It was much more than a football game.
It was a spirited community event that brought together teams, fans, families and football enthusiasts from all corners of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, all areas of Florida and from all the way up in Syracuse, New York.
In a thrilling Dec. 21 showdown in front of nearly 21,000 strong at FAU Stadium and more than one million more watching on ESPN, the University of South Florida Bulls emerged victorious against the Syracuse Orange in a 45-0 win that featured several record-setting performances in the 2023 RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. The 10th annual event was televised on ESPN nationally and ESPN 106.3 locally and was the first-ever appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl for both teams. The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, and is proud to partner with charitable partner, Spirit of Giving and dozens of other generous event sponsors and organizations.
The week was jam-packed with bowl game events that included welcome parties at the Silver Ball Museum and Drive Shack West Palm Beach, beach parties at Benny’s on the Beach at Lake Worth Pier, Pep Rallies and band showdowns at Mizner Park, team visits to Boca Raton Regional Hospital and the VA Medical Center and a Kickoff Luncheon at the Palm Beach County Convention Center to honor the two talented teams and Palm Beach County Legends Award winner, Anthony Carter.
But it was the game day Fan Fest, festivities and matchup on the field that took the cake providing pageantry, camaraderie and community like no other. Not to mention four United States Navy SEAL skydivers representing the National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce parachuting from the sky and landing on the field just minutes before the game to deliver the coin to be used in the pregame coin toss.
The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Beth Johnston Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Joe Lee, who has been the Bowl’s practice site coordinator for 10 years. The award was renamed this year in honor and memory of Beth Johnston, a past award recipient who worked tirelessly as a Community Captain Bowl volunteer and liaison to the band and spirit squads.
A.D. Henderson & FAU High School history teacher Christopher Clevenger was also honored on the field during the game, receiving Extra Yard for Teachers Recognition for his dedication to his students on and off the field.
Talk about teamwork and celebrations of all kinds at FAU Stadium on this night!
“The success of this year’s bowl is a testament to the dedication and passion of all involved and we thank all of our supporters and fans. Boca Raton and Palm Beach County provided the perfect backdrop for two exceptional teams, culminating in quite a win for USF. The excitement and energy of the game and bowl week surpassed our expectations and we can’t wait for bowl season 2024,” said Doug Mosley, Executive Director of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl.
To learn more, volunteer for or sponsor the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, visit www.RoofClaimBocaRatonBowl.com and follow @BocaBowl on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Paige Kornblue represents ESPN and the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl and is also a Boca magazine contributor. Visit PaigeKornblue.com and follow @PaigeKornblueMedia for Community, News, Sports, Travel and more!
