This year, thousands of avid sports fans will visit Florida to see world-class sporting events. Because of its perennially soothing climate, Florida has proven to be an essential location for hosting a variety of prestigious tournaments and competitions. Top among them? College bowl games.

In 1935, Miami hosted the first NCAA-sanctioned Orange Bowl, and for decades, the game was played at the Miami Orange Bowl. Today, alumni and face-painted fans of the top teams scramble for tickets for the annual ritual at Dolphin Stadium; the game is now called the FedEx Orange Bowl. This year, it will be played Thursday, Jan. 3. It’s one of four Bowl Championship Series games; the stadium is also the location for the 2009 Bowl Championship Series of the NCAA.

The other Florida bowl games are:

  • Champs Sports Bowl – Boston College v. Michigan State. December 28 at 5 p.m., Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando
  • Capital One Bowl – University of Florida v. University of Michigan. January 1 at 1 p.m., Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando
  • Outback Bowl – University of Wisconsin v. University of Tennessee. January 1 at 11 a.m., Raymond James Stadium in Tampa
  • Konica Minolta Gator Bowl – Texas Tech v. University of Virginia. January 1 at 1 p.m., Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

The Champs Sports Bowl was once the Sunshine Classic held in Miami Gardens. Today it is held at the end of December after Christmas at Orlando’s Citrus Bowl, and features a Big Ten vs. ACC match up.

The Capital One Bowl was first played in 1947 as the Tangerine Bowl and later the Citrus Bowl, and is held on New Year’s Day in Orlando.

The Outback Bowl, first held in 1986 in Tampa, is also held on New Year’s Day and features an SEC and Big Ten matchup at Raymond James Stadium.

Held continuously since 1946, the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl is also played on New Year’s Day at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

For more information, see orangebowl.org, champsbowl.com, outbackbowl.com, capitalonebowl.com and gatorbowl.com.