The Wheat Bowl Football Classic was headquartered in the Central Kansas town of Ellinwood and was played in nearby Great Bend annually as the kickoff for the NAIA season.

Beginning in 1997, the Wheat Bowl Football Classic was successfully switched to a pre-season contest to eliminate several potential obstacles: the possibility of inclement weather, conflicts with Kansas State University and University of Kansas home games as well as conflicts with high school playoffs.

The next game was scheduled for August 23, 2008 at the newly renovated Great Bend Memorial Stadium.

The College Fanz First Down Classic preseason bowl began in 2007 and was considered the kick-off of the NAIA season[5] until its final game in 2011.

There was a game called the "Wheat Bowl" played between Kansas Community Colleges from 1948 to 1950.