. There were four such bowl games held, but attendance was lower than hoped by the NJSEA due to December weather and less attractive teams. Consequently, NJSEA decided to host a "bowl" game in the beginning of the season instead. This would attract more popular teams and ensure better attendance due to more favorable weather conditions.
The first contest, held on August 29, 1983, was the first regular-season college football game to be played in the month of August. The game featured the defending national champions the
and the pre-season Number 1 ranked team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The game was carried that first season by a number of TV stations across the country via sydnication, including
, Channel 48 in Philadelphia. (It was the Kickoff Classic's first game, but WKBS' last: the station signed off for the final time immediately after the contest.)
Eventually there would be twenty Kickoff Classics, many of which were carried by ABC Sports nationally. Rule changes by the
regarding season opening 'extra games' brought an end to the series, as well as a similar game, the west coast-based
. In 2008, a new form of the Classic was born. While not cut from the same mold, the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff held its inaugural game in Atlanta, Ga in an effort to direct the nation's attention to one site for the start of the college football season.
| Year | Penn StateThe Pennsylvania State University is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research university located in the University Park area and within State College and College Township in Pennsylvania, United States...
| 6 |
Turner GillTurner Gill is the head coach of the Buffalo Bulls college football team and is one of seven current African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.-College:...
|
QB |
Nebraska |
|---|
| 1984 |
51,131 |
MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 in the city of Coral Gables, Florida within Miami-Dade County...
|
20 |
AuburnAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, U.S. With more than 24,100 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 1, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts school...
|
18 |
Bernie Kosar* Cleveland Browns Legends 2001Bernard Joseph Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-High school career:Born in...
|
QB |
Miami |
| 1985 |
51,227 |
Brigham YoungBrigham Young University , located in Provo, Utah, United States, is a private, coeducational research university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
|
28 |
Boston CollegeBoston College is a private research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Its name reflects its early history as a liberal arts college and preparatory school in Boston's South End. It is a member of the 568 Group and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
|
14 |
Robbie Bosco Robbie Bosco is most widely known as an American football quarterback at Brigham Young University. Bosco is a native of Roseville, California....
|
QB |
Brigham Young |
| 1986 |
68,296 |
AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1831, UA is the flagship university of the University of Alabama System. Within Alabama, it is often called "the Capstone"...
|
16 |
Ohio StateOhio State University is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the largest single-campus university in the United States. Ohio State is currently ranked by U.S...
|
10 |
Chris Spielman Charles Christopher Spielman is a former American football player and is currently an analyst for ESPN's coverage of college football games.-Football career:...
|
LB |
Ohio State |
| 1987 |
54,681 |
TennesseeThe University of Tennessee , sometimes called the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville...
|
23 |
IowaThe University of Iowa is a public research university located in Iowa City, Iowa. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
|
22 |
Reggie Cobb Reginald "Reggie" John Cobb is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 225-lb...
|
RB |
Tennessee |
| 1988 |
58,172 |
Nebraska |
23 |
Texas A&MTexas A&M University, often referred to as A&M or TAMU, is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas. It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The seventh-largest university in the United States, A&M enrolls over 48,000 students in ten...
|
14 |
Steve Taylor |
QB |
Nebraska |
| 1989 |
77,323 |
Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a private Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA....
|
36 |
VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
|
13 |
Tony Rice Tony Rice is a former professional American football player, playing quarterback in the Canadian Football League and World League of American Football. Rice is perhaps best remembered as the dynamic option quarterback of the University of Notre Dame's 1988 National Championship Team under coach...
|
QB |
Notre Dame |
| 1990 |
57,293 |
Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA...
|
34 |
SyracuseSyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.. It was founded as a university in 1870, but its roots can be traced back to a seminary founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832 which eventually became Genesee College...
|
16 |
Todd Marinovich Todd Marvin Marinovich is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. He is known for the well-documented, intense focus of his training as a young athlete as well as his quick fall from grace upon reaching the professional leagues due to personal problems...
|
QB |
Southern California |
| 1991 |
77,409 |
Penn StateThe Pennsylvania State University is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research university located in the University Park area and within State College and College Township in Pennsylvania, United States...
|
34 |
Georgia TechThe Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly called Georgia Tech, Tech, and GT, is a public, coeducational research university in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States...
|
22 |
Tony Sacca Tony Sacca is a former quarterback who played for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1988-91 and who played briefly in the NFL for the Phoenix Cardinals in 1992....
|
QB |
Penn State |
| 1992 |
46,251 |
North Carolina StateNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States...
|
24 |
IowaThe University of Iowa is a public research university located in Iowa City, Iowa. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
|
14 |
Terry Jordan |
QB |
North Carolina State |
| 1993 |
51,734 |
Florida StateFlorida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
|
42 |
KansasThe University of Kansas , the State of Kansas Flagship university , is a public research university with campuses located in Lawrence, Kansas City, and Overland Park, Kansas with the main campus being located atop Mount Oread in Lawrence...
|
0 |
Derrick BrooksDerrick Dewan Brooks is an American football linebacker Free Agent. He was released following the 2008 NFL season by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team with which he had spent his entire 14-year NFL career...
|
LB |
Florida State |
| 1994 |
58,233 |
Nebraska |
31 |
West VirginiaWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
|
0 |
Tommie Frazier Tommie James Frazier, Jr. is a former NCAA football quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He is considered one of the greatest option quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history....
|
QB |
Nebraska |
| 1995 |
62,711 |
Ohio StateOhio State University is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the largest single-campus university in the United States. Ohio State is currently ranked by U.S...
|
38 |
Boston CollegeBoston College is a private research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Its name reflects its early history as a liberal arts college and preparatory school in Boston's South End. It is a member of the 568 Group and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
|
6 |
Eddie GeorgeEdward Nathan George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
|
TB |
Ohio State |
| 1996 |
77,716 |
Penn StateThe Pennsylvania State University is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research university located in the University Park area and within State College and College Township in Pennsylvania, United States...
|
24 |
Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA...
|
7 |
Curtis Enis Curtis D. Enis is a former professional American football player. For three seasons he played running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League...
|
TB |
Penn State |
| 1997 |
51,185 |
SyracuseSyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.. It was founded as a university in 1870, but its roots can be traced back to a seminary founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832 which eventually became Genesee College...
|
34 |
Wisconsin The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
|
0 |
Donovan McNabbDonovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He has been the Eagles franchise quarterback since 1999. McNabb played college football for Syracuse University...
|
QB |
Syracuse |
| 1998 |
59,232 |
Florida StateFlorida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
|
23 |
Texas A&MTexas A&M University, often referred to as A&M or TAMU, is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas. It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The seventh-largest university in the United States, A&M enrolls over 48,000 students in ten...
|
14 |
Peter Warrick Peter Warrick is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals fourth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
|
WR |
Florida State |
| 1999 |
73,037 |
MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 in the city of Coral Gables, Florida within Miami-Dade County...
|
23 |
Ohio StateOhio State University is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the largest single-campus university in the United States. Ohio State is currently ranked by U.S...
|
12 |
Kenny Kelly Kenneth Alphonso Kelly is a minor league outfielder for the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights. Previously, he has played in the major leagues for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals...
|
QB |
Miami |
| 2000 |
78,902 |
Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA...
|
29 |
Penn StateThe Pennsylvania State University is a state-related, land-grant, space grant public research university located in the University Park area and within State College and College Township in Pennsylvania, United States...
|
5 |
Sultan McCullough Sultan McCullough is an American football running back in the National Football League who has also previously been a member of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League...
|
TB |
Southern California |
| 2001 |
41,517 |
Georgia TechThe Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly called Georgia Tech, Tech, and GT, is a public, coeducational research university in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States...
|
13 |
SyracuseSyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.. It was founded as a university in 1870, but its roots can be traced back to a seminary founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832 which eventually became Genesee College...
|
7 |
Kelly Campbell LeVaughn Kelly Campbell is a American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
|
WR |
Georgia Tech |
| 2002 |
72,903 |
Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a private Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA....
|
22 |
MarylandThe University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland...
|
0 |
Nick Setta Nicholas Setta is a player in the professional Canadian Football League currently playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His primary position is placekicker; and he is classified under CFL rules as an "import". He is 5'11" tall and 189 pounds.Setta played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame...
|
PK |
Notre Dame |