In 2016, C-USA sent Western Kentucky and The American sent Memphis. In 2017, C-USA sent Florida Atlantic while their opponent, Akron, came from the MAC. A C-USA vs. MAC matchup was again featured in 2018. The "affiliated conferences" for the 2019 game were The American, C-USA and MAC.
Game results All rankings per the AP poll, prior to the game being played. Date Winning team Losing team Attendance Notes December 23, 2014 Marshall 52 Northern Illinois 23 29,419 notes December 22, 2015 Toledo 32 24 Temple 17 25,908 notes December 20, 2016 Western Kentucky 51 Memphis 31 24,726 notes December 19, 2017 Florida Atlantic 50 Akron 3 25,912 notes December 18, 2018 UAB 37 Northern Illinois 13 22,614 notes December 21, 2019 Florida Atlantic 52 SMU 28 23,187 notes December 22, 2020 13 BYU 49 UCF 23 6,000 notes December 18, 2021 Western Kentucky 59 Appalachian State 38 15,429 notes December 20, 2022 Toledo 21 Liberty 19 20,622 notes December 21, 2023 South Florida 45 Syracuse 0 20,711 notes December 18, 2024 James Madison 27 Western Kentucky 17 15,808 notes December 23, 2025 Louisville 27 Toledo 22 15,329 notes Source:
MVPs
The number of players honored as MVPs has varied.
YearOffenseDefenseSpecial TeamsRef.PlayerPos.TeamPlayerPos.TeamPlayerPos.Team 2014 Rakeem Cato QB Marshall 2015 Phillip Ely QB Toledo Ju'Wan Woodley LB Toledo 2016 Anthony Wales RB Western Kentucky Keith Brown LB Western Kentucky 2017 Jason Driskel QB Florida Atlantic Azeez Al-Shaair LB Florida Atlantic 2018 Xavier Ubosi WR UAB Anthony Rush NT UAB 2019 Chris Robison QB Florida Atlantic Rashad Smith LB Florida Atlantic Matt Hayball P Florida Atlantic 2020 Zach Wilson QB BYU Keenan Pili LB BYU Caleb Christensen KR BYU 2021 Bailey Zappe QB Western Kentucky Antwon Kincade DB Western Kentucky John Haggerty III P Western Kentucky 2022 Dequan Finn QB Toledo Nate Givhan LB Toledo Thomas Cluckey K Toledo 2023 Byrum Brown QB South Florida Daquan Evans DB South Florida Aamaris Brown DB South Florida 2024 JC Evans QB James Madison DJ Barksdale NB James Madison Ryan Hanson P James Madison 2025 Miller Moss QB Louisville Clev Lubin DE Louisville David Chapeau K Louisville
Most appearances Updated through the December 2025 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
Teams with multiple appearances RankTeamAppearancesRecordWin pct.1 Toledo 3 2–1 Western Kentucky 3 2–1 3 Florida Atlantic 2 2–0 Northern Illinois 2 0–2
Teams with a single appearance Won (6): BYU, James Madison, Louisville, Marshall, South Florida, UAB
Lost (8): Akron, Appalachian State, Liberty, Memphis, SMU, Syracuse, Temple, UCF
Appearances by conference Updated through the December 2025 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
ConferenceRecordAppearances by seasonGamesWLWin pct.WonLost CUSA 7 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 2024 MAC 6 2015, 2022 2014, 2017, 2018, 2025 American 5 2023 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 Independents 2 2020 2022 ACC 2 2025 2023 Sun Belt 2 2024 2021
Independent appearances: BYU (2020), Liberty (2022)
Game records TeamRecord, Team vs. OpponentYearMost points scored (one team)59, Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State 2021Most points scored (losing team)38, Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky 2021Most points scored (both teams)97, Western Kentucky vs. Appalachian State2021Fewest points allowed0, South Florida vs. Syracuse2023Largest margin of victory47, Florida Atlantic vs. Akron2017Total yards655, BYU vs. UCF2020Rushing yards312, Florida Atlantic vs. Akron2017Passing yards441, BYU vs. UCF2020First downs 34, BYU vs. UCF2020Fewest yards allowed146, Florida Atlantic vs. Akron2017Fewest rushing yards allowed16, James Madison vs. Western Kentucky2024Fewest passing yards allowed77, Florida Atlantic vs. Akron2017IndividualRecord, Player, TeamYearAll-purpose yards 329, Anthony Wales (Western Kentucky) 2016Touchdowns (all-purpose) 3, most recent: Jerreth Sterns (Western Kentucky) 2021Rushing yards 245, Anthony Wales (Western Kentucky) 2016Rushing touchdowns 3, shared by:Anthony Wales (Western Kentucky)Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic) 20162017Passing yards 425, Zach Wilson (BYU) 2020Passing touchdowns 6, Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) 2021Receptions 18, Tommy Shuler (Marshall) 2014Receiving yards 227, Xavier Ubosi (UAB) 2018Receiving touchdowns 3, shared byAnthony Miller (Memphis)Xavier Ubosi (UAB)Jerreth Sterns (Western Kentucky) 201620182021Tackles 16, Mike Smith Jr (Liberty) 2022Sacks 3.0, shared by:Arthur Maulet (Memphis)Nick Dawson (Western Kentucky) 2016Interceptions 1, most recent: Jacquez Williams (South Florida)Tavin Ward (South Florida) 2023Long PlaysRecord, Player, TeamYearTouchdown run 86 yds., Noah Whittington (Western Kentucky) 2021Touchdown pass 80 yds., Cody Thompson (Toledo) 2015Kickoff return 93 yds., Deandre Reaves (Marshall) 2014Punt return 24 yds., Jalen Young (Florida Atlantic) 2017Interception return 22 yds., Rashad Smith (Florida Atlantic) 2019Fumble return 64 yds., Aamaris Brown (South Florida) 2023Punt 71 yds., Alex Starzyk (Temple) 2015Field goal 50 yds., Robert Hammond III (Toledo) 2025
Media coverage The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception, with the 2019 edition broadcast on ABC.
Legends honorees Each December, the bowl recognizes one person associated with football in the state of Florida with the Palm Beach County Football Legends Award.
YearHonoreeRoleFlorida teamRef. 2014 Howard Schnellenberger College & NFL head coach Florida Atlantic Owls 2015 Reidel Anthony College & NFL wide receiver Florida Gators 2016 John Carney College & NFL placekicker Cardinal Newman High School 2017 Steve Walsh College & NFL quarterback; High School & CFL coach Miami Hurricanes 2018 Brad Banks College & CFL quarterback; 2002 Heisman Trophy runner-up Glades Central High School 2019 Santonio Holmes College & NFL wide receiver; Super Bowl XLIII MVP Glades Central High School 2021 Pierre Garçon College & NFL wide receiver John I. Leonard High School 2022 Jacoby Ford College & NFL wide receiver Cardinal Newman High School 2023 Anthony Carter College & NFL wide receiver Suncoast High School 2024 Jon Bostic College & NFL linebacker Palm Beach Central High School
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