Why is it called the Sugar Bowl?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Since 1935, the Sugar Bowl has been one of the most prestigious and revered college football bowl games, from its humble beginnings at Tulane Stadium to the grand spectacle it will be Monday at Caesars Superdome as part of the College Football Playoff.

It has been in New Orleans every year (sometimes twice a year when held on Jan. 1 and Dec. 31) except 2006 when the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced a move to the Georgia Dome. The game was "born in the depths of the depression," according to the game's history book, and is, "a story of community spirit and initiative that has been instrumental in spreading the name and fame of New Orleans worldwide."

With that said, why's it called the Sugar Bowl?

The idea of a New Year's Day football game in New Orleans came in 1927 by Col. James M. Thomson, publisher of the New Orleans Item newspaper, and his sports editor Fred Digby. Digby came up with the name since, at the time, Louisiana was the only state in the country that produced sugar. The state's sugar industry survived a near-collapse in 1926 after disease wiped out production by almost two-thirds, but new varieties helped it bounce back.

By the time of the first game, Louisiana was once again the top-producing state in the country for sugar, but the area's history with sugar goes back even further. In 1795, Etienne de Bore became the first person in the country to crystallize sugar and did so in the area that's now Audubon Park and Tulane University. He went on to become the first mayor of New Orleans in 1803.

After years of calling for the game to be funded and played, Digby finally got his wish. In 1934, the New Orleans Mid-Winter Sports Association was formed and $30,000 was raised to pay both teams and operations. Played at Tulane Stadium on Jan. 1, 1935, the Tulane Green Wave beat the Temple Owls 20-14 in the first Sugar Bowl in front of about 22,000 fans.

The game has changed a bit since then, to say the least. This year's game is the 90th Sugar Bowl, and it's the fourth time it has been a CFP semifinal game.