Absolutely nothing, I repeat, *nothing* is like a college football game in Florida.
The crazy tailgating, team rivalry, unbearable heat and excessive beer add up to unforgettable college experiences. (Note: The amount of beer you consume on college game day might make you forget the experience.)
Right now we’re stuck in a football-free period of the summer. But before college football officially starts in late August, you can get a whiff of things to come by voting for the 2017 Boca Raton Bowl Idol. The winner will perform he national anthem during opening ceremonies of the Bowl, which takes place December 19. The winner also gets 10 tickets to the game, so, you know, if you know one of the idols it’s worth spreading the word.
FAU Stadium held the first Boca Raton Bowl in 2014, and it is one of 41 postseason college bowl games in the country (and the only in Palm Beach County.) The Bowl matches teams from the Mid-American Conference with either Conference USA teams or American Athletic Conference teams every other year.
Online voting for the idol opens Thursday, where you can choose among the top 20 finalists ranging from singers and musicians, amateurs and professionals, groups and individuals and young and old. Online voting (you can vote here) will run through Sunday, July 23 until 11:59 p.m., and you can vote for your favorite semi-finalist once each day until closing.
After the online votes are in, the finalists will be whittled down to eight, and they will perform onstage for a panel of judges and a live audience on August 1 at the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in Boca Raton. A combo of judge selections and audience votes will determine the top three, who will perform again that night. By the end of the evening, a winner will be chosen.
Tickets to Finalists Night are $10 and sales will be donated to Spirit of Giving. You can purchase tickets at spiritofgivingnetwork.com/bocabowlidol.
Until I make it to another Gators game (can I get a “Go Gata!?”) I’ll let the hype around the Boca Raton Bowl fill the void in my heart and stomach that is mostly longing for beer on a hot Gainesville game day. But there is one thing FAU Stadium has to offer that no other stadium in the nation can: Views of the Atlantic Ocean from the skybox and press box.
Now that’s something to look forward to.
