The Bahamas Bowl is an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been contested nine times since 2014 in Nassau, Bahamas, at the 15,000-seat Thomas Robinson Stadium. The bowl has tie-ins with the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA.
The game was not played following the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nor the 2023 and 2025 seasons, due to stadium renovations.
For the December 2023 edition, the game was replaced by a bowl game at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to renovations at Thomas Robinson Stadium. This edition was known as the Famous Toastery Bowl, reflecting the title sponsor of the relocated game.
The Bahamas Bowl was not played following the 2025 football season; future plans for the bowl are unclear. Instead, the Xbox Bowl was played at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.
History
The inaugural edition of the Bahamas Bowl, played in 2014, was the first major (FBS or historical equivalent) bowl game to be played outside the United States and Canada between two U.S. teams since the January 1, 1937, Bacardi Bowl in Havana, Cuba. The game featured teams from the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA; that conference matchup has continued annually. In July 2019, the MAC announced a continuation of its tie-in with the bowl through the 2025–26 football season.
From its inception to 2017, the game was sponsored by the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant franchise and officially known as the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. After Restaurant Brands International acquired Popeyes in 2017, they declined to renew sponsorship. Elk Grove Village, Illinois—"home to the largest industrial park in the United States"—picked up title sponsorship in 2018, with the bowl using the official naming of Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl. The name lasted until Elk Grove Village ended its sponsorship in March 2020. On May 25, 2022, it was announced that HomeTown Lenders would be the new title sponsor of the game.
The winning team is presented with a trophy, since 2016 named the Prime Minister's Trophy. The current trophy, in use since the 2018 playing, is approximately tall and weighs nearly .
On October 2, 2020, the 2020 edition of the bowl was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions.
After a one-year hiatus, the bowl returned to the Bahamas for the edition following the 2024 season, and was played in January for the first time.
In early June 2025, the Bahamas Bowl was not included in the announced lineup of bowls scheduled to follow the 2025 season. Future plans for the bowl are unclear.
Game results DateBowl name Winning team Losing teamAttendance December 24, 2014 Bahamas Bowl Western Kentucky 49 Central Michigan 48 13,667 December 24, 2015 Bahamas Bowl Western Michigan 45 Middle Tennessee 31 13,123 December 23, 2016 Bahamas Bowl Old Dominion 24 Eastern Michigan 20 13,422 December 22, 2017 Bahamas Bowl Ohio 41 UAB 6 13,585 December 21, 2018 Bahamas Bowl FIU 35 Toledo 32 13,510 December 20, 2019 Bahamas Bowl Buffalo 31 Charlotte 9 13,547 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic December 17, 2021 Bahamas Bowl Middle Tennessee 31 Toledo 24 13,596 December 16, 2022 Bahamas Bowl UAB 24 Miami (OH) 20 12,172 2023 Not played due to stadium renovations January 4, 2025 Bahamas Bowl Buffalo 26 Liberty 7 4,610 2025 Not played Source:
MVPs Year Offensive MVP Defensive MVP Ref. Player Team Pos. Player Team Pos. 2014 Brandon Doughty Western Kentucky QB Derik Overstreet Western Kentucky DL 2015 Jamauri Bogan Western Michigan RB Grant DePalma Western Michigan LB 2016 Ray Lawry Old Dominion RB TJ Ricks Old Dominion LB 2017 Dorian Brown Ohio RB Javon Hagan Ohio FS 2018 Christian Alexander FIU QB Edwin Freeman FIU LB 2019 Jaret Patterson Buffalo RB Malcolm Koonce Buffalo DE 2021 Nicholas Vattiato Middle Tennessee QB DQ Thomas Middle Tennessee LB 2022 Trea Shropshire UAB WR Michael Fairbanks II UAB LB 2025 Al-Jay Henderson Buffalo RB Red Murdock Buffalo LB
Most appearances Updated through the January 2025 edition (10 games, 20 total appearances).
Teams with multiple appearances TeamAppearancesRecordWin pct. Buffalo 2 2–0 Middle Tennessee 2 1–1 UAB 2 1–1 Toledo 2 0–2
Teams with a single appearance Won (5): FIU, Ohio, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan
Lost (5): Central Michigan, Charlotte, Eastern Michigan, Liberty, Miami (OH)
Appearances by conference Updated through the January 2025 edition (10 games, 20 total appearances).
ConferenceRecordAppearances by seasonGamesWLWin pct.WonLost C-USA 9 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 2015, 2017, 2019, 2024* MAC 9 2015, 2017, 2019, 2024* 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022
Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in January of the following calendar year.
Game records TeamRecord, Team vs. OpponentYearMost points scored (one team) 49, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan 2014Most points scored (losing team) 48, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky 2014Most points scored (both teams) 97, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan 2014Fewest points allowed 6, Ohio vs. UAB 2017Largest margin of victory 35, Ohio vs. UAB 2017Total yards 647, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan 2014Rushing yards 282, Western Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee 2015Passing yards 493, Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky 2014First downs 29, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan 2014Fewest yards allowed 242, Buffalo vs. Liberty 2025Fewest rushing yards allowed 80, Buffalo vs. Charlotte 2019Fewest passing yards allowed 77, Charlotte vs. Buffalo 2019IndividualRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearAll-purpose yards 215, Jamauri Bogan (Western Michigan) 2015Touchdowns (all-purpose) 4, shared by Bogan, Brown, and Davis (see below) Rushing yards 215, Jamauri Bogan (Western Michigan) 2015Rushing touchdowns 4, shared by:Jamauri Bogan (Western Michigan)Dorian Brown (Ohio) 20152017Passing yards 493, Cooper Rush (Central Michigan) 2014Passing touchdowns 7, Cooper Rush (Central Michigan) 2014Receiving yards 183, shared by:Corey Davis (Western Michigan)Trea Shropshire (UAB) 20152022Receptions 9, Yusuf Ali (Middle Tennessee) 2021Receiving touchdowns 4, Titus Davis (Central Michigan) 2014Tackles 15, Matthew Salopek (Miami (OH)) 10 (solo), Matthew Salopek (Miami (OH)) 2022Sacks 2, shared by:Derik Overstreet (Western Kentucky)Malcolm Koonce, (Buffalo)Nate Givhan (Toledo) 201420192021Interceptions 1, by multiple players Long PlaysRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearTouchdown run 74 yds., Dorian Brown (Ohio) 2017Touchdown pass 90 yds., Dequan Finn to Matt Landers (Toledo) 2021Kickoff return 45 yds., Andre Wilson (UAB) 2017Punt return 34 yds., Kylan Nelson (Ohio) 2017Interception return 49 yds., Samuel Womack (Toledo) 2021Fumble return 27 yds., Tony Annese (Central Michigan) 2014Punt 68 yds., Ethan Duane (Buffalo) 2025Field goal 52 yds., Upton Bellenfant (Buffalo) 2025 Source:
Media coverage The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception.
See also List of college football games played outside the United States
Notes
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External links