NCAA did not certify the Tangerine Bowl until the 1960s, and it was largely a game of NAIA and College Division (i.e. schools like Marshall, Morris Harvey, Catawba, Ohio Valley Conference) through 1968 (when NCAA certified bowl), when MAC and SoCon began matching up teams. Went away from MAC in mid-1970s, and has continued with mostly major conference teams since then until it became the Florida Citrus Bowl (1983), later the Capital One Bowl and now Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Old bowl, coming along with Gator and Sun in post-war America.
Marshall will always count they bowl, they were about third choice for Orlando to face defending champs Catawba, who won the first game in 1947 against Maryville. Donnie Gibson of Herd was MVP, moving to guard to replace Bob Wright and Norm Willey, who went with Cam Henderson to Helms Foundation LA Invitational (due to Herd being NAIB, now NAIA, champs in March of '47). Cam left long-time assistant Roy Straight to coach 7-0 loss to Catawba, although Herd had more rush, pass yards and first downs (a few flags went against the Herd, according to '47 players).
Cam and Herd hoopers won Los Angeles Tournament, beating Idaho, West Texas State and Syracuse, 46-44, on Dec. 30 of 1947.