after the 1977 football season, a&m played in the astro-bluebonnet bowl in december. florida did not return to a bowl game until the 1980 tangerine bowl. a&m next played in the sun bowl in 1989, when it was known as the john hancock bowl. through the 2019 football season, the january 1977 edition has been florida's only sun bowl appearance, and has also been the most recent sun bowl not played in december.