Cactus Bowl has brought back the name the game used from 2014 to 2017. After the Rate Bowl period, the event is again emphasizing Arizona, local football culture, and the cactus image. The relaunch affected the name, logo, venue, broadcast format, and fan program.
The game’s history began in 1989. It launched as the Copper Bowl and was played in Tucson. Later, the name changed several times. Past versions included the Cheez-It Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl, and Rate Bowl. The return to Cactus Bowl moves the event away from a sponsor-led frame and toward a regional sports theme.
In the new logo, the cactus becomes football goalposts. A ball flies through the middle, with the kick aimed at the score. The image brings together football through the goalposts and ball, Arizona through the cactus, and warm sunset tones.
Compared with the Rate Bowl, the change feels stronger in both name and image. Earlier, the sponsor wordmark took the main role in the logo, while the desert theme moved into the background. Now Cactus Bowl reads as an independent sports event with a connection to place and atmosphere. The large letters recall the tradition of college football and bowl games.
The color range supports the link to the Southwest. Orange, purple, and yellow shades create the feeling of a December evening in Arizona, a stadium, and a trip to the game. The restrained form works for broadcasts, posters, merchandise, and digital formats.
The 2026 game will be played on December 26 at 5:30 p.m. MST at Mountain America Stadium on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe. For the bowl game, this will be the first return to Tempe since 2015. Teams from the Big Ten and Big 12 will meet on the field. The broadcast is scheduled for prime time on ABC Saturday Night Football and ESPN digital platforms.
The new mark brings back the image of the Cactus Bowl as an Arizona bowl game. The cactus as goalposts, the flying ball, and dense sports typography build the brand around place, football, and a winter trip for fans.