The Gasparilla Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that takes place in Tampa, FL at Raymond James Stadium. It was first played in St Petersburg, FL at Tropicana Field and was known as the St Petersburg Bowl; however, was moved to Tampa and underwent a name change. The name Gasparilla Bowl is a nod to Jose Gaspar, a mythical pirate who hails from the Tampa Bay area. The first three bowl games featured C-USA and Big East teams. Eventually the Big East could be succeeded by the American Athletic Conference. As of 2020, the bowl has numerous conference tie-ins, making it eligible for eight different conferences, as well as independent teams.
The UCF Knights have played in the Gasparilla Bowl five times and winning it three times. Currently they have the most appearances, but Marshall is right behind them with four appearances and three wins.
