Betting on the Holiday Bowl 2006

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Holiday Bowl 2006 Game Details

Location: Boise, Idaho
Date: 28 December 2006, 8:00 PM EST
Teams: Texas A&M vs. California
Televised on: ESPN

Holiday Bowl Betting Matchup

The 2005 Holiday Bowl featured a pair of unhappy campers. Will the 2006 edition bring a happier, hungrier matchup?

After finishing the season 10-1, Oregon was hopeful of a BCS berth last year, but had to settle for the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. If people wondered whether No. 12-ranked Oregon would be cranky about missing out on a big-money BCS game, they didn’t wonder long. They played a mediocre game against a mediocre foe in the 7-4 Sooners and lost 17-14.

Oklahoma had played in the last two national title games but Coach Bob Stoops lost several starters to graduation and the NFL. The result was a mediocre season that saw the Sooners in unfamiliar, lesser-bowl territory.

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About the 2006 Holiday Bowl

The Holiday Bowl is a NCAA-sanctioned Division 1-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played in San Diego, California, since 1978.

The 2005 Holiday Bowl was played on 29 December 2005 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and featured a battle of OU’s – Oklahoma U. and Oregon U. The Sooners picked off a pass at the 10-yard line in the final minute to preserve the victory after Brady Leaf drove Oregon into scoring position.

Holiday Bowl Prior Results

Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Score
29 Dec. 2005 Oklahoma 17 Oregon 14
30 Dec. 2004 Texas Tech 45 California 31
30 Dec. 2003 Washington State 28 Texas 20
27 Dec. 2002 Kansas State 34 Arizona State 27
28 Dec. 2001 Texas 47 Washington 43
29 Dec. 2000 Oregon 35 Texas 30
29 Dec. 1999 Kansas State 24 Washington 20
30 Dec. 1998 Arizona 23 Nebraska 20
29 Dec. 1997 Colorado State 35 Missouri 24
30 Dec. 1996 Colorado 33 Washington 21
29 Dec. 1995 Kansas State 54 Colorado State 21
30 Dec. 1994 Michigan 24 Colorado State 14
30 Dec. 1993 Ohio State 28 BYU 21
30 Dec. 1992 Hawaii 27 Illinois 17
30 Dec. 1991 BYU 13 Iowa 13
30 Dec. 1990 Texas A&M 65 BYU 14
30 Dec. 1989 Penn State 50 BYU 39
30 Dec. 1988 Oklahoma State 62 Wyoming 14
30 Dec. 1987 Iowa 20 Wyoming 19
30 Dec. 1986 Iowa 39 San Diego State 38
22 Dec. 1985 Arkansas 18 Arizona State 17
21 Dec. 1984 BYU 24 Michigan 17
23 Dec. 1983 BYU 21 Missouri 17
17 Dec. 1982 Ohio State 47 BYU 17
18 Dec. 1981 BYU 38 Washington State 36
19 Dec. 1980 BYU 46 SMU 45
21 Dec. 1979 Indiana 38 BYU 37
22 Dec. 1978 Navy 23 BYU 16

History of the Holiday Bowl

The official name of this college football bowl game is the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, after its sponsor, Pacific Life. In the past, it has been known as the Sea World Holiday Bowl and the Plymouth Holiday Bowl.

When it was started in 1978, the Holiday bowl featured the Western Athletic Conference champion against an at-large opponent. BYU dominated early Holiday bowl appearances, present in the first seven Holiday Bowls (1978-1884), and 11 in total.

In 1984 the Brigham Young University Cougars entered into the Holiday Bowl with an undefeated record, which they maintained in their 24-17 victory against the University of Michigan. The situation, which saw the top-ranked team forced to play in a mid-tier bowl game against an inferior opponent, led to changes in the college bowl structure. Today, the Holiday Bowl pits the second-place Pac-10 team against the third-place Big 12 team.

Texas and Washington were expected to produce big offensive numbers when they hooked up in the 2001 Holiday Bowl. But a scoreless first quarter had everyone wondering. Then came the second quarter and the Huskies and Longhorns combined for 37 points. Then in the fourth, Major Applewhite directed scoring drives that outscored Washington 27-7, good for a 47-43 comeback victory.

Kansas State was a huge favorite in the 2002 Holiday Bowl, but got behind early to Arizona State. But Eli Roberson led the Wildcats back with 20 fourth-quarter points against a defense spearheaded by Terrell Suggs.

The 2003 Holiday Bowl was a defensive battle between Washington State and Texas, with the Longhorns setting a bowl record with 39 minutes of possession. But the Cougars made seven QB sacks and forced three turnovers in winning 28-20.

The 2004 Holiday Bowl saw No. 4-ranked California face an unheralded Texas Tech squad. But the Raiders had the nation’s leading QB and Sonny Crumbie threw for 520 yards as Texas Tech won 45-31.

In 2005, Oklahoma’s defense withstood a late march by Oregon and the No. 22 Sooners upset the No. 12 Oregon Ducks. Clint Ingram picked off Brady Leaf in the final minute to preserve a 17-14 victory for Oklahoma.

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