View source for Wheat Bowl

{{Collegebowl
| name               = Wheat Bowl
| full_name          = Wheat Bowl Football Classic
| nickname           =
| defunct            = yes
| logo               = Image:Wheatbowl.png
| image_size         =
| caption            = The only sanctioned NAIA pre-season bowl game
| stadium            = [[Great Bend High School Memorial Stadium]]<ref>[http://www.usd428.net/Football/Field.htm Memorial Stadium Photo]</ref>
| previous_stadiums  =
| location           = [[Great Bend, Kansas]]
| previous_locations = [[Ellinwood, Kansas]]
| years              = 1995–2006
| previous_tie-ins   =
| payout             =
| sponsors           = various<ref>[http://www.wheatbowl.net/index.php?page=facts Wheat Bowl – Great Bend – Kansas – Football<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| former_names       =
| prev_matchup_year  = 2006
| prev_matchup_season= 2006
| prev_matchup_teams = [[Northwestern Oklahoma State University|Northwestern Oklahoma]] vs [[Lindenwood University|Lindenwood]] (14–13)
| prev_matchup_score = 
| next_matchup_year  =
| next_matchup_season=
| next_matchup_teams =
| next_matchup_date  =
}}
The '''Wheat Bowl''' was the only [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] endorsed pre-season [[bowl game]] that operated from 1995 until 2006.  The Wheat Bowl Football Classic was headquartered in the Central [[Kansas]] town of [[Ellinwood, Kansas|Ellinwood]] and was played in nearby [[Great Bend, Kansas|Great Bend]] annually as the kickoff for the NAIA season.<ref>[http://football.victorysportsnetwork.com/fb/wheatbowlinfo/wheatbowl.php NAIAFOOTBALL.NET-The Nation's Home for NAIA Football<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 1995 and 1996, the game was played as a "post-season" game.  Beginning in 1997, the Wheat Bowl Football Classic was successfully switched to a pre-season contest to eliminate several potential obstacles: the possibility of inclement weather, conflicts with [[Kansas State University]] and [[University of Kansas]] home games as well as conflicts with high school playoffs.

Due to facilities not being available, no game was played in 2007.  The next game was scheduled for August 23, 2008 at the newly renovated Great Bend Memorial Stadium.<ref>[http://www.wheatbowl.net/index.php?page=home Wheat Bowl – Great Bend – Kansas – Football<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  According to the bowl website, it appears that the game was not played as originally scheduled and the bowl is now considered defunct.  The [[College Fanz First Down Classic]] preseason bowl began in 2007 and was considered the kick-off of the NAIA season<ref>[http://www.collegefanz.com/docs/DOC-10634 CollegeFanz] "Avila University Wins College Fanz First Down Classic"</ref> until its final game in 2011.

==Game results==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! colspan="2" | Winning Team !! colspan="2" | Losing Team
|-
| 1995
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|{{color|#bf0d3e|MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers}}]]'''|| '''38''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Ottawa Braves|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Ottawa Braves|{{color|#ffbe28|Ottawa Braves}}]]'''|| 0
|-
| 1996
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Southwestern Moundbuilders|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Southwestern Moundbuilders|{{color|#ffffff|Southwestern Moundbuilders}}]]'''|| '''28''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Baker Wildcats|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Baker Wildcats|{{color|#f4761c|Baker Wildcats}}]]'''|| 20
|-
| 1997
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Sioux Falls Cougars|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Sioux Falls Cougars|{{color|#ffffff|Sioux Falls Cougars}}]]'''|| '''35''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Benedictine Ravens|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Benedictine Ravens|{{color|#b41c32|Benedictine Ravens}}]]'''|| 10
|-
| 1998
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|{{color|
#cc0a2f|NW Oklahoma State Rangers}}]]'''|| '''40''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|{{color|#bf0d3e|MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers}}]]'''|| 7
|-
| 1999
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|{{color|
#cc0a2f|<small>No. 12</small> NW Oklahoma State Rangers}}]]'''|| '''49''' 
| style="background:#7a2e78;"|'''[[Missouri Valley College|{{color|#e28227|Missouri Valley Vikings}}]]'''|| 14
|-
| 2000
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Concordia Bulldogs|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Concordia University Nebraska|{{color|#ffffff|Concordia Bulldogs}}]]'''|| '''31'''
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Lindenwood Lions|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Lindenwood Lions football|{{color|#dccf87|Lindenwood Lions}}]]'''|| 14
|-
| 2001
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Peru State Bobcats|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Peru State College|{{color|#ffffff|<small>No. 19</small> Peru State Bobcats}}]]'''|| '''21''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Baker Wildcats|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Baker Wildcats|{{color|#f4761c|<small>No. 13</small> Baker Wildcats}}]]'''|| 14
|-
| 2002
| style="background:#0a2140;"|'''[[Midland University|{{color|#f58025|Midland Warriors}}]]'''|| '''25'''
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Bacone Warriors|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Bacone College|{{color|#ffffff|Bacone Warriors}}]]'''|| 15
|-
| 2003
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers|{{color|#bf0d3e|<small>No. 10</small> MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers}}]]'''|| '''21'''
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm football|{{color|#ffffff|Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm}}]]'''|| 14
|-
| 2004
| style="background:#0a2140;"|'''[[Midland University|{{color|#f58025|<small>No. 22</small> Midland Warriors}}]]'''|| '''31'''
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Avila Eagles|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Avila University|{{color|#fecf02|Avila Eagles}}]]'''|| 9
|-
| 2005
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Graceland Yellowjackets|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Graceland Yellowjackets|{{color|#ffcb09|<small>No. 23</small> Graceland Yellowjackets}}]]'''|| '''24''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm football|{{color|#ffffff|Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm}}]]'''|| 20
|-
| 2006
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers|{{color|
#cc0a2f|NW Oklahoma State Rangers}}]]'''|| '''14''' 
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Lindenwood Lions|border=0|color=white}}|'''[[Lindenwood Lions football|{{color|#dccf87|<small>No. 15</small> Lindenwood Lions}}]]'''|| 13
|}

==Community College==

There was a game called the "Wheat Bowl" played between [[Kansas]] [[Community Colleges]] from 1948 to 1950.  Although the name is the same, the organization was completely different.  This particular bowl is now defunct.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/bowls/bowl_results.php?bowlid=321 |title=Games<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-11-30 |archive-date=2006-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020012011/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/bowls/bowl_results.php?bowlid=321 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{College football kickoff games}}

[[Category:Defunct college football bowls]]
[[Category:American football in Kansas]]