Camellia Bowl (1961–80)
The Camellia Bowl was a college football postseason game in Sacramento, California, which is nicknamed the Camellia City. It was held sixteen times at Hughes Stadium, from 1961 through 1975, and once more in 1980.History
From 1961 through 1963, the game decided the NAIA Football National Championship.
From 1964 through 1972, the game was among the four regional finals in the College Division. There were no playoffs as the national champion was determined by a poll prior to these games; the other three regional finals were the Tangerine, Pecan, and Grantland Rice bowls.
The system was revised in 1973 with the creation of Division II and its full playoff structure. The Camellia Bowl was the Division II championship game for the first three years, then the title game moved to the Pioneer Bowl in Texas.
After a four-year hiatus, the Camellia Bowl returned for one year playing in 1980 as the Division I-AA title game.
