SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Holiday Bowl has been woven into the fabric of San Diego for four decades. For a football city without a professional sports team, there is even more excitement surrounding this annual event.

“When we used to have the Super Bowls here, Al Michaels and Jon Madden, one of them, said ‘why don’t we have the Super Bowl here every year?’” said Rick Schloss, a Holiday Bowl spokesperson. “That’s a whole subject without the Chargers not being here…but this is our Super Bowl of college football.”

A parade, 5K and tailgate party: San Diego ramps up for Holiday Bowl

The Holiday Bowl was originally played at the San Diego Stadium, turned Jack Murphy Stadium — “The Murph” — and then eventually rebuilt into Snapdragon Stadium. On Friday, Syracuse will be taking on Washington State in the brand-new stadium for the Holiday Bowl’s first time ever.

“Brings a tremendous amount of revenue in the slow times to the hotels and the restaurants they have had great matchups with unbelievable scoring, and we hope tomorrow night it’ll be the same way,” said Schloss.

As the U.S. slides into coldest months, the Holiday Bowl puts San Diego as a community front and center, dangling the warm and sunny skies even in the Dark of winter.

“It’s nationally televised on your network on FOX with the best announcing team, Joel Platt and Gus Johnson doing it. So, it’s electric…It also brings tourism but also brings the fact to people’s minds, ‘why don’t I live here?’” said Schloss. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (8 p.m. Eastern) on FOX.