SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (May 6, 2026) – Former Oklahoma State University head football coach Mike Gundy, a two-time Fiesta Bowl winner and three-time Rate Bowl coach, and past Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick will take center stage to share decades worth of behind-the-scenes anecdotes with the audience at the 2026 UMB Bank Fiesta Sports Foundation Football Kickoff presented by Fairmont Scottsdale Princess as keynote speakers.
 
Arizona's premier college football kickoff event returns to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess on Friday, August 21. The event begins with a VIP session, including exclusive photo opportunities and meet-and-greets with Gundy and Swarbrick, at 11 a.m. The pregame networking complete with an immersive college football experience opens to all attendees at 11:30 a.m. with the ballroom doors opening at 12:15 p.m. The celebration of the start of another football season continues with the post-event Yellow Jacket Overtime happy hour at 2:30 p.m. to cap off the day.
 
Tables for this annual celebration of the start of the 2026-27 college football season are available now at FiestaSportsFoundation.org/FootballKickoff. Contact the Fiesta Sports Foundation Ticket Office at 480-350-0911 or tickets@fiestasports.org for more information. Table options begin at $3,150 for 10 tickets, with additional tiers that offer enhanced benefits and locations, including VIP tables at $9,250 that include access to the meet-and-greet session, complimentary valet parking and more. Event sponsorships are available at $15,000 with a VIP table located in front of the main stage.
 
"Mike Gundy and Jack Swarbrick represent two of the most influential figures in college football over the last 20 years and together they will share their unique perspectives, experiences and predictions on the state of college athletics in a way that few can," said Fiesta Sports Foundation Executive Director & CEO Erik Moses. "From Coach Gundy's legendary tenure at Oklahoma State, where we know him well from his numerous trips to the Fiesta Bowl and Rate Bowl, to Jack Swarbrick's transformative leadership at Notre Dame – including his central role in shaping the expanded College Football Playoff – we are excited to have them pull the curtain back for our guests to better understand the current challenges, opportunities and outlook for college football. This will be a great way to kick off another start of the best time of the year – college football season!"
 
Few names in modern college football carry the weight and legacy of Mike Gundy. Head coach at his alma mater Oklahoma State from 2005-25, Gundy built one of the most enduring programs in Big 12 history and on the national stage. Gundy posted a 170-90 record with 18 bowl appearances under his leadership, including two highly-memorable trips to the Fiesta Bowl and three appearances in Rate Bowl history.
 
Under Gundy's direction, the Cowboys had the school's biggest comeback to win in a 37-35 victory over Notre Dame in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, erasing a 28-7 deficit. Oklahoma State also had a dramatic late game win over Stanford in the 2012 Fiesta Bowl, defeating the Cardinal in an overtime thriller. A three-time participant in Rate Bowl history, the Cowboys won two of those three visits.
 
"I'm honored to be a part of the UMB Bank Fiesta Sports Foundation Football Kickoff this summer," Gundy said. "The Fiesta Sports Foundation has done an incredible job building one of the premier bowl organizations in the country, and the Yellow Jackets have always treated our program and our fans with first-class hospitality. I'm looking forward to a great conversation, reconnecting with fans from across the Valley and helping celebrate the excitement of college football."
 
Swarbrick is one of the most notable executives in the history of college athletics. As Athletic Director at Notre Dame from 2008-24, Swarbrick oversaw the success on and off the field for one of the nation's most storied athletic programs. The Irish enjoyed multiple deep football playoff runs and high-profile bowl appearances under his direction, with trips to the CFP National Championship Game in 2025, BCS title game in 2012 and appearances in the CFP and the associated bowls, including the Fiesta Bowl in 2022.
 
He was also instrumental in the creation and evolution of the CFP. As a key architect and long-serving member of the CFP's management committee, Swarbrick helped design and negotiate the framework for the original four-team playoff format, and he was part of a select CFP sub-committee that explored and constructed the expansion to its current 12-team structure.
 
"Fiesta Sports Foundation represents everything that is right about college football – support for community, operational excellence and a genuine commitment to the student-athlete experience," Swarbrick said. "I have had the privilege of working alongside this organization in various capacities over the years, and I have seen firsthand the extraordinary impact it has on the state of Arizona and nationally. It's my pleasure to help benefit the community while sharing insider perspectives on where college football has been, where it's going and what makes the sport so special to so many people."
 
Attendees will be immersed in all of college football's most iconic traditions and revered trophies with photo opportunities and interactive games for all to enjoy, all while dressed in their favorite college football team's apparel and colors. During the main program, Fiesta Bowl All-State boys tackle and girls flag football high school teams will be recognized.
 
The event will also highlight the Foundation's philanthropic impact, including its signature Wishes for Teachers educational support program, and a portion of each table sale helps provide Rate Bowl game tickets to veterans, kids and teachers through the Send-A-Vet, Send-A-Kid and Send-A-Teacher Community Champions program.
 
"UMB Bank is proud to continue our partnership with the Fiesta Sports Foundation and serve as the title sponsor of this outstanding kickoff event," said John Damiris, president of UMB Bank – Arizona Region. "With two keynote speakers of the caliber of Mike Gundy and Jack Swarbrick, the 2026 UMB Bank Fiesta Sports Foundation Football Kickoff is shaping up to be an extraordinary day that reflects what both of our organizations care about most – community, leadership and the power of college football to bring people together."
 
The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl hosts a CFP Quarterfinal this season, set for Wednesday, December 30, 2026, in Glendale. Bowl season in Arizona kicks off with the Rate Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe.
 
Gundy and Swarbrick join a decorated list of past Football Kickoff keynote speakers, including College Football Hall of Famer Jim McMahon, Pro and College Football Hall of Famer, Arizona Cardinals and University of Pittsburgh legend Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Michigan's Desmond Howard, Notre Dame's Lou Holtz and Rocket Ismail, Florida's Steve Spurrier, Ohio State's Urban Meyer, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Nebraska's Tom Osborne and Tommie Frazier and Arizona State's Jake Plummer.
 
ABOUT FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION
Since its inception in 1971, the Fiesta Sports Foundation has been a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans during and outside of college football bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision to create unforgettable experiences through world-class sporting events, unparalleled hospitality and life-changing community impact. Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Rate Bowl and its year-round events, including the Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the Foundation provides charitable resources to support Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through a focus on youth, sports and education. Learn more at www.FiestaSportsFoundation.org and @Fiesta_Bowl on X/Instagram.
 
ABOUT UMB BANK
UMB Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: UMBF) is a financial services company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. UMB offers commercial banking, which includes comprehensive deposit, lending, investment and retirement plan services; personal banking, which includes comprehensive deposit, lending, wealth management and financial planning services; and institutional banking, which includes asset servicing, corporate trust solutions, investment banking and healthcare services.
UMB operates branches throughout Missouri, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. As the company's reach continues to grow, it also serves business clients nationwide and institutional clients in several countries. For more information, visit UMB.com, UMB Blog, UMB Facebook and UMB LinkedIn.