The Poultry Bowl

Poultry Bowl

The Poultry Bowl was an official college football bowl game played in 1973 and 1974 in Gainesville, Georgia and Greensboro, North Carolina.The maiden game was played at Gainesville's City Park Complex on Saturday, Dec. 8, 1973, between Stephen F. Austin, and Gardner-Webb University...

was an official college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 bowl game

Bowl game

In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...

 played in 1973 and 1974 in Gainesville, Georgia

Gainesville, Georgia

-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...

 and Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

.

The maiden game was played at Gainesville's

Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...

 City Park Complex on Saturday, Dec. 8, 1973, between Stephen F. Austin, and Gardner-Webb University (at that time, Gardner Webb College). The SFA Lumberjacks beat the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs 31-10.

The bowl was aimed at small colleges that didn't have bowl opportunities, and for the initial game, the selection committee also considered Elon

Elon University

Elon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes...

, Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...

, Troy

Troy University

Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...

, Grabmling

Grambling State University

Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...

, Carson Newman and Jackson State

Jackson State University

Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...

 before settling on Stephen F. Austin and Gardner-Webb.

The Lumberjacks' mobile quarterback Larry Mayer scored one touchdown and set up others. The halftime score was 10-3, but Stephen F. Austin dominated the second half, featuring long runs by Mayer, tailback John Reece and fullback Bill Tyler. Gardner-Webb used their passing game to move the ball, but couldn't keep up with the Lumberjacks. Unfortunately, cold rain that fell two hours before kickoff and the crowd was estimated at only 1,000.

1973 was the first and only Poultry Bowl played in Gainesville. The game was played the following year at the historic World War Memorial Stadium

World War Memorial Stadium

World War Memorial Stadium, more commonly known as War Memorial Stadium, is the name of a baseball park in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...

 in Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

. The 1974 tilt featured William Penn

William Penn University

William Penn University is a private, liberal arts university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends in 1873 as Penn College...

 and Guilford

Guilford College

Guilford College, founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of Friends , is an independent college whose stated mission is to: provide a transformative, practical and excellent liberal arts education that produces critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse environment, guided by Quaker...

. The game ended in a 7-7 tie, as games could in that era, but as it was a bowl game a tiebreaker was used (most first downs), and Guilford was given an 8-7 victory.

Game results

Date Played	Winning Team		Losing Team		Notes
December 8, 1973		31		10
December 7, 1974		8		7	Guilford wins on tiebreaker - first downs