INDIANAPOLIS- Since 2019, the South Shore CVA has hosted an NCAA Division II football bowl game. Going into the sixth year of this bowl game, they have acquired a title sponsorship from Albanese Confectionery that will carry through the 2027 season, renaming this event as the Albanese Candy Bowl.
With only two bowl games in the country at the Division II level, the South Shore CVA is proud to share some announcements. The Albanese Candy Bowl will be played at Hobart High School’s Brickyard on Saturday, December 6, 2025. “This partnership makes sense,” said Jimmy Nelson, Director of Sports for the SSCVA. “Hobart has been an historic football town, with hard-working residents and businesses. With the game being played there, and Albanese Confectionery’s factory and store are in their backyard, this absolutely makes sense. And it sounds great too! Hopefully, the Albanese Candy Bowl is here to stay for a long time. And hopefully other businesses will see the value in getting involved with this great event.”
Heartland Sports Network, formerly known as JEDtv, has agreed to become the Albanese Candy Bowl broadcast team for the next three years.
Hillsdale (6-5, 5-4) will represent the G-MAC while Upper Iowa (8-3, 6-2) will represent the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The annual contest features teams from the G-MAC and GLVC and will kickoff at 2 P.M. ET at Hobart’s Brickyard Stadium. Chargers’ quarterback Colin McKernan ranks in the top three in the conference in passing, averaging 174.0 yards per game and connecting on 18 touchdowns this season. Shea Ruddy is another offensive force for head coach Nate Shreffler. Ruddy has earned athlete of the week honors twice during the regular season and sits at No. 4 in the conference in receiving with 54.4 yards per game. The junior has proven to be a dual threat for the Chargers, leading the league in kick returns 32.6 yards per return and two return touchdowns on the year. On the defensive end, Drake Badger is third in sacks (10) and tackles for loss (14.5).
This is Hillsdale’s second appearance at the postseason bowl game, with their first appearance coming in 2021.
Additional Albanese Bowl Game information can be found HERE.