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In 2012, Louisiana-Monroe pulled off one of the greatest upsets in college football history, knocking off #8 Arkansas 34-31. However, the most surprising aspect of the game, may not have been the upset, but the fact it was ULM home game...in Little Rock, Arkansas. The agreement was one of five games where ULM played Arkansas at Little Rock's venerable 55,000-seat War Memorial Stadium and counted it as a home game to meet the then FBS average home attendance minimum requirement of 15,000.
Now, a new rivalry and an uncertain future could send the Warhawks back to their artificial home. This month, USA Rice announced the christening of the Arkansas State-ULM game as the "Rice Bowl Rivalry" to honor Arkansas' and northern Louisiana's contributions to the United States' rice industry. The move adds flair to one of the Sun Belt's original rivalries, but it also opens up possibilities.
The beginning of the Rice Bowl Rivalry could not have come at a better time for War Memorial Stadium. The future of War Memorial Stadium is uncertain with the University of Arkansas ending their longtime partnership with the stadium this year. Currently, the Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will hold its Championship Weekend at the stadium, but those are the only college games at the stadium planned for the foreseeable future.
Thus, the Rice Bowl Rivalry is an opportunity for War Memorial to do something to prevent their stadium from becoming a ghost town. Both teams are relatively close, so travel costs could be covered by USA Rice as part of a larger marketing effort. Additionally, it would help the Rice Bowl Rivalry resemble more of an actual bowl game than a branded regular season game. Little Rock had tried to establish a postseason Rice Bowl in the mid-2010s. Unfortunately, their bid failed after the NCAA announced a moratorium on new bowls from 2016-2019.
It may not be what they envisioned, but the Rice Bowl Rivalry could give Little Rock the bowl they have long desired.While making the game a permanent staple of Little Rock is unreasonable, a one-off helps keep things fresh for the rivalry. This prevents the Rice Bowl Rivalry from becoming a formality for fans.
Anytime an over 70-year tradition ends, it can be difficult to pick up the pieces. Fortunately, the Rice Bowl Rivalry can breathe life into War Memorial Stadium. Little Rock and War Memorial Stadium cannot afford to let an opportunity to be part of a region-defining event slip away.
