Duke's Mayo Bowl dump, explained: How condiment bath became unusual college football tradition

​​​​​​Everyone's favorite college football tradition is back: the Duke's Mayo Bowl bath.

This time, it's West Virginia and North Carolina meeting up at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Both teams are looking for their ninth win of the season. Along with a win comes the infamous mayo dump. It's one of the many, many beloved food-related college football bowl game traditions. 

It's been a short tradition, beginning only in 2021, a year after Duke's took over as the sponsor for the game. The brand immediately became a fan favorite with its unusual, and rather gross, celebration. Even other bowl games have taken note when the Frisco Bowl, sponsored by Scooter's Coffee for the first time, attempted to dump coffee on the winning coach's head.

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What is the mayo bath at Duke's Mayo Bowl? The Sporting News has you covered.

Duke's Mayo Bowl dump, explained

The winning coach of the Duke's Mayo Bowl gets more than bragging rights. Following the game, they get 4.5 gallons of mayo dumped on them in celebration. Maryland's Mike Locksley is the most recent victim to the mayo bath.

THEY DIDN’T HURT HIM! pic.twitter.com/l5fYIOE8G2

— Duke's Mayo Bowl (@DukesMayoBowl) December 30, 2022

Will this be the first year a coach refuses the mayo bath, though? Mack Brown has yet to comment on if he'll accept it if the North Carolina wins. Don't worry, it's doubtful the Tar Heels will let him get away with a refusal.

Even Neal Brown has said he'll take the mayo dump with a West Virginia win, and he hates mayo, said Wren Baker, the Mountaineers' athletic director. Baker will also accept a bath of his own; Country Roads Trust, WVU's NIL collective, reached a contributions goal that Baker agreed would result in a mayo bath.

Wren Baker mayo bath 🔜🔜 pic.twitter.com/E2zSJhguxT

— Ethan Bock (@ethanbock_) December 21, 2023

For the second year, the Duke's Mayo a hosting a contest to determine the "Official Mayo Dumpers." The two will be selected from a combine held before the bowl game. To enter the combine, Duke's Mayo held weekly challenges on social media, choosing five finalists to enter the combine.

Duke's Mayo Bowl history

The Charlotte bowl game is on its fourth title sponsor. It began life as the Continental Tire Bowl (2002-04) before evolving to the Meineke Car Care Bowl (2005-10) and the Belk Bowl (2011-19). 

Here's a look at the winners of Duke's Mayo Bowl since 2020. Paul Chryst, the inaugural winner, did not receive a mayo bath, as Bank of America Stadium initially refused the idea due to concern about mayonnaise on the field.