Ford Field No Longer Hosting College Football Bowl Game

The end of the college football season is different than any other sport in the world. Most sports, at the conclusion of the regular season the playoffs begin, in college football that's sort of what happens. A little over a decade ago, the College Football Playoff was introduced and has since grown to 12 teams. What about all the other teams who aren't in that playoff?

Get our free mobile app

There are 12 games in a college football regular season and any team that finishes .500 (6-6 or better) or better is entitled to a postseason game. In college football those games are known as bowl games. There are some bowl games within the playoff, but those teams are playing for a chance to be national champions, everyone else is not.

There are dozens of bowl games that happen all over the United States and every team is grateful for the opportunity to play in any bowl game they are selected for. It's an opportunity for teams to celebrate the season, gain a new experience, and try and cap the season off with a trophy. Detroit has hosted a bowl game for almost 30 years but that will all be changing in the 2026 season.

Have You Ever Been To A College Football Bowl Game In Detroit?

ESPN reports:

Detroit's 29-year run as a bowl game host city has ended, as Ford Field will not have a postseason game in the 2026 season. In a statement posted on social media, Ford Field noted that the end of its naming rights partnership with the bowl created the "right time to adjust our focus to invest in sports at all levels and other entertainment events." The city first hosted the Motor City Bowl in 1997 at the Pontiac Silverdome. The game moved to Ford Field in 2002 and was later named the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl and the Quick Lane Bowl, before becoming the GameAbove Sports Bowl in 2024. Detroit's bowl game typically featured teams from the Mid-American and Big Ten conferences, although ACC teams also appeared in the game seven times between 2013 and 2024. Last week, the LA Bowl announced it would shut down after five years of games.

This means as of now, Central Michigan will be able to hold the crown as one of the last teams to play a college football bowl game in Detroit. They may not have won this year's game, but they do have an accolade to take home and hang on to. Although, it is not clear if Detroit or Ford Field will be open to hosting another bowl game in the future.