Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium will be rocking come January 2, 2006, and only those holding 2006 Gator Bowl tickets will get to enjoy the party. Due to a full slate of New Year's Day NFL games, the 2006 Toyota Gator Bowl will be pushed back a day from its traditional New Year's Day slot, but the festivities won't slack off. Despite the change in date, tickets to the 2006 Gator Bowl, as usual, will provide fans with a big time college football match-up and, possibly, a live view of the making of gridiron heroes.

In the 2005 Gator Bowl, it was Florida State much maligned quarterback Chris Rix who went from goat to hero and helped the Seminoles punch their ticket to victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers. In a back-and-forth contest, Rix fumbled three times and tossed two interceptions, one of which led to a touchdown, in the first half. The shaky performance made Florida State head coach consider replacing Rix during halftime festivities. But Bowden stuck with his senior QB and was rewarded. in the second half when Rix redeemed himself by orchestrating two long touchdown drives to help the Florida State Seminoles pull away from the Mountaineers and hand Bowden his 19th career bowl victory, one shy of the NCAA record held by Penn State legend Joe Paterno.

Seminole running back Leon Washington helped the Seminoles overcome Rix's first-half miscues. Washington, who finished with 195 yards rushing on just 12 carries, electrified the Alltel Stadium crowd with a 69-yard touchdown burst on the second play of the game. Gator Bowl tickets allowed fans to see more heroics in 2004 when Maryland quarterback Scott McBrien completed 21 of 33 passes for 381 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Terps to a convincing 41-7 rout of West Virginia.

In 2001, Gator Bowl tickets gave college football fans the chance to witness Hokie sophomore quarterback Michael Vick play his last collegiate game for Virginia Tech. Vick rushed for a score and threw for another to lead Virginia Tech to 41-20 victory over the Tigers. After his Gator Bowl MVP performance, Vick declared for the NFL Draft and was the No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. Who will be the hero at the 2006 Toyota Gator Bowl?