CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The 2023 Game One Bowl matchup is set and will feature the #11 Iowa Central Tritons (6-4, 1-1) against the #5 Snow (Utah) College Badgers (9-2) on Sunday, Dec. 3 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls.
The two teams will square off on the University of Northern Iowa Campus for the first time since Spring 2021, and just the third time in history. Snow won the previous two meetings taking the 2021 game 48-18 and also picking up a victory in 2019, 30-20.
Snow is making their second appearance at the Game One Bowl after attending back in 2018. The Badgers narrowly fell to Iowa Western in a battle of top 10 teams, 19-17. The Reivers won on a game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter.
The Tritons will play in their sixth-straight bowl dating back to 2018. They have won their previous five Game One Bowls, most recently a 31-24 win over Trinity Valley (Texas) last season.
Iowa Central saw peaks and pits during the 2023 season, but found their way to a 6-4 record and yet another bowl berth. The Tritons jumped out to a 5-1 record with their only loss coming to No. 1 Hutchinson. Ranked No. 3 in the country midway through the season, Iowa Central ran into a three-game losing skid that dropped them down to No. 15 in the country. In the final week, the Tritons blew out Highland (Kan.) 41-13 and climbed back up to No. 11 where they stood in the final NJCAA poll.
The Tritons were led by their passing attack which ranked 10th in the country in yards per game at 238.9. Iowa Central's top wideout had one of the best seasons in the NJCAA at any position. The 2023 ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year Mario Sanders is currently the nation's leader in receptions (70) and touchdowns (12), while also being top three in yards (926) and yards per game (92.6).
Defensively, the Tritons were 11th in the country in takeaways defensively with 11 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries -- along with 31 sacks, also 11th in the country.
On the other side of the field, the No. 5 ranked Snow Badgers are a playoff caliber football team. At 9-2, Snow were the odd team out of the four-team conversation after the latest poll. The Badgers have made the playoffs twice since it began in Spring 2021, most recently in the fall session of the 2021 season.
Their only losses this season came in Week 1 on the road at Trinity Valley -- and in Council Bluffs against the No. 2 ranked Reivers.
In 2023, Snow produced a top 10 offense through the regular season averaging 35 points per game and nearly 400 yards of offense. Quarterback Donovan Smith is second in the country in attempts, and has the second most yards at 2477 to go along with 25 touchdowns.
Smith's top targets are Jared Wilson, Ayo Shotomide-King and Amir McGruder. All have 425 yards or more --- and Wilson has hauled in nine TDs.
Running backs Spencer Lambert and AJ Tillman share the load in the running game. Both have accumulated over 500 yards on the ground this season. Lambert leads the team in yards with 640, while Tillman gets the Badgers into the end zone. He has 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, Snow is also in the top 10 as a team. They allow just 269 yards of offense per game and have 25 takeaways.
Historically, Iowa Central is 18-9 at the Game One Bowl. The Tritons have won in each of their last 12 appearances. As mentioned, Snow is 0-1 in Iowa's oldest bowl game.
The 2023 Game One Bowl will be the 45th edition of the event, with its first ever game being played back in 1978.
Game time is 1:00 p.m. Doors open to the public at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.
For more information on the 2023 Game One Bowl visit www.gameonebowl.com.