The Bowl Challenge Cup is an exciting competition among NCAA college football conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision, which was previously known as Division I-A. This showdown is all about the win-loss records from the bowl games held each year in December and January. The conference claiming the title is the one that boasts the highest winning percentage, with the requirement of having at least three teams participating in the bowl games.

Launched in 2002 by ESPN, this Challenge is sometimes referred to as the “Bowl Cup Challenge” during promotional campaigns. Initially backed by Cooper Tire, the event went several years without a sponsor, but since the 2015–16 bowl season, Progressive has proudly taken on that role.

Participants in the annual Bowl Challenge Cup are the Power 4 Conferences – the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC – as well as the Group of Five remaining Division I FBS conferences – the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. In past years the Big East and Pac-12 Conferences were also included.

Past Bowl Challenge Cup Winners

2002-2003 Bowl Season – Big Ten – 5-2 – .714

2003-2004 Bowl Season – ACC – 5-1 – .833

2004-2005 Bowl Season – Mountain West – 2-1 – .667

2005-2006 Bowl Season – ACC & Big 12 – 5-3 – .625

2006-2007 Bowl Season – Big East – 5-0 – 1.000

2007-2008 Bowl Season – Mountain West – 4-1 – .800

2008-2009 Bowl Season – Pacific 10 – 5-0 – 1.000

2009-2010 Bowl Season – Mountain West – 4-1 – .800

2010-2011 Bowl Season – Mountain West – 4-1 – .800

2011-2012 Bowl Season – Conference USA & MAC – 4-1 – .800

2012-2013 Bowl Season – Conference USA – 4-1 – .800

2013-2014 Bowl Season – SEC – 7-3 – .700

2014-2015 Bowl Season – Conference USA – 4-1 – .800

2015-2016 Bowl Season – SEC – 9-2 – .818

2016-2017 Bowl Season – ACC – 9-3 – .750

2017-2018 Bowl Season – Big Ten 7-1 – .875

2018-2019 Bowl Season – Conference USA – 4-2 – .667

2019-2020 Bowl Season – SEC – 8-2 – .800

2020-2021 Bowl Season – Big 12 – 5-0 – 1.000

2021-2022 Bowl Season – Mountain West – 5-1 – .833

2022-2023 Bowl Season – MAC – 4-2 – .667

2023-2024 Bowl Season – Big Ten – 6-4 – .600

2024-2025 Bowl Season – The American – 6-2 – .750 – AAC edges the MAC to win the 2024-2025 Bowl Challenge Cup