What bowl games are coming to Central Florida? Orlando will host these 3 match-ups

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando will see three bowl match-up games as the college football season winds down.

Appalachian State and Miami (Ohio) will square off in the 2023 Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl held at FBC Mortgage Stadium on UCF’s campus on Dec. 16.

It will be Appalachian State’s first appearance in the Cure Bowl and its eighth bowl game in program history. It will also be Miami’s (Ohio) first time in the Cure Bowl and its 15th bowl appearance in team history.

“On behalf of the Orlando Sports Foundation, we are honored to welcome Appalachian State and Miami (Ohio) to the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl,” said Alan Gooch, Orlando Sports Foundation CEO and Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl Executive Director. “Gameday is going to be special as college football fans, cancer survivors and supporters, both team’s bands and the Orlando Community come together for the Owens Corning March 2Cure before heading to FBC Mortgage Stadium to watch the Mountaineers compete against RedHawks.”

NC State gets the chance to take on Kansas State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Dec. 28. The game will feature the first edible mascot in sports history. The Pop-Tarts Bowl, formerly known as the Cheez-It Bowl, features top teams from the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 Conferences.

“Since turning toast and jam into an ingenious toaster pastry almost 60 years ago, Pop-Tarts has always been about making the world more fun, more unexpected and more delicious for fans of all kinds,” said Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing for Pop-Tarts. “We’re ecstatic to be the new title sponsor of the Pop-Tarts Bowl with our partners at Florida Citrus Sports.”

Most recently, the game was known as the Cheez-It Bowl.

Iowa will take on Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 at Camping World Stadium.

The game will be Iowa’s 36th bowl appearance and third in the Citrus Bowl. Tennessee will see its 56th bowl appearance and their first trip to the Citrus Bowl since beating Michigan to cap the 2001 season with 11 wins.

“Our city is looking forward to welcoming Iowa and Tennessee fans for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and NC State and Kansas State supporters for the Pop-Tarts Bowl,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer wrote on Sunday.

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