Definition
The 1985 Holiday Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game played in San Diego, California, as part of the 1985 NCAA Division I‑A football season.
Overview
The inaugural edition of the Holiday Bowl took place on December 22, 1985 at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium (later known as Qualcomm Stadium). The game featured the Arizona Wildcats of the Pacific‑10 Conference and the Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southwest Conference. Arizona defeated Arkansas by a final score of 17 – 13. The contest marked the first appearance for both teams in the newly created Holiday Bowl series and contributed to the establishment of the bowl as a recurring postseason event in the Western United States.
Etymology/Origin
The term “Holiday Bowl” derives from the event’s scheduling during the holiday season (late December) and its positioning as a festive, family‑friendly attraction for both local spectators and traveling fans. The bowl was created by the San Diego Sports Authority and television partner TBS (later ESPN) to provide an additional postseason opportunity for teams outside the traditional New Year’s Day bowl lineup.
Characteristics
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | December 22, 1985 |
| Venue | Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California |
| Attendance | Approximately 51,000 spectators (exact figure not definitively recorded) |
| Participating Teams | Arizona Wildcats (Pac‑10) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (SWC) |
| Final Score | Arizona 17, Arkansas 13 |
| Notable Performances | Arizona’s offense, led by quarterback Chris Miller, accounted for the majority of the team’s scoring. Arkansas’ defense kept the game within a single touchdown throughout most of the contest. |
| Broadcast | The game was televised nationally in the United States; the specific network (TBS or ESPN) is not definitively confirmed in available sources. |
| MVP | Accurate information about the official Most Valuable Player award for this game is not confirmed. |
| Significance | As the first Holiday Bowl, the 1985 edition helped solidify San Diego’s role as a host city for college football bowl games and provided a postseason platform for mid‑major conference teams. |
Related Topics
- Holiday Bowl – the annual college football bowl game series held in San Diego, subsequently moved to the newly constructed SDCCU Stadium (formerly San Diego Stadium) and later to Petco Park (temporary relocation).
- 1985 NCAA Division I‑A football season – the broader college football season encompassing the 1985 Holiday Bowl.
- Arizona Wildcats football – the University of Arizona’s football program, which won the inaugural Holiday Bowl.
- Arkansas Razorbacks football – the University of Arkansas’s football program, participant in the 1985 Holiday Bowl.
- College football bowl games – postseason games traditionally held in December and January, of which the Holiday Bowl is a member.
Note: Where exact figures or designations are not verifiable from reliable published records, the entry indicates the uncertainty accordingly.