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4 Ridiculous Bowl Games College Football Fans Probably Had No Idea Existed

By Steven Kubitza

Redbox Bowl - Michigan State v Oregon
Redbox Bowl - Michigan State v Oregon / Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

College football bowl season is nearly here and that means fans tuning in to see six-win teams from all over the country play in games that sound like some sort of parody advertisement.

We're familiar with the usual suspects like the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl, but what about these other absurd postseason labels?

4. Redbox Bowl

Lovie Smith leads his team against California in the prestigious Redbox Bowl.
Lovie Smith leads his team against California in the prestigious Redbox Bowl. / Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The Redbox Bowl is back! Unaware Redbox was a bowl sponsor? Or how the company has the money to do this? Join the club. This year's edition features 6-6 Illinois battling 7-5 California in Santa Clara on a Monday afternoon. Illinois may have five fans in the stands, so hopefully the gift baskets for the players feature some good movies.

3. Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

UCF is in a bowl with quite the interesting sponsor.
UCF is in a bowl with quite the interesting sponsor. / Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The beginning of bowl season is always rough, and you can bet the same narrative applies to this year. UCF and and Marshall are squaring off in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl on a Monday afternoon two days before Christmas. Prepare for plenty of lawnmower commercials in the middle of winter for a bowl that was once sponsored by Bitcoin, before changing its name to honor a pirate. That is not a lie.

2. Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

Utah State takes on Kent State in a perfectly named bowl game.
Utah State takes on Kent State in a perfectly named bowl game. / Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The what, now? It's the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Bowl in Frisco! Why is this a thing? How is there not a better sponsor out there for this? Though it's hard to expect a higher-profile name when the two teams playing are Utah State and Kent State. Winning the Smoothie Bowl is not a claim to glory. It sounds like someone was handed a coupon for an actual smoothie bowl.

1. Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles / Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Excuse me? The cereal guy? What are we NOT sponsoring in America these days? The Sun Bowl is the second-oldest bowl game in history behind the Rose Bowl, but now it's got Tony's face on it and it's safe to say fans didn't know it had that rich of a history, especially after the rebrand. While it features some high-profile teams in Florida State and Arizona State this year, we have to admit the advertising has gone too far. The Rose Bowl is sponsored by Northwestern Mutual. The Sugar Bowl is sponsored by All State. The Cotton Bowl is sponsored by Goodyear. How did we get to this point?