San Diego Readies for Poinsettia Bowl
It may not be the biggest game of the college football bowls, but the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl will be the first: It's scheduled for Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. EST and will be televised nationally on ESPN-2.
ESPN is calling this year's game -- between the University of Northern Illinois Huskies and the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University -- "one of the most intriguing match ups in the non-BCS (top 8 teams) bowls."
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced in April 2005 that it would bring the Poinsettia Bowl to San Diego, which also hosts the Holiday Bowl. The late Paul Ecke Jr., AAF, of the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, Calif., wanted the first San Diego bowl game in 1978 to be the Poinsettia Bowl, but the NCAA picked "Holiday Bowl," instead, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Last year, Paul Ecke III told E-Brief: "We're proud that the NCAA chose a name which reflects the important role our plants have played in creating an identity for San Diego County during the holiday season. Everyone at the ranch is excited about this opportunity to showcase our poinsettias to a national audience through such a high-profile event."
Each year, SAF gives the Paul Ecke Jr. Award to a person in recognition of exemplary devotion to profession, industry and community. For more information contact Debi Aker at daker@safnow.org.
--Mary Westbrook
mwestbrook@safnow.org
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