2020–21 NCAA football bowl games
The 2020–21 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games scheduled to complete the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Team-competitive games began on December 21, 2020, and concluded with the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship played on January 11, 2021. Three all-star games followed, concluding with the 2021 Hula Bowl, played on January 31, 2021.
| 2020–21 NCAA football bowl games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular season | September 3, 2020 – December 19, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of bowls | 26[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All-star games | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl games | December 21, 2020 – January 11, 2021[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Championship | 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location of Championship | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champions | Alabama Crimson Tide | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Challenge Cup winner | Big 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The number of bowl games was lower than in recent seasons (25 team-competitive bowls aside from the National Championship Game, and three all-star games), as both the regular season and postseason were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] In mid-October 2020, the NCAA waived bowl eligibility requirements for the 2020–21 bowl season, intended "to allow as many student-athletes as possible the opportunity to participate in bowl games this year."[2] This led to nine teams with losing records accepting bids to bowl games, surpassing the six teams with losing records who were deemed bowl eligible (rules not waived) in order to fill the 2016–17 NCAA football bowl games – consistent with the ongoing proliferation of what used to be a limited number of bowl games intended to reward the best teams in college football.
Schedule
The schedule for the 2020–21 bowl games is below. All times are EST (UTC−5). Note that Division II bowls and Division III bowls are not included here.
On October 23, 2020, the Football Bowl Association announced a rebranding as "Bowl Season"; the organization works "with all existing bowls to promote the benefits of the entire bowl system."[3] The organization's logo was visible on the field at some bowl games.[4]
College Football Playoff and Championship Game
The College Football Playoff (CFP) system is used to determine a national championship of Division I FBS college football. A 13-member committee of experts ranked the top 25 teams in the nation after each of the final five weeks of the regular season. On August 5, 2020, CFP organizers announced that they would move the release of final rankings and semifinal matchups from December 6 to 20, in order to accommodate conferences that had delayed their championship games to mid-December.[5] The top four teams in the final ranking were seeded in a single-elimination semifinal round, with the winners advancing to the National Championship game.
The semifinal games for the 2020–21 season were the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl.[6] Both were played on January 1, 2021, as part of a yearly rotation of three pairs of six bowls, commonly referred to as the New Year's Six bowl games. The Rose Bowl game was relocated to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Cotton Bowl Classic, after Governor Gavin Newsom's orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in California would have resulted in the game being played behind closed doors without fans.[7] The semifinal winners advanced to the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, played on January 11, 2021.
In the event of COVID-19 issues within the playoff teams, CFP organizers had identified contingency dates (which did not need to be used) of January 11 and January 12 for the semifinals and January 18 for the championship game.[8]
| Semifinals | Championship | |||||||
| January 1 – Rose BowlAT&T Stadium, Arlington | ||||||||
| 1 | Alabama | 31 | ||||||
| 4 | Notre Dame | 14 | January 11 – National ChampionshipHard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens | |||||
| 1 | Alabama | 52 | ||||||
| January 1 – Sugar BowlMercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans | 3 | Ohio State | 24 | |||||
| 2 | Clemson | 28 | ||||||
| 3 | Ohio State | 49 | ||||||
Each of the games in the following table was televised by ESPN.
Source:[6]
Non-CFP bowl games
Due to a sponsorship change, what had been the Camping World Bowl played in Florida was renamed the Cheez-It Bowl, and the former Cheez-It Bowl played in Arizona became the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Also due to a sponsorship change, what had been the Belk Bowl was renamed as the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition of the New Mexico Bowl was moved to Frisco, Texas.[9]
New bowls
Three new bowls had planned to debut during the 2020–21 bowl season, although only one was actually played.
- The Fenway Bowl (Boston, Massachusetts) was postponed to the 2021–22 bowl season due to the pandemic.[10]
- The LA Bowl (Inglewood, California) was initially scheduled for December 30, then postponed to the 2021–22 bowl season due to the pandemic.[11]
- The Myrtle Beach Bowl (Conway, South Carolina) was played on December 21.
The Montgomery Bowl was announced as a "substitute of the Fenway Bowl for this season only".[12]
Cancelled bowls
The following annual bowl games had their 2020 editions canceled (date announced):
- Redbox Bowl (July 31): Although the COVID-19 pandemic was cited as a justification, Levi's Stadium not renewing its agreement to host the game was an additional factor, making the overall future of the bowl unclear.[13][14]
- Bahamas Bowl and Hawaii Bowl (October 2): Canceled due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic.[15]
- Holiday Bowl (October 22): Organizers cited complications from the pandemic and the demolition of its former home venue, SDCCU Stadium.[16]
- Quick Lane Bowl (October 30): No specific reason was given for the cancellation.[17]
- Pinstripe Bowl (November 27): Canceled due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.[18]
- Sun Bowl (December 1): Canceled due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.[19]
- Las Vegas Bowl (December 2): Canceled due to COVID-19 complications.[20] On December 3, it was announced that the game's new Pac-12 and SEC tie-ins would be transferred to the Armed Forces Bowl (although only an SEC tie-in would be fulfilled, with The American providing an opponent).[21][22]
- Frisco Bowl (December 15): Canceled due to COVID-19 complications within the SMU program. As a result, UTSA accepted a bid to the First Responder Bowl.[23]
- Independence Bowl, Birmingham Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl (December 20): Canceled due to a lack of available teams to play.[24][25]
- Military Bowl (December 21): Canceled due to a lack of available teams to play.[26]
- Gasparilla Bowl (December 22): Cancelled after South Carolina dropped out due to COVID issues, leaving UAB with no opponent.[27]
- Music City Bowl (December 27): Cancelled after Missouri dropped out due to COVID issues, leaving Iowa with no opponent.[28]
- Texas Bowl (December 29): Cancelled after TCU dropped out due to COVID issues, leaving Arkansas with no opponent.[29]
On December 14, the NCAA's Football Oversight Committee (FOC) announced that FBS teams would be allowed to schedule an additional game in the event of a bowl game cancellation.[30] Such games would need to be requested not later than December 21, and played not later than December 31.[30] A replacement game would need to be scheduled against an opponent from a conference with a tie-in to the canceled bowl game.[30]
The cancellations, along with the move of the Cure Bowl from CBS Sports Network to ESPN due to its acquisition by ESPN Events, left the Arizona Bowl as the only bowl not televised by the ESPN family of networks.[31] On December 10, it was announced that the Arizona Bowl would be shifted from CBS Sports Network to the main CBS network as a substitute for the Sun Bowl.[32]
Bowls played
FCS bowl game
The Celebration Bowl, held between the champions of the FCS Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) was canceled, due to both conferences having postponed football to spring 2021 due to COVID-19.[35]
The NCAA has likewise delayed the Division I FCS tournament to April 2021, with the 2021 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game scheduled to occur in May 2021.[36]
All-star games
The East–West Shrine Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.[37][38]
| Date | Time (EST) | Game | Site | Television | Participants | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 17 | Tropical Bowl | Celebration High School Celebration, Florida |
National Team American Team |
National 20 American 17 | ||
| Jan. 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Senior Bowl | Hancock Whitney Stadium Mobile, Alabama |
NFL Network | National Team American Team |
National 27 American 24 |
| Jan. 31 | 9:30 p.m. | Hula Bowl | Aloha Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii |
CBS Sports Network | Team Kai Team Aina |
Kai 15 Aina 13 |
Team selections
In mid-October, the NCAA waived its usual bowl eligibility requirements.[39] In early November, the Pac-12 Conference announced that its teams would need to have at least a .500 record to be considered for a bowl game.[40] Additionally, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) only allowed their top two teams to go to bowl games.[41]
Programs removed from bowl consideration
Multiple programs opted out of, or were otherwise removed from, bowl consideration in advance of final CFP standings and bowl announcements on December 20. Each program is listed with its win–loss record and the date its removal was announced.
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (3–6), December 5 — ended season.[42]
- LSU Tigers (5–5), December 9 — opted out of bowl consideration as part of a self-imposed one-year postseason ban over Level III sanctions involving former LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.[43]
- Boston College Eagles (6–5), December 10 — opted out.[44]
- Pittsburgh Panthers (6–5), December 11 — opted out.[45]
- Virginia Cavaliers (5–5), December 13 — opted out.[46]
- Stanford Cardinal (4–2), December 13 — opted out.[47]
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3–7), December 14 — opted out.[48]
- SMU Mustangs (7–3), December 15 — originally selected to play in the Frisco Bowl,[49] but withdrew due to pandemic concerns within the team,[50] leading to the bowl's cancellation.[51]
- Kansas State Wildcats (4–6), December 16 — opted out.[52]
- Virginia Tech Hokies (5–6), December 16 — opted out.[53] The program had appeared in 27 consecutive bowl games, dating back to the 1993 Independence Bowl.[53] At the time of opting out, this was the longest active bowl appearance streak,[53] and the fourth-longest in college football history.[54]
- Louisville Cardinals (4–7), December 16 — advised by the ACC that "we're not in line for a bowl".[55]
- San Diego State Aztecs (4–4), December 16 — opted out.[56]
- UCLA Bruins (3–4), December 17 — opted out.[57]
- Utah Utes (3–2), December 18 — opted out.[58]
- Washington Huskies (3–1), December 18 — opted out.[59] The Huskies also had to give up their spot in the 2020 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, due to having an insufficient number of players available.[60]
- USC Trojans (5–1), December 19 — opted out.[61]
- Penn State Nittany Lions (4–5), December 19 — opted out.[62]
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (3–4), December 20 — opted out.[63]
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (3–5), December 20 — opted out.[64]
- Michigan State Spartans (2–5), December 20 — opted out.[65]
- Arizona State Sun Devils (2–2), December 20 — opted out.[66]
- Maryland Terrapins (2–3), December 20 — opted out.[67]
- Boise State Broncos (5–2), December 20 — opted out.[68] The program had appeared in 18 consecutive bowl games, dating back to the 2002 Humanitarian Bowl.[69]
The following programs dropped out of their respective bowl games after the pairings were set:
- Tennessee Volunteers (3–7), December 21 — accepted a bid to the Liberty Bowl,[70] but dropped out the next day due to a rise in positive COVID cases within the program.[71] Tennessee was replaced by Army (9–2) in the Liberty Bowl.[72]
- South Carolina Gamecocks (2–8), December 22 — accepted a bid to the Gasparilla Bowl,[73] but dropped out two days later due to a rise in COVID cases.[74]
- Missouri Tigers (5–5), December 27 — accepted a bid to the Music City Bowl but dropped out due to a rise in COVID cases.[75]
- TCU Horned Frogs (6–4), December 29 — accepted a bid to the Texas Bowl but dropped out due to a rise in COVID cases.
Bowl teams with losing records
Nine teams with losing records received bowl invitations, the first such occurrences since the 2016 season:
- Arkansas Razorbacks (3–7) to the Texas Bowl — cancelled due to a rise of COVID cases within the TCU program.[29][76]
- Houston Cougars (3–4) to the New Mexico Bowl[77]
- Kentucky Wildcats (4–6) to the Gator Bowl[78]
- Mississippi State Bulldogs (3–7) to the Armed Forces Bowl[79]
- North Texas Mean Green (4–5) to the Myrtle Beach Bowl[80]
- Ole Miss Rebels (4–5) to the Outback Bowl[81]
- South Carolina Gamecocks (2–8) to the Gasparilla Bowl — subsequently withdrew[74]
- Tennessee Volunteers (3–7) to the Liberty Bowl — subsequently withdrew[71]
- Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (5–6) to the LendingTree Bowl[82]
Six of the nine teams played their bowls, recording three wins (Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss) and three losses (Houston, North Texas, and Western Kentucky).
CFP top 25 standings and bowl games
On December 20, 2020, the College Football Playoff selection committee announced its final team rankings for the year.[83]
This was the seventh year of the College Football Playoff era. Of the 28 playoff spots awarded during that time, 22 went to Alabama (6), Clemson (6), Ohio State (4), Oklahoma (4), and Notre Dame (2).
| Rank | Team | W–L | Conference and standing | Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 11–0 | SEC champions | Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal) |
| 2 | Clemson Tigers | 10–1 | ACC champions | Sugar Bowl (CFP semifinal) |
| 3 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 6–0 | Big Ten champions | Sugar Bowl (CFP semifinal) |
| 4 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 10–1 | ACC first place | Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal) |
| 5 | Texas A&M Aggies | 8–1 | SEC West Division second place | Orange Bowl |
| 6 | Oklahoma Sooners | 8–2 | Big 12 champions | Cotton Bowl |
| 7 | Florida Gators | 8–3 | SEC East Division champions | Cotton Bowl |
| 8 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 9–0 | American champions | Peach Bowl |
| 9 | Georgia Bulldogs | 7–2 | SEC East Division second place | Peach Bowl |
| 10 | Iowa State Cyclones | 8–3 | Big 12 first place | Fiesta Bowl |
| 11 | Indiana Hoosiers | 6–1 | Big Ten East Division second place | Outback Bowl |
| 12 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 11–0 | Sun Belt co-champions | Cure Bowl |
| 13 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 8–3 | ACC fourth place (tie) | Orange Bowl |
| 14 | Northwestern Wildcats | 6–2 | Big Ten West Division champions | Citrus Bowl |
| 15 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 6–2 | Big Ten West Division second place | Music City Bowl (canceled) |
| 16 | BYU Cougars | 10–1 | Independent | Boca Raton Bowl |
| 17 | USC Trojans | 5–1 | Pac-12 South Division champions | none (opted out) |
| 18 | Miami (FL) Hurricanes | 8–2 | ACC third place | Cheez-It Bowl |
| 19 | Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns | 9–1 | Sun Belt co-champions | First Responder Bowl |
| 20 | Texas Longhorns | 6–3 | Big 12 fourth place | Alamo Bowl |
| 21 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 7–3 | Big 12 third place | Cheez-It Bowl |
| 22 | San Jose State Spartans | 7–0 | Mountain West champions | Arizona Bowl |
| 23 | NC State Wolfpack | 8–3 | ACC fourth place (tie) | Gator Bowl |
| 24 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 6–2 | American second place | Armed Forces Bowl |
| 25 | Oregon Ducks | 4–2 | Pac-12 champions | Fiesta Bowl |
Conference champions' bowl games
Ranks are per the final CFP rankings, released on December 20, with win–loss records at that time. Two bowls featured a matchup of conference champions—the Arizona Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. Champions of the Power Five conferences were assured of a spot in a New Year's Six bowl game.
| Conference | Champion | W–L | Rank | Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC | Clemson Tigers | 10–1 | 2 | Sugar Bowl (semifinal) |
| American | Cincinnati Bearcats | 9–0 | 8 | Peach Bowl (NY6) |
| Big Ten | Ohio State Buckeyes | 6–0 | 3 | Sugar Bowl (semifinal) |
| Big 12 | Oklahoma Sooners | 8–2 | 6 | Cotton Bowl (NY6) |
| C-USA | UAB Blazers | 6–3 | – | Gasparilla Bowl (canceled) |
| MAC | Ball State Cardinals | 6–1 | – | Arizona Bowl |
| Mountain West | San Jose State Spartans | 7–0 | 22 | Arizona Bowl |
| Pac-12 | Oregon Ducks | 4–2 | 25 | Fiesta Bowl (NY6) |
| SEC | Alabama Crimson Tide | 11–0 | 1 | Rose Bowl (semifinal) |
| Sun Belt† | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 11–0 | 12 | Cure Bowl |
| Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns | 9–1 | 19 | First Responder Bowl |
† The Sun Belt Championship Game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues, resulting in co-champions being declared.[84]
Television ratings
All times Eastern. CFP Rankings.
Most watched non-CFP bowl games
College Football Playoff
| Game | Date | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions) | TV Rating[85] | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Bowl (semifinal) | January 1, 2021, 4:30 p.m. | No. 4 Notre Dame | 14 | No. 1 Alabama | 31 | ESPN | 18.9 | 9.6 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX |
| Sugar Bowl (semifinal) | January 1, 2021, 8:00 p.m. | No. 3 Ohio State | 49 | No. 2 Clemson | 28 | 19.1 | 9.8 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA | |
| National Championship | January 11, 2021, 8:00 p.m. | No. 3 Ohio State | 24 | No. 1 Alabama | 52 | 18.6 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | ||
Notes
- Bowl count includes the National Championship game.
- Dates exclude all-star games.
- Win–loss records are prior to the bowl game being played.
- Reflects actual conferences of participants, for specific teams that are listed. Else, reflects conference tie-ins, which are subject to change as bowl invitations are issued and accepted.
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- "Kentucky Set to Play in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl | Kentucky Sports Radio". December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- Horka, Tyler. "Mike Leach, Mississippi State football to play Tulsa in Armed Forces Bowl". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "App State bound for the Myrtle Beach Bowl, will play North Texas". greensboro.com. December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- Suss, Nick. "Lane Kiffin gets Ole Miss football to first bowl game in five years vs Indiana in Outback". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- Stephenson, Creg (December 13, 2020). "LendingTree Bowl to feature Georgia State, Western Kentucky". AL.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- "College Football Playoff – Rankings". College Football Playoff. December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "Sun Belt championship game canceled due to COVID issues". AL.com. December 18, 2020.
- "College football TV ratings, 2020 edition". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
Further reading
- Palm, Jerry. "Playoff Projection". CBS Sports.
CBS Sports bowl expert Jerry Palm picks the teams he feels will comprise the national semifinals at the end of the season along with bowl projections for every single game.