NEW ORLEANS (December 26, 2025) – The Allstate Sugar Bowl and the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF) have provided more than $5 million to support teachers in the New Orleans community since the Sugar Bowl spearheaded the hosting of the 2020 CFP National Championship in New Orleans. In addition, the Sugar Bowl has provided over $1 million in scholarships to deserving young scholar-athletes in the last decade.
 
These educational support efforts had their genesis when the College Football Playoff was formed in 2014. Along with the new college football postseason, the organizers created the CFPF, the organization's philanthropic initiative, as well as its capstone project, Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT). The Allstate Sugar Bowl, as one of the CFP bowl games, immediately jumped on board with supporting teachers in the region through these efforts.
 
"New Orleans is blessed with a wonderful contingent of great, dedicated teachers," said Jeff Hundley, CEO of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "They provide an invaluable service to our community, and they do so much for their students. The Sugar Bowl Committee is proud to work with the College Football Playoff Foundation to expand upon our long-time commitment to the teachers of New Orleans. Our city needs to do everything possible to celebrate and support these educators while providing them the resources they need to continue to excel."
 
The Sugar Bowl's work with the CFP Foundation includes significant funds to launch the Allstate Sugar Bowl Teacher Community presented by New Schools for New Orleans, which provides educators with support, recognition, and connection.
 
Two of the events included under the Allstate Sugar Bowl Teacher Community umbrella are the NOLA Teacher Fest and the New Orleans Excellence in Teaching Awards (NOETA) Gala. The Teacher Fest is a spring festival event to celebrate the contributions of teachers in a fun environment with food, games, music, and camaraderie. The NOETA Gala is a formal event each fall at which the teachers of the year from each of the NOLA Public Schools are honored – and each of the nearly 100 teachers receive a $1,000 classroom grant at the event.
   
Other key programs within the initiative include the New Orleans Teacher Job Board (NOTJB), which has helped place over 600 teachers in jobs since its creation; and the Grow Your Own Strategy, where New Orleans high school juniors and seniors are introduced to teaching as a profession and can earn college credit. The Grow Your Own program has seen its participation rate nearly double since its start in 2022.
 
In addition, the Sugar Bowl has partnered with the CFPF and School Specialty to provide makeovers to four local schools over the past two years. These projects have not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal of the buildings, but have also enriched the overall experience for students, featuring brand new reading materials, technology, and inviting spaces for study and collaboration.
 
"We're humbled to work with great partners on projects like this, projects that truly make a difference," said Hundley. "The Sugar Bowl has been around for 92 years, and from the outset it was built to support the community. In partnering with organizations like the College Football Playoff Foundation, New Schools for New Orleans, and School Specialty, we're able to assist our teachers, and that directly impacts the future of this city through the students they're serving."
 
The Sugar Bowl's scholarship efforts are focused on both boys and girls. The Bowl has distributed over $1 million in scholarships to high school football scholar-athletes through its sponsorship of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation and to female athletes from a range of sports through its Women in Sport initiative. The Sugar Bowl also provides multiple scholarships to young standouts through partnerships with other local organizations.  
 
About the Allstate Sugar Bowl
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 110 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 91-year history. The 92nd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, is scheduled to be played on January 1, 2026. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade.
 
About College Football Playoff Foundation
The College Football Playoff Foundation (@CFPExtraYard) is the 501(c)3 non profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and nonprofits to support educators and improve U.S. student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education across the country. The CFP Foundation's primary platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four core areas: resources, recognition, professional development, recruitment and retention.
 
About New Schools for New Orleans
New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO) is a non-profit that delivers on the promise of excellent public schools for every child in New Orleans. NSNO focuses on solutions and programming addressing city-wide education talent, instructional quality, policy, and communications.