Nov 15, 2013
It’s never too early to look ahead. Check out any cable news show, where talking heads are already busily handicapping the 2016 presidential election. In that spirit, Steve Hogan got up at the FCS breakfast Monday and made his weekly prediction: Sarah Palin vs. Alan Grayson. I’m kidding. It’s just that giving Hogan good-natured grief is a main order of business at the weekly scout meeting. The week before the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports all but guaranteed Oregon would […]
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Nov 01, 2013
You know it’s a big game when the coaches say it’s not. So what’s happening in Tallahassee Saturday must be huge. Jimbo Fisher says it’s just the next game on FSU’s schedule. Al Golden wants his Hurricanes to take them one crazy comeback game at a time. “We all know who we’re playing,” he said. Yes, and for the first time far too long we can recognize both teams. Miami and FSU are both in the top 10. That’s no […]
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Oct 17, 2013
For those of us who’ve been waiting for a weekend like this, a word of advice from Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher: “Keep it in perspective,” he said. “It is what it is.” What is it? Arguably the biggest game in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And definitely the biggest game in the history of the American Athletic Conference. Put them together, and you have one huge weekend for Florida Citrus Sports. Specifically, the Russell Athletic Bowl. It […]
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Sep 26, 2013
Can you feel it? Something is different about this week, at least if you’re a college football fan in Orlando. If you can’t feel it, you can see it. Network television trucks are parked outside Bright House Networks Stadium. Earlier this week, real live students stood in line to buy tickets. Everybody wants to see Saturday’s high-noon showdown between UCF and South Carolina. Let’s recap: Sellout. National TV. Bowl implications. Steve Spurrier. “That’s what college football is all about,” UCF […]
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Jul 18, 2013
The Russell Athletic Bowl will host the first available selection after the College Football Playoff system from the ACC, including Notre Dame, beginning with the 2014-15 season. The Russell Athletic Bowl has historically featured some of college football’s best players and teams since moving to Orlando in 2000. The game has elevated its profile steadily over that time, with nine of the games (out of 12) featuring an attendance increase over the previous year. “The Russell Athletic Bowl is proud […]
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May 03, 2013
The 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl will take place on Saturday, Dec. 28th at 6:45 p.m. ET. The game will air nationally on ESPN. This year’s games will be the final bowl games played in the current Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium as a near complete reconstruction will begin in February 2014. Now in its second year with a new title sponsor, the Russell Athletic Bowl will pair upper-tier teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the newly-formed American Athletic Conference (formerly […]
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Apr 15, 2013
Kevin McDonald was named the 2013 Chairman of the Year for his leadership of the Florida Citrus Sports Hospitality Committee. The award was presented during the 2013 Member Celebration presented by BMO Harris Bank and Florida Hospital. A member since 2009, McDonald stepped in to lead the Hospitality Committee shortly after the passing of longtime chairman (and former FCSports employee) Pat Hoffman. As chair, he conducted the orientation for all hospitality suite volunteers prior to Orlando Bowl Week and confirmed […]
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Apr 15, 2013
Vonn Howard of Mercury Marine was named the 2013 Volunteer of the Year for his tremendous service with collegiate and high school bands across a number of Florida Citrus Sport events. The award was presented at the 2013 Member Celebration presented by BMO Harris Bank and Florida Hospital. A member since 2008, Howard serves on the Pageantry & Presentation Committee as a team-band liaison for both the Russell Athletic Bowl and Capital One Bowl, attending every band practice once the […]
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Dec 28, 2012
Virginia Tech completed its 20th consecutive winning season with a 13-10 overtime victory over Rutgers in the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl. The Hokies rallied from a 10-0 deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter before Cody Journell’s field goal in overtime gave them their first lead of the game. They sealed the victory when Rutgers kicker Nick Borgese missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in the Scarlet Knights’ overtime possession. With the win, the Hokies ended a two-game […]
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Dec 28, 2012
Nobody had a better week than Virginia Tech cornerback Antone Exum. Earlier this week Exum gave his Best Buy gift cards to three kids in need and gained national attention. ESPN, CBS and many other media outlets praised his actions. He was a star at the Give Kids the World Village dancing and playing games with the children. And now he’s the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl MVP after Virginia Tech defeated Rutgers 13-10 in overtime. “Words can’t explain how happy I […]
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Dec 02, 2012
The Virginia Tech Hokies and Rutgers Scarlet Knights have been selected to play in this year’s Russell Athletic Bowl. Set to take place December 28 from Orlando’s Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, the game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. and be televised nationally by ESPN. Virginia Tech is bowl-eligible for an impressive 20th-straight season and makes its first appearance in an Orlando bowl game. Head coach Frank Beamer is the winningest-active and longest-tenured coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. QB […]
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Sep 01, 2012
Tickets for the 67th Annual Capital One Bowl and 23rd Annual Russell Athletic Bowl are now on sale to the general public. Tickets may be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, at the Amway Center box office, by phone (800.745.3000) or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Capital One Bowl tickets are priced from $50-$92, with special seating in the end zone Uprights Club (featuring unlimited food and drink) at $253. This year’s game will be played on Jan. 1, 2013, and features a […]
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Dec 29, 2011
Florida State Postgame Press Conference Transcript – Jimbo Fisher, Rashad Greene, Lamarcus Joyner Florida State Notes Notre Dame Postgame Press Conference Transcript – Brian Kelly, Manti Teo Notre Dame Notes The Florida State Seminoles rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 18-14 in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl before an announced crowd of 68,305 at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. It wasn’t so much a tale of two halves as a tale of one quarter. […]
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Dec 28, 2011
Parking is SOLD OUT for the Champs Sports Bowl at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Free shuttle service is available to bowl fans. In addition, the City of Orlando and Florida Citrus Sports have published maps for parking, shuttles and road closures around the Citrus Bowl on game day. PARKING INFORMATION More information and parking map Pre-paid parking for the Champs Sports Bowl is sold out. There will be ONE first-come, first-served public cash lot at Jones High School on game […]
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Dec 27, 2011
The Florida State Seminoles and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teams met on friendly terms today at Give Kids the World Village as part of Orlando Bowl Week. The 147 families being hosted by Give Kids the World got a chance to meet players from both teams and take part in a variety of games and activities, including mini golf, basketball, line dancing and more. “This is just awesome,” said Elizabeth Faircloth, mother of one of the visiting families. “We […]
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Dec 26, 2011
Report courtesy of Notre Dame Sports Information The Irish football squad completed its heavy work today with a typical Wednesday workout in full pads in 72-degree conditions under cloudy skies. The Notre Dame team worked on the grass fields adjacent to the Citrus Bowl Stadium from 1:45-3:15 p.m. The media contingent that visited with head coach Brian Kelly and his team had tripled in number since yesterday. Here are some of Kelly’s comments about random subjects: “I couldn’t be more […]
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Dec 26, 2011
Report courtesy of Florida State Sports Information / Seminoles.com It was work before play for the Florida State football team Monday as the No. 25 Seminoles got in a 2 ½-hour practice Monday inside the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium as preparation continued for the Dec. 29 Champs Sports Bowl. For all but a handful of ‘Noles, it marked the first time they had an opportunity to test the field turf at the stadium where they will take on Notre Dame […]
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Dec 26, 2011
Following up on last week’s FSU perspective from Coley Harvey, Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune joined @ChampsSportsBwl on Twitter to give the Notre Dame outlook, including the QB situation, the biggest challenges for the Irish and who needs to step up to bring the trophy home to South Bend. @ChampsSportsBwl: This year was a step up for Notre Dame record-wise, but in general do fans feel the program is making progress? @HansenSouthBend: I think they see the progress on the […]
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Dec 24, 2011
Coley Harvey, Florida State beat writer for the Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel, took time on Twitter to chat with @ChampsSportsBwl about the game, the FSU defense and punter Shawn Powell’s MVP hopes. @ChampsSportsBwl: If you had to boil the #NDvFSU game down to one key position battle, what would it be? @OS_ColeyHarvey: This game is going to come down to a battle in the trenches. Both defensive lines are stout and particularly #FSU’s offensive line is going […]
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Dec 12, 2011
On behalf of its Selection Committee, Florida Citrus Sports’ Chairman Michel Champagne and CEO Steve Hogan announced today that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Florida State Seminoles have been selected to play in this year’s Champs Sports Bowl. Set to take place December 29th from Orlando’s Citrus Bowl Stadium, the game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. and be televised on ESPN. Notre Dame (8-4) and Florida State (8-4, 5-3 ACC), two of the most recognizable schools in college […]
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