The 1985–86 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in December 1985 and January 1986 to end the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. A total of 18 team-competitive games, and two all-star games, were played. The post-season began with the California Bowl on December 14, 1985, and concluded on January 18, 1986, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.
Schedule
DateGameSiteTime(US EST)TVMatchup(pre-game record)APpre-gamerankUPI (Coaches)pre-gamerank12/14California BowlBulldog Stadium Fresno, California Fresno State 51 (10–0–1) (PCAA Champion),Bowling Green 7 (11–0) (MAC Champion)NR#20#18NR12/21Cherry BowlPontiac Silverdome Pontiac, Michigan USA NetworkMaryland 35 (8–3) (ACC Champion),Syracuse 18 (7–4) (Independent)#20NRNRNR12/21Independence BowlIndependence Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana MizlouMinnesota 20 (6–5) (Big Ten),Clemson 13 (6–5) (ACC)NRNRNRNR12/22Holiday BowlJack Murphy Stadium San Diego, California USA NetworkArkansas 18 (10–2) (SWC),Arizona State 17 (8–4) (Pac-10)#14NR#12NR12/27Liberty BowlLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, Tennessee RaycomBaylor 21 (8–3) (SWC),LSU 7 (9–1–1) (SEC)NR#12NR#1012/28Sun BowlSun Bowl El Paso, Texas CBSArizona 13 (8–3) (Pac-10),Georgia 13 (7–3–1) (SEC)NRNR#20NR12/28Aloha BowlAloha Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii Alabama 24 (8–2–1) (SEC),USC 3 (6–5) (Pac-10)#15NR#14NR12/28Florida Citrus BowlFlorida Citrus Bowl Orlando, Florida NBCOhio State 10 (8–3) (Big Ten),BYU 7 (11–2) (WAC Co-Champion)#17#9#17#912/30Freedom BowlAnaheim Stadium Anaheim, California LorimarWashington 20 (6–5) (Pac-10),Colorado 17 (7–4) (Big Eight)NRNRNRNR12/30Gator BowlGator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, Florida ABCFlorida State 34 (8–3) (Independent),Oklahoma State 23 (8–3) (Big Eight)#18#19#16#1912/31Bluebonnet BowlRice Stadium Houston, Texas LorimarAir Force 24 (11–1) (WAC Co-Champion),Texas 16 (8–3) (SWC)#10NR#7NR12/31Peach BowlFulton County Stadium Atlanta CBSArmy 31 (8–3) (Independent),Illinois 29 (6–4–1) (Big Ten)NRNRNRNR12/31All-American BowlLegion Field Birmingham, Alabama WTBSGeorgia Tech 17 (8–2–1) (ACC),Michigan State 14 (7–4) (Big Ten)NRNRNRNR1/1Cotton Bowl ClassicCotton Bowl Dallas, Texas1:30 PMCBSTexas A&M 36 (9–2) (SWC Champion),Auburn 16 (8–3) (SEC)#11#16#11#151/1Fiesta BowlSun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona1:30 PMNBCMichigan 27 (9–1–1) (Big Ten),Nebraska 23 (9–2) (Big Eight)#5#7#5#61/1Rose BowlRose Bowl Pasadena, California4:30 PMNBCUCLA 45 (8–2–1) (Pac-10 Champion),Iowa 28 (10–1) (Big Ten Champion)#13#4#13#31/1Sugar BowlLouisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana8:00 PMABCTennessee 35 (8–1–2) (SEC Champion),Miami (FL) 7 (10–1) (Independent)#8#2#8#41/1Orange BowlOrange BowlMiami, Florida8:00 PMNBCOklahoma 25 (10–1) (Big Eight Champion),Penn State 10 (11–0) (Independent)#3#1#2#1
References