Coaching for Pizza: The Fifth Annual and Final Bucked Up LA Bowl hosted by Gronk

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Our second post of the day describes the end of our busy Saturday that continued with, what else, a football game.

It was my 69th game attended this calendar year, having seen games of all types including flag and 8-man in Spain, South Carolina and California.

More than likely, this would be the last game of the year for us.

Tonight it was not just any game, it was . . .

The Fifth Annual LA Bowl

Officially it was The Bucked Up LA Bowl hosted by Gronk.

How do you fit that title on a championship ring?

By the way, Bucked Up is a company that makes supplements for those in want of more effective training regimens.

It had already been announced earlier this week that this would be the final LA Bowl. Another "classic" post-season game falling by the wayside.

Our combatants were . . .

The Boise State Broncos

9-4 overall, 7-2 Mountain West Conference

Mountain West Conference Champions

2025 Results

at South Florida (9-3) – Lost 34-7

vs. Eastern Washington (5-7) – Won 51-14

at Air Force (4-8) – Won 49-37 *

vs. Appalachian State (5-7) – Won 47-14

at Notre Dame (10-2) – Lost 28-7

vs. New Mexico (9-3) – Won 41-25 *

vs. UNLV (10-3) – Won 56-31 *

at Nevada (3-9) – Won 24-3 *

vs. Fresno State (8-4) – Lost 30-7 *

at San Diego State (9-3) – Lost 17-7 *

vs. Colorado State (2-10) – Won 49-21 *

at Utah State (6-6) – Won 25-24 *

vs. UNLV (10-3) – Won 38-21 **

* Mountain West Conference Game

** Mountain West Conference

Championship Game

vs.

The Washington Huskies

8-4 overall, 5-4 Big-10 Conference

Tied for Seventh Place in the Big-10 Conference

2025 Results

vs. Colorado State (2-10) – Won 38-21

vs. UC Davis (9-3) – Won 70-10

at Washington State (6-6) – Won 59-24

vs. Ohio State (12-1) – Lost 24-6 *

at Maryland (4-8) – Won 24-20 *

vs. Rutgers (5-7) – Won 38-19 *

at Michigan (9-3) – Lost 24-7 *

vs. Illinois (8-4) – Won 42-25 *

at Wisconsin (4-8) – Lost 13-10 *

vs. Purdue (2-10) – Won 49-13 *

at UCLA (3-9) – Won 48-14 *

vs. Oregon (11-1) – Lost 26-14 *

* Big-10 Conference Game

Going Bowling Again!

For Washington, it would be the 45th bowl game in program history.

The Huskies first bowl experience was in the 1924 Rose Bowl, a 14-14 tie vs. Navy.

No, I was not at that game but I have been in possession of the 1924 Rose Bowl game ball for about 45 years now.

My plan is to donate the ball to the Huskies Sports Hall of Fame on my next trip to Seattle.

As for my personal experiences, the LA Bowl would mark the 19th time that I have been at one of the UW's bowl games.

Here is the rundown of the previous 18 Husky bowl games that I have attended with the Huskies record standing at 10-8:

ROSE BOWLS

Pasadena, California

5 Wins - 3 Losses

1978

Washington (8-4) 27 - Michigan (10-2) 20

1981

Michigan (10-2) 23 - Washington (9-3) 6

1982

Washington (10-2) 28 - Iowa (8-4) 0

1991

Washington (10-2) 46 - Iowa (8-4) 34

1992

Washington (12-0) 34 - Michigan (10-2) 14

1993

Michigan (9-0-3) 38 - Washington (9-3) 31

2001

Washington (11-1) 34 - Purdue (8-4) 24

2019

Ohio State (13-1) 28 - Washington (10-4) 23

HOLIDAY BOWLS

San Diego, California

1 Win - 3 Losses

1996

Colorado (10-2) 33 - Washington (9-3) 21

1999

Kansas State (11-1) 24 - Washington (7-5) 20

2001

Texas (11-2) 47 - Washington (8-4) 43

2010

Washington (7-6) 19 - Nebraska (10-4) 7

FREEDOM BOWLS

Anaheim, California

2 Wins - 0 Losses

1985

Washington (7-5) 20 - Colorado (7-5) 17

1989

Washington (8-4) 33 - Florida (7-5) 7

Las Vegas Bowl

Las Vegas, Nevada

1 Win - 1 Loss

2012

Boise State (11-2) 28 - Washington (7-6) 26

2019

Washington (8-5) 38 - Boise State (12-2) 7

ALAMO BOWL

San Antonio, Texas

0 Wins - 1 Loss

2011

Baylor (10-3) 67 - Washington (7-6) 56

FIGHT HUNGER BOWL

San Francisco, California

1 Win - 0 Losses

2013

Washington (9-4) 31 - BYU (8-5) 16

Our good friend, UW alum and blog groupie, Paul Sabolić, suggested that the Huskies, on general principles, belonged in a more prestigious bowl than this Gronkfest at SoFi Stadium.

My response?

If we had not been edged by 4-8 Wisconsin, 13-10, we would have moved up from a three way tie for seventh place in the Big-10 with Illinois and Minnesota to a tie for sixth with Iowa.

In the CFP, Iowa (8-4) is ranked #23 and will play #14 Vanderbilt (10-2) in the December 31st ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

If the Huskies had beaten a poor Wisconsin team, that might have been Washington playing in Florida, Paul's more prestigious game to be sure.

On to the LA Bowl. It had to start with a good pre-game meal with grandson Jacob making the call.

Boyle Height's #1 Dining Spot,

yet again

Laurie with a tostada,

Jacob and his go-to two taco plate

Michael opted for the small

machaca burrito

I opted for the traditional pork Hollenbeck burrito, savory and spicy!

We were both full but still toting two take-home boxes with us for the ride down the Harbor Freeway to SoFi Stadium.

It would be Laurie's first time in SoCal's state-of-the-art arena.

We arrived about an hour before

Kickoff, where is everybody?

When we went to SoFi a few weeks ago for the Rams-Buccaneers game this parking lot was PACKED!

Not so much today.

A mini tailgate out of the back

of the Blueberry II

Yes, Laurie, the SoFi is thataway.

It was obvious that this game would not be a sellout.

Our first clue had been earlier this week when we bought our tickets. First they only cost $41 each as compared to $108 for the Rams game we recently attended.

Next, the Rams game tickets were in the 500 nose bleed level. Our much cheaper tickets today were in the 200 level. As a matter of fact, the two upper levels of seats were completely closed off to the public for tonight's game.

Once we entered, Jacob scurried to the Kid's Zone for more pre-game exercise.

He did kick this Field Goal from

an estimated 52 yards out

There was no $500,000 college tuition prize attached to the kick though.

Lefty was slinging but not

hitting his target

It would later remind me of the Boise State QB's day.

They also had an art table

where you could . . .

. . . design your own football helmet

Christmas ornaments

Michael made the 1990s Rio Mesa H.S. helmet on the left while Jacob went for the classic Washington Huskies helmet.

The two of us were ready to

our seats

Laurie would eventually give us her two cents about SoFi. A fun party stadium but with not much soul.

My one and only souvenir

Alas, game day souvenir programs, which I love to collect, have become a thing of the past in the new digital age.

Our first view of the field in

a mostly empty SoFi

Jacob heading to our seats in

Section 204

Row 12

Seats 11-15

The Husky Band taking the field as

the team exits from their warmups

Bands are such an integral part

of any college football game

The Huskies musical spellout

In the 500 level, I viewed the game

more on that big screen overhead

than actually watching the field

Tonight, in the 200 level, I only looked up to watch replays.

MUCH BETTER!

Here Come the HUSKIES!

This opening Kickoff Return was

the Broncos only highlight until

late in the game

DISCLAIMER: Any and all close up photos of the game came from sources posting them on FaceBook.

The Huskies Defense came to play!

Good effort but the Broncos scored

first on a Field Goal

We all celebrated as we knew the Las Vegas betting axiom, the team that attempts the first Field Goal in a game losses 75% of the time.

Lots of good Husky . . .

. . . Defense in the First Quarter

End of the First Quarter

Washington - 3

Boise State - 3

Time for our Group Selfie

The Washington Offense was

coming alive both on the ground . . .

. . . and through the air

Huskies sprint out pass . . .

. . . good for a diving TD garb!

Halftime Score

Washington - 24

Boise State - 3

Was the rout on?

Behind a running game that was

both powerful . . .

. . . and FAST, the rout was indeed on!

End of the Third Quarter

Washington - 31

Boise State - 3

UW knocking on the door again

Broncos on Offense DEEP in their

own end of the field

It was a long, long day for Boise State but they did mount a solid scoring drive to make the final score a bit more palatable.

Huskies well earned JUBILATION!

Final Score

Washington (9-4) - 38

Boise State (9-5) - 10

It took virtually no time for some random company to use AI to come up with a post-game souvenir on FaceBook.

Memorable but No, Thank You

My Huskies bowl game attending record improved to 11-8 after this victory.

The announced attendance for this LA Bowl was 23,269.

I don't think that that many people actually attended the game.

The 23,269 figure is about a third of SoFi's seating capacity of 70,240.

The only two smaller crowds in the Huskies 45 bowl game history were the 2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl in Texas, a Huskies (7-6) win over Southern Mississippi (9-5), 44-31, attended by 20,229 rabid fans.

The 1938 Poi Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, where the UW (7-2-2) enjoyed a sunny vacation at the hands a weak University of Hawaii (2-6) squad, winning 53-13, attracted an estimated 13,500 people to leave the beach at Waikiki for the big game.

No Bowl Eligible standards in the 1930s it would appear.