Capital One College Bowl: The Ultimate Battle of Brains

School may be out for summer, but “Capital One College Bowl” is bringing together college students for a game show that challenges their knowledge out of the classroom as they compete for academic scholarships. 

Hosted by former NFL player and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning, with his brother Cooper Manning serving as sidekick, the series is reigniting some of the nation’s greatest colleges and universities in the ultimate battle of brains. 

The series is a reboot of the classic award-winning College Bowl that previously aired on NBC in the U.S., and for decades has been part of campus life at higher education institutes around the world. Now sponsored by Capital One, College Bowl is poised to make a comeback on NBC as a 10-episode series premiering on Tuesday, June 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.  

Competing for a Notable Prize 

In each episode of the Capital One College Bowl, teams of three representing some of the nation’s top schools will battle it out in a bracketed tournament over four rounds. Teams must work together to answer questions on a wide variety of subjects. The top two schools advance to the finals where they compete head-to-head for the Capital One College Bowl trophy and a scholarship to put toward their education. Participating schools include University of Alabama, Auburn University, Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Ole Miss, Morehouse College, University of Tennessee, University of Southern California, UCLA, University of Virginia and Xavier of Louisiana.  

The best news? All competitors will receive tuition assistance for participating in the series, but members from the winning team will take home an even bigger scholarship in addition to becoming the Capital One College Bowl champions. Capital One is providing a total of $1 million in scholarships to participants, including special recognition for the series’ Capital One Merit Award recipients. The Capital One Merit Award will be given to four students who have made an impact outside of the competition in recognition of their proven character, leadership abilities, and involvement in extracurricular activities that benefit the community. 

“We’re excited to be a part of the reboot of this classic quiz show that brings entertainment that family and friends can enjoy together this summer,” said Byron Daub, VP of Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing at Capital One. “At Capital One, we’ve always been passionate about supporting college students and we’re proud to be donating one million dollars in scholarships to the diverse and talented set of students participating in the Capital One College Bowl.”

Providing Access to Opportunity for Students

Capital One has long been committed to supporting students by engaging them early in their college careers to create access to financial education, helping them be more successful in college and beyond. 

Last year, we launched First-Gen Focus dedicated to helping first year, first-generation college students, many of whom have faced intensified challenges as a result of the pandemic, to create pathways for a sustainable financial future. The Capital One Foundation also provided Common App with a grant to provide low-income and first-generation students with free, real-time guidance during the college enrollment process, as well as access to one-on-one coaching through the College Advising Corps. 

We’ve previously contributed $1 million in combined grants for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and The United Negro College Fund to support HBCUs and create pathways to greater opportunity for the graduates of these vital institutions. In addition, through the Capital One Cup, which recognizes excellence in collegiate athletics, Capital One has donated more than $4 million to student-athlete scholarship funds, half of which have gone to support women’s athletics programs.

All of these programs build upon the Capital One Impact Initiative, a five-year commitment that seeks to close gaps in equity, helping people gain better access to socioeconomic opportunity.