Las Vegas All-American Classic
Encyclopedia
The North-South All-American Game (formerly known as the Las Vegas All-American Classic and the Paradise Bowl) is an annual post-season college football
all-star game that was played each January or February from 2002 (for the 2001 season
) to 2006 (for the 2005 season
), and then took 2 years off due to lack of sponsorship. The game was supposed to return in 2009 (for the 2008 season
) with a new location of Miami, Florida
, and the rebranded name, but the game was postponed.
, in view of the discontinuation of the Blue-Gray Football Classic
and the Gridiron Classic
, in order to provide players from lesser known and televised schools or players who were primarily backups with a chance to impress NFL
scouts.
The game, played in 2002 and 2003 in Saint George, Utah (on the campus of Dixie State College of Utah
at Hansen Stadium
), was held at Sam Boyd Stadium
in Las Vegas, Nevada
and renamed the Las Vegas All-American Classic, which matched a team of players from Division I-A and I-AA schools located east of the Mississippi River
(who play as the "East" team) against players from schools located west of Mississippi (who play as the "West" team). The present format was adopted for the game held in 2004; in 2002, the game matched players from schools located in Colorado
and Utah
(playing as the "Utah-Colorado All-Stars") against players from schools in other Western states (playing as the "West All-Stars"), and in 2003, the game matched players from Midwestern schools ("MidWest All-Stars") against players from Western schools (West All-Stars"). The game aims each year to field teams each of about fifty players, all of whom are to be NFL
draft-eligible (in their junior years or later), of whom forty to forty-five are to be from Division I-A schools. Prior to the game, players take place in team practices and combines open to professional
scouts; a reception honoring offensive and defensive most valuable players for each team follows the game.
Although in 2002 and 2003 contested on the Saturday preceding the Super Bowl
, the game was played on the weekend preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The game had televised regionally on Fox Sports Net
networks.
In 2003 the players did not receive jerseys because "they were not ready in time." Instead, they wore Dixie State's jerseys which were returned post-game.
The 2007 game was cancelled due to lack of sponsorship. NFL Network
, which was scheduled to televise the contest if it was played in 2007, replaced the canceled game with a rebroadcast of Super Bowl XXXII
. It was hoped that the game can be revived in 2008 with a new title sponsor, but plans fell through.
The game was planned to be moved from Las Vegas to Miami, Florida
in 2009 with a name change (to the "North-South All-American Game") and was to be played on January 19, 2009, but the game was postponed indefinitely. A companion game was played in Atlanta, Georgia
(The Silver and Gold Gridiron Classic) on December 20, 2008.
Series Records:
West (3-2)
Midwest (1-0)
East (1-2)
Utah-Colorado (0-1)
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
all-star game that was played each January or February from 2002 (for the 2001 season
2001 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
) to 2006 (for the 2005 season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
), and then took 2 years off due to lack of sponsorship. The game was supposed to return in 2009 (for the 2008 season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
) with a new location of Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, and the rebranded name, but the game was postponed.
History
The game was known in 2002 and 2003 as the Paradise Bowl and was conceived by Darry Alton, who would later help found the Magnolia Gridiron All-Star ClassicMagnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic
The Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic was an annual post-season college football all-star game held in December. The game was organized by Darry Alton, who previously helped found the Las Vegas All-American Classic, in view of the discontinuation of the Blue-Gray Football Classic and the Gridiron...
, in view of the discontinuation of the Blue-Gray Football Classic
Blue-Gray Football Classic
The Blue–Gray Football Classic was an annual American college football all-star game held in Alabama usually on Christmas Day. It was begun in 1939 and held annually through 2001 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The game was not contested in 2002 and was subsequently revived in 2003 in...
and the Gridiron Classic
Gridiron Classic
The Gridiron Classic was the name given to a college football game played between teams from the Pioneer Football League and Northeast Conference at the end of the 2006-2009 seasons...
, in order to provide players from lesser known and televised schools or players who were primarily backups with a chance to impress NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
scouts.
Dixie State College of Utah
Dixie State College of Utah is a college located in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
at Hansen Stadium
Hansen Stadium
Hansen Stadium is a stadium in St. George, Utah. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Dixie State College of Utah. The stadium holds 10,003 people...
), was held at Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and renamed the Las Vegas All-American Classic, which matched a team of players from Division I-A and I-AA schools located east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
(who play as the "East" team) against players from schools located west of Mississippi (who play as the "West" team). The present format was adopted for the game held in 2004; in 2002, the game matched players from schools located in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
(playing as the "Utah-Colorado All-Stars") against players from schools in other Western states (playing as the "West All-Stars"), and in 2003, the game matched players from Midwestern schools ("MidWest All-Stars") against players from Western schools (West All-Stars"). The game aims each year to field teams each of about fifty players, all of whom are to be NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
draft-eligible (in their junior years or later), of whom forty to forty-five are to be from Division I-A schools. Prior to the game, players take place in team practices and combines open to professional
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
scouts; a reception honoring offensive and defensive most valuable players for each team follows the game.
Although in 2002 and 2003 contested on the Saturday preceding the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, the game was played on the weekend preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The game had televised regionally on Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
networks.
In 2003 the players did not receive jerseys because "they were not ready in time." Instead, they wore Dixie State's jerseys which were returned post-game.
The 2007 game was cancelled due to lack of sponsorship. NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
, which was scheduled to televise the contest if it was played in 2007, replaced the canceled game with a rebroadcast of Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
. It was hoped that the game can be revived in 2008 with a new title sponsor, but plans fell through.
The game was planned to be moved from Las Vegas to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
in 2009 with a name change (to the "North-South All-American Game") and was to be played on January 19, 2009, but the game was postponed indefinitely. A companion game was played in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
(The Silver and Gold Gridiron Classic) on December 20, 2008.
Previous results
| Date Played | | Winning Team | | Losing Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2, 2002 | West All-Stars | 33 | Utah-Colorado All-Stars | 20 (2OT) |
| January 25, 2003 | Midwest All-Stars | 36 | West All-Stars | 31 |
| January 17, 2004 | West | 14 | East | 7 |
| January 22, 2005 | West | 21 | East | 16 |
| January 14, 2006 | East | 41 | West | 3 |
Series Records:
West (3-2)
Midwest (1-0)
East (1-2)
Utah-Colorado (0-1)