The Zia Bowl was an American

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

bowl game In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For most of its history, the Division I Bowl Subdivis ...

game played at University Stadium in

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

. It decided the

NCAA Division II National Football Championship The NCAA Division II Football Championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination tournament with eight teams. The tourna ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

and

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

. The bowl was sponsored by the Albuquerque Jaycees, who began working late in 1977 to bring the event to the city. The NCAA awarded the game to Albuquerque in April 1979. The game was named after the Zia, the symbol in the center of the New Mexico state flag. A Zia Bowl parade was held in downtown Albuquerque on the morning of the game. Other related activities included a 5K race. The Zia Bowl failed to draw much interest locally, and only 4,000 attended the 1979 game. Shortly after the 1980 game drew an announced crowd of just 2,056, the Zia Bowl folded. In May 1981, the NCAA awarded the Division II championship to the

Palm Bowl Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

McAllen, Texas McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States, and the 22nd-most populous city in Texas. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley, on the Mexico–United States border. The city limits extend ...

for the next five years.

Game results

References

{{reflist Defunct college football bowls NCAA Division II Football Championship 1979 establishments in New Mexico 1980 disestablishments in New Mexico Recurring sporting events established in 1979 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1980 American football competitions in New Mexico Sports competitions in Albuquerque, New Mexico