How Many Texas Teams Have Made It to the Orange Bowl Before the Red Raiders?

Unless you live under a rock, you know that the Texas Tech Red Raiders earned their spot in the Orange Bowl after defeating the BYU Cougars on December 6 with a blowout score of 34-7. Texas Tech now secured their first-ever Big 12 Championship, and fans around the state went wild.

This begs the question: What actually is the Orange Bowl and how many times have Texas teams made it to this illustrious game in years past?

What is the Orange Bowl?

For anyone unaware, the Orange Bowl is an annual, post-season college football game hosted in South Florida at Hard Rock Stadium.

According to the Orange Bowl website, it began in 1935 as a means of boosting the South Florida economy. It all started with a committee that wanted to generate tourism through the sunshine state.

Today, there are over 1,000 Orange Bowl Ambassadors who freely offer their time to help the annual football game look its best.

Texas Teams In Orange Bowl History

Here are all of the Texas teams that have played at the Orange Bowl since its creation in 1935:

• 1942 - Georgia defeated Texas Christian University, 40-26
• 1944 - Louisiana State defeated Texas A&M, 19-14
• 1949 - University of Texas defeated Georgia, 41-28
• 1952 - Georgia Tech defeated Baylor, 17-14
• 1965 - University of Texas defeated Alabama, 21-17
• 2021 - Texas A&M defeated North Carolina, 41-27

Texas Tech's appearance at the Orange Bowl in 2026 not only marks their first time in university history but also the most recent time in five years that a Texas college made the cut.

When to Watch the 2026 Orange Bowl

The 2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will take place on Thursday, January 1 at 11 a.m. (CT).

Tickets can be purchased from the Orange Bowl website, and they range in prices from $266 to well over $3,000.

Happy watching!