There, it was played at what became known as Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball.

The bowl returned to its previous home at Chase Field in Phoenix for the January 2016 event, due to renovation work at Sun Devil Stadium that was expected to last at least three off-seasons.

In 2012, restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings became the sponsor and self-titled the game for two years.

[9] In 2018, Kellogg's became the sponsor and rebranded the bowl, naming it after its cheese cracker brand, Cheez-It.

In 2000, the bowl's organizers moved the game to Bank One Ballpark, a baseball-specific stadium, in downtown Phoenix.

The 2006 game set a record (since tied in the 2016 Alamo Bowl) for the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I FBS bowl history,[12] as Texas Tech came back from a 38–7 third-quarter deficit to defeat Minnesota in overtime, 44–41.

After a four-year hiatus, during which NFL Network carried the game, ESPN regained the rights beginning in 2010.

As of 2023[update], Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF are the only current Big 12 schools that have not played in this bowl, albeit some while having previous conference affiliations.

Lost (10): Boise State, Boston College, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, UCLA, UNLV, Virginia Tech, Washington Updated through the December 2024 edition (35 games, 70 total appearances).