Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl to be renamed Cactus Bowl

The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl will now be named the Cactus Bowl, the Valley of the Sun Bowl Foundation announced on Thursday. The name change occurs after Buffalo

The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl will now be named the Cactus Bowl, the Valley of the Sun Bowl Foundation announced on Thursday. The name change occurs after Buffalo Wild Wings dropped their sponsorship of the game when negotiations fell through in June. 

Next season's game will pit the No. 6 selection from the Pac-12 against the No. 5 selection from the Big 12, and will be held at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium on Jan. 2, 2015.

Mike Nealy, the Executive Director of the Cactus Bowl, explained the thought process behind the new name:

“Our new name represents an iconic symbol for the state of Arizona. The name will also resonate with the thousands of fans traveling to the Southwest to experience our great bowl game and unmatched hospitality.”

This will be the 26th year of the bowl, which has undergone a number of name changes since its inception in 1989, including the Copper Bowl and the Insight Bowl. In last season's Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Kansas State defeated Michigan 31-14. 

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