The Salute to Veterans Bowl is the first bowl to kick off the 2024 postseason, on Dec. 14.
The 2024 Bowl Season kicks off earlier than usual, with a Dec. 14 start date.
The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl commences college football’s month-long postseason, pitting together the Western Michigan Broncos (6-6, 5-3 MAC) and the South Alabama Jaguars (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) on Saturday, Dec. 14.
The second weekend of December is typically reserved for the Army-Navy Game, but the advent of the 12-team College Football Playoff shifted plenty of bowl games from their typical time slots. The Salute to Veterans Bowl kicks off after the conclusion of the Army-Navy Game that Saturday night.
The Salute to Veterans Bowl was previously known as the Camellia Bowl from 2014-23, operating under several sponsors such as Raycom Media and TaxAct during its first decade of existence. The new spoinsor, IS4S, renamed the bowl in its 11th season, but the other details remain the same. The Salute to Veterans Bowl is still set at the 25,000-seat Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL and will feature a MAC vs. Sun Belt matchup for the fourth-consecutive year. The MAC rides a two-game win streak in this bowl game, as Northern Illinois defeated Arkansas State in 2023 and Buffalo upended Georgia Southern in 2022.
Western Michigan will be making its first-ever appearance in this bowl. Last Saturday, the Broncos clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021. Western Michigan won its most recent bowl appearance at the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl over Nevada, and this will be the Broncos’ first time dancing in the postseason under second-year head coach Lance Taylor.
South Alabama will travel from the southern portion of the state to the center as it makes its second appearance in this bowl. The Jaguars participated in the inaugural Camellia Bowl back in 2014, falling 33-28 to MAC runner-up Bowling Green. South Alabama is bowling for the third-straight season — an accomplishment that has never been done before. The Jaguars are led by first-year head coach Major Applewhite, who went 0-3 in bowls at Houston and seeks his first postseason victory.
The 2024 Salute to Veterans Bowl is the first matchup in history between the two programs. The game kicks off at 9 p.m. ET from Montgomery, AL on Saturday, Dec. 14 — officially launching Bowl Season for 82 participating college football teams.