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LOS ANGELES — Rob Gronkowski has entered the world of bowl games, taking over from Jimmy Kimmel as the host of the LA Bowl. The LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk will be held on December 16 at SoFi Stadium, featuring teams from the Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences.

Gronkowski expressed his excitement at the opportunity, saying, “Jimmy was a fantastic host, but it’s my turn now and I’m going to turn it up, that’s for sure.” Gronkowski has a personal connection to this bowl game, as he played in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl, which hosted the Mountain West-Pac-12 matchup before it moved to Los Angeles in 2021.

The LA Bowl will now bear Gronkowski’s name, making it a full-circle moment for the former Arizona player. In that 2008 game, Gronkowski’s brother, Chris Gronkowski, scored a touchdown that secured the Wildcats’ first bowl victory in 10 years.

The LA Bowl will continue to award championship belts to the winning team and the offensive and defensive MVPs. The game will feature the top pick from the Mountain West conference and the Pac-12’s fifth pick after the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six matchups are determined.

Next year, with 10 schools leaving the Pac-12, the future lineup for the LA Bowl will be determined. Gronkowski mentioned that his dream scenario would be if Arizona could become bowl eligible and be the Pac-12’s pick for the game.

Gronkowski expressed disappointment about the Pac-12 splitting up and talked about the business side of college football. Despite the changes, Gronkowski believes there are many good teams in the Pac-12 that would make for great matchups.

As the host of the LA Bowl, Gronkowski plans to bring his own style to the game. He teased a special performance, similar to his appearance on “The Masked Singer” in 2020, either at halftime or during the game.

With Gronkowski taking the helm, the LA Bowl is bound to be a memorable event for college football fans.