Dec 30, 2020
  • ESPN

College football bowl season is here.

Despite several bowl games being canceled and many teams opting not to participate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we bring you the best of the rest, from the Myrtle Beach Bowl through the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T on Jan. 11 (ESPN/ESPN App).

This is your go-to guide for analysis, predictions, big plays and the most memorable moments. And make sure to read these stories to ensure you sound smart on your family's holiday Zoom calls.

    Check back every day as this gets updated through each game.

    Jump to a section: Must-see moments | Bowl Season MVP | Bowl game analysis | Upcoming schedule

    Upcoming bowl schedule

    All times Eastern

    Friday's games

    Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
    Cincinnati vs. Georgia
    Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
    Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

    Vrbo Citrus Bowl
    Auburn vs. Northwestern
    Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
    1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App

    Must-see moments

    Brawl breaks out at Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

    Following Mississippi State's win over Tulsa, a melee ensued.

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    Massive postgame brawl erupts between Tulsa, Mississippi State

    After Mississippi State's win over Tulsa, a violent fight ensued between the two teams.

    Here's what Mississippi State coach Mike Leach had to say about the postgame fight.

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    Leach reacts to massive brawl after Mississippi State's bowl win

    Mississippi State coach Mike Leach says he isn't going to lose his mind over the Bulldogs' postgame brawl and adds that his team hasn't had any problems like this during the season.

    Tempers had already been running high prior to the start of the game when this scuffle broke out.

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    Tulsa, Mississippi State have skirmish before the game

    There is some pushing and shoving before Tulsa and Mississippi State face off in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

    Running people over like no one else

    Maybe it's just safer to get out of the way when it's Corey Taylor II coming at you.

    Now this is how you celebrate

    Oklahoma beat Florida by a whopping 35 points and celebrated by paying homage to OU great Malcolm Kelly.

    Wisconsin got a little too excited about its bowl win

    The Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy Wisconsin received lived a short life before it shattered in the Badgers' locker room. How it happened, and the Badgers solved the issue, by taping a mayo jar onto what's left.

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    Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy shatters in Wisconsin locker room

    Check out how the Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy shattered into pieces in Wisconsin's locker room.

    What a letdown

    Unfortunately for many college football fans, there was in fact no mayo shower for Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst.

    Playing 'ketchup,' huh?

    This Duke's Mayo Bowl analysis might just be the most fitting recap you have ever heard.

    Rapinoe is rolling with the Tide

    After Najee Harris shouted out U.S. women's national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe in a news conference leading up to the Rose Bowl, she couldn't help but give her best "Roll Tide!"

    The Bachelor is all-in

    Matt James, who used to play football for Wake Forest, is locked in on Duke's Mayo Bowl.

    'Second chances'

    Chris Olave perfectly teed up the Sugar Bowl for Ohio State.

    A moment of silence for Jordan

    Prior to kickoff at the Alamo Bowl, teams paid tribute to Utah running back Ty Jordan, who died Dec. 26.

    A Cheez-It shower

    Yep, take a look for yourself. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was certainly elated to be covered in this snack after the Cowboys defeated Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl.

    Flameout

    Liberty gambled by trying to run down the clock before scoring in a 34-34 tie against unbeaten Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl on Saturday night. The Flames didn't expect a fumble at the goal line.

    A rockin' touchdown

    After getting wide open, how else was Khaleb Hood supposed to celebrate this score?

    Who can resist a fry bath?

    To celebrate winning the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Nevada players dumped french fries on coach Jay Norvell before giving him a more traditional Gatorade bath.

    Beach brawl and ... a golden plunger?

    As most of them are, it was an interesting day in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Monday. Our beloved Marty & McGee were working the sidelines and enjoying the local flavor, while things got a little chippy on the field. In the end, North Texas was no match for Appalachian State and its, uh, unique sideline prop. Learn more about the plunger here.

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    Brawl breaks out after late hit on North Texas QB

    North Texas quarterback Jason Bean gets hit late by an Appalachian State defender, and a scuffle breaks out between the teams.

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    App State sideline breaks out golden plunger after People's huge TD

    The Appalachian State sideline waves their golden plunger after Camerun Peoples breaks free for a 62-yard touchdown.

    Bowl Season MVP so far

    Oklahoma running back Rhamondre Stevenson

    Stevenson rushed for 186 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries as the Sooners set a Cotton Bowl record with 435 rushing yards in a 55-20 trouncing of Florida. The 55 points was the most ever scored by Oklahoma in a bowl game.

    Bowl game analysis

    AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Dec. 31): West Virginia 24, Army 21

    The Black Knights were a deserving substitute in the game after Tennessee was forced to drop out with COVID issues, and were effective early. A 13-play, 75-yard drive put them up 21-10 midway through the third quarter and they bottled up WVU's Leddie Brown, who had just 56 yards on 20 carries. But the Mountaineers' offense finally found some footing after a change at quarterback from Jarret Doege to Austin Kendall, who threw touchdown passes to Mike O' Laughlin and T.J. Simmons.

    The West Virginia defense clamped down, allowing 239 total yards and just 3.1 yards per rush. Army missed a 39-yard field goal with 1:50 left. Josh Chandler-Semedo, who had 13 tackles and a forced fumble, intercepted a desperation pass by Army late, and the Mountaineers were able to hold on for their first win outside of Morgantown this season. They finish 6-4 in Neal Brown's second season after going 5-7 last year. -- Dave Wilson

    Offerpad Arizona Bowl (Dec. 31): Ball State 31, No. 22 San Jose State 13

    Ball State's 34-13 win against San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl was historic on a number of levels. First of all, it was the Cardinals' first bowl win in program history. Not only that, in the process they became the second team to knock off undefeated teams in both a conference title game and a bowl game, joining 2009 Alabama. Prior to its win against Buffalo in the MAC title game, Ball State had just three wins against AP Top 25 teams in history, dating back 84 seasons. Its win against the Spartans was its second such win in two games. The loss is deflating for San Jose State, which came into the game at No. 19 in the AP poll, its highest-ever ranking. The Spartans were without a number of players, including All-American Cade Hall, and both coordinators due to various reasons. -- Bonagura

    Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 31): Mississippi State 28, No. 24 Tulsa 26

    Mississippi State hung on to beat Tulsa 28-26 in the Armed Force Bowl, but the game will be remembered for a massive brawl that broke out in the moments after it ended. It wasn't immediately clear what started it, but several members from both teams were involved as punching and kicking was captured on the TV broadcast.

    In most years, Mississippi State's dreadful regular season would have left the Bulldogs well short of a bowl game. But with bowl eligibility rules not in effect, the Bulldogs took advantage of the opportunity to register their fourth win of the year. Perhaps more strange than seeing a 3-7 team play in a bowl game was how balanced Mike Leach's offense was between passes and runs: MSU QB Will Rogers attempted just two more passes (30) than the Bulldogs attempted runs. The win stands as Mississippi State's first bowl win against a ranked team since the 1940 season and it will head into the offseason having won two consecutive games. -- Kyle Bonagura

    Cotton Bowl Classic (Dec. 30): No. 6 Oklahoma 55, No. 7 Florida 20

    Florida might have been undermanned because of opt-outs and other circumstances, but regardless, this was a whipping by Oklahoma. The Sooners started fast on both sides of the ball, with the defense picking off Gators quarterback Kyle Trask three times in the first quarter and Spencer Rattler and Rhamondre Stevenson leading a multifaceted offensive attack. The Sooners finished with a whopping 684 yards, including 435 rushing. And Rattler, the redshirt freshman QB, has grown exponentially since his early-season showings.

    It's a disappointing way for the Gators to finish what was otherwise a good season, but for the Sooners, it was a showing of not just how good they were down the stretch, but how good they could be in 2021. Look for this Oklahoma team to make some serious noise next season. -- Sam Khan Jr.

    Duke's Mayo Bowl (Dec. 30): Wisconsin 42, Wake Forest 28

    Wisconsin's rocky 2020 season ends on a high note with a victory in the Duke's Mayo Bowl, but plenty of questions remain for 2021. The offense turned in another shaky performance, with Graham Mertz throwing his first touchdown in 18 quarters in the second half against Wake Forest. While the final score was lopsided, the bulk of the Badgers' scoring came off short fields created by takeaways and special-teams success. But does any of that really matter? Wisconsin knew 2020 would be a challenging season as Mertz got his feet wet at QB and the offense searched for a weapon at tailback. The bowl win doesn't necessarily provide any true answers to those concerns, but Devin Chandler flashed his speed and Chimere Dike had a couple impressive moments. It's clear there's a foundation to build toward the future on. More important, that future figures to be one with fewer delays, interruptions and other virus-related struggles that upended Wisconsin's season this time around.

    On the other side, Wake Forest had just three turnovers all season, but quarterback Sam Hartman threw four picks that led to 21 Wisconsin points, all in the second half Wednesday. It was beyond frustrating for a Demon Deacons team that prided itself on avoiding costly mistakes throughout the regular season, and the interceptions upended an otherwise strong game in which Wake Forest outgained Wisconsin by 252 yards. It's a sour end to a season in which Wake largely outperformed expectations, but the Deacons return a number of key veterans for 2021. -- David M. Hale

    Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29): No. 20 Texas 55, Colorado 23

    Texas started the game with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and coasted to victory against Colorado. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger played just the first half after injuring his throwing shoulder, completing 10 of his 16 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. He was replaced by Casey Thompson, who showed out by going 8-for-10 passing with 170 yards and four touchdowns. But Texas' biggest star of the game was Bijan Robinson who ran for 183 yards on just 10 carries and a touchdown.

    The biggest storyline for Colorado coming out of this game was coach Karl Dorrell benching Sam Noyer (two interceptions) for Brendon Lewis, who gave Colorado a spark but couldn't lead a comeback. It was a tough ending for Colorado, which impressed during a shortened season and entered the game with a 4-1 record. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

    Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29): No. 21 Oklahoma State 37, No. 18 Miami 34

    Oklahoma State saw a three-touchdown lead nearly whittled away but held on for an eventful and narrow win over the Hurricanes. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Sanders threw for 305 yards and four scores -- and, most important, zero interceptions -- to lift the Cowboys. He did so with a running game that was largely limited; Oklahoma State averaged only 2.6 yards per rush, and Sanders was the leading rusher. The Cowboys were without running back Chuba Hubbard -- who opted out and is now preparing for the NFL draft -- and wide receiver Tylan Wallace was available for only a half, as he did not play in the final two quarters.

    For Miami, it was a tough loss beyond just the scoreboard. Starting QB D'Eriq King -- who recently announced plans to return to the Hurricanes in 2021 -- went down with a right leg injury in the first half. He had to be helped off the field, then returned in the third quarter on crutches and with his leg in a cast. There's no word on the extent of the injury, but for a player who has been through so much, it was tough to see. N'Kosi Perry, who came on in relief of King, played well, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns to rally the Canes back into the game. -- Sam Khan Jr.

    Cure Bowl (Dec. 26): Liberty 37, No. 12 Coastal Carolina 34 (OT)

    The wait was worth it, especially for Liberty, which capped the most successful season in school history thanks to Elijah James' blocked field goal attempt in overtime in one of the more bizarre endings you're ever going to see. The two teams were scheduled to play back on Dec. 5 in a highly anticipated matchup, but COVID-19 issues forced Liberty to pause all football-related activities, paving the way for BYU to step in and face Coastal Carolina in one of the games of the year. But this one might have been even better. Liberty, which finished 10-1 in Hugh Freeze's second season as coach, was on the brink of winning in the final seconds of regulation. But Joshua Mack fumbled at the 1-yard line when it looked like the Flames were trying not to score a touchdown and instead kick a field goal to leave Coastal Carolina with as little time as possible. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Chanticleers, who finished 11-1 and kept fighting back from double-digit deficits all game. They were trying to become the first Sun Belt Conference team to finish a season unbeaten. In the end, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was too much for the Chants thanks to his career-high four rushing touchdowns and one key play after another. The Flames were playing their first game since a 45-0 win over UMass on Nov. 27 and were a blocked field goal in a 15-14 loss to NC State away from finishing unbeaten in just their second full season at the FBS level. -- Chris Low

    SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dec. 26): No. 19 Louisiana 31, UTSA 24

    Louisiana jumped out to a 17-point lead before UTSA chipped away, pulling even early in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Ragin' Cajuns' offense imposed its will with a 12-play, 72-yard drive that ate up 6:09 before a Trey Ragas touchdown run gave Louisiana the decisive advantage. The Roadrunners fought valiantly given the situation: They were without their coach, Jeff Traylor, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week. UTSA was also without seven key players. Ultimately, the Ragin' Cajuns' run game -- Ragas and Elijah Mitchell combined for 225 yards -- was the difference.

    The Ragin' Cajuns completed a 10-win season for just the second time in school history and for the second year in a row, finishing an impressive 10-1. Coach Billy Napier has Louisiana an impressive 20-4 over the past two seasons. -- Sam Khan Jr.

    LendingTree Bowl (Dec. 26): Georgia State 39, Western Kentucky 21

    Except for an early scoring drive by Western Kentucky that gave the Hilltoppers a brief lead, Georgia State controlled this one throughout. QB Cornelious Brown IV connected with seven different receivers and threw three touchdown passes, running back Destin Coates ran for 117 yards and the Panthers' defense made key plays, becoming the first team this season to intercept Western Keuntucky QB Tyrrell Pigrome, who came into the game with the most passes thrown this season without a pick. The Panthers picked Pigrome off twice.

    The Panthers close the season out with a three-game winning streak, the first time in team history they've finished the year in such a manner. This is the third bowl for coach Shawn Elliott in four seasons and his second bowl victory. It's also the Panthers' second bowl win over WKU, after beating the Hilltoppers in the 2017 Cure Bowl. -- Sam Khan Jr.

    Camellia Bowl (Dec. 25): Buffalo 17, Marshall 10

    Marshall and Buffalo delivered an edge-of-your-seat finish to the Camellia Bowl, as the Bulls won 17-10 despite missing leading rusher Jaret Patterson. Kevin Marks Jr. scored on a 2-yard run with 1:09 left to give Buffalo its second straight bowl win. Marshall quarterback Grant Wells got the Thundering Herd down to inside the 20 with a chance to tie the score, but the Buffalo defense registered a fourth-down sack to seal it.

    The Bulls struggled to get their run game going without Patterson, who did not play after sustaining a knee injury in the MAC championship game the previous week. Buffalo jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, but the Bulls could not get anything going consistently on offense against the second-best rush defense in the nation until their final drive of the game. Marshall struggled itself on offense, as Wells threw for only 114 total yards. It was a disappointing end to the season for Marshall, which closed with three straight losses after a 7-0 start and a ranking that, at one point, had it as high as No. 15. -- Andrea Adelson

    New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 24): Hawai'i 28, Houston 14

    Hawai'i jumped on Houston from the start, turning two early turnovers into touchdowns that led the Rainbow Warriors to victory. Though the Cougars tried to mount a second-half comeback, closing the gap to 21-14 late in the third quarter, Hawai'i's Calvin Turner returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a score to put the game out of reach. Turner ended the game with 252 total yards and two touchdowns. First-year Hawai'i coach Todd Graham won his 100th career game, as the Rainbow Warriors posted their third straight season with a winning record.

    As for Houston, this was as disjointed a year as any school had during the pandemic, with eight games postponed, canceled or rescheduled. But this was not a good performance, and the Cougars have gone 7-13 in Dana Holgorsen's first two years as coach. Next season figures to be a pressure-filled one as he tries to get things headed in the right direction. -- Andrea Adelson

    R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 23): Georgia Southern 38, Louisiana Tech 3

    The Eagles came into the New Orleans Bowl on a tough stretch for a program that is typically one of the more competitive teams in the Sun Belt. After losing three of its past four, Georgia Southern had an easy time with Louisiana Tech. Quarterback Shai Werts led the way with 71 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, along with 126 yards passing and a touchdown.

    Georgia Southern brings out a sleek blue electric guitar for touchdowns, and it got plenty of use against the Bulldogs. Defensively, the Eagles' turnover chain got plenty of exposure as they scored four interceptions. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

    Montgomery Bowl (Dec. 23): Memphis 25, Florida Atlantic 10

    Memphis jumped out to an 18-0 lead, and it appeared for a moment that Florida Atlantic might make it a game with a field goal to make it 18-10 midway through the third quarter. But the Tigers held on to win the Montgomery Bowl, as the Owls were unable to get anything going on the ground. In total, Florida Atlantic ran the ball 39 times for just 139 yards, a 3.6 yards per carry average.

    Memphis quarterback Brady White got the first bowl win of his career in a great performance, completing 22 of his 34 passes with three touchdowns and just one interception. He finished his college career in the victory formation, and you can't do much better than that. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

    RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 22): BYU 49, UCF 23

    Oh, what could have been. When BYU agreed to a last-minute game at Coastal Carolina earlier in the season, it did so knowing a loss would take away the team's nearly-locked-up spot in a New Year's Six bowl. And that's what happened. Instead, BYU settled for an appearance in the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl against UCF, where the Cougars added another lopsided win to a season already full of them.

    Quarterback Zach Wilson turned in another brilliant performance that showed why he generated Heisman Trophy buzz throughout the season. He completed 26 of 34 passes for 425 yards with three touchdowns, and running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

    BYU went up 21-0 in the first quarter and 35-7 in the second to put the game away early. -- Kyle Bonagura

    Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 22): Nevada 38, Tulane 27

    After losing in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last year to Ohio, Nevada bounced back with an impressive season that saw the Wolf Pack finish with the Mountain West's second-best winning percentage. Despite having a better record than Boise State, Nevada didn't advance to the Mountain West championship as a result of the conference's tiebreaker rules, setting up a return trip to the Potato Bowl. This time, Nevada got the job done, leading from start to finish in a 38-27 win.

    Nevada built a 26-7 lead by early in the second quarter and weathered a brief Tulane comeback as quarterback Carson Strong finished 22-of-28 for 271 yards with five touchdown passes. Both Devonte Lee (105 yards) and Toa Taua (102) rushed for over 100 yards.

    For Tulane, which won four of its final five games during the regular season, the bowl appearance was its third straight -- the first time it has done that in school history -- but the first that ended with a loss. -- Kyle Bonagura

    Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 21): Appalachian State 56, North Texas 28

    Before the season, Appalachian State had its sights set on a New Year's Six bowl. Fresh off a 13-1 campaign that culminated with a Sun Belt title, the Mountaineers certainly looked the part. But in the year of COVID-19, few things went as expected, and App State lost its second game of the season, against Marshall, then spent the bulk of October dealing with virus concerns.

    But if the 2020 season never quite met expectations, the finale at least offered a reminder of how talented this team really was. The Mountaineers thrashed North Texas in the Myrtle Beach Bowl behind 502 yards on the ground, led by Camerun Peoples' 319 yards and five touchdowns.

    That the Mean Green struggled wasn't a shock. A handful of starters opted out of the bowl game. But the extent to which Peoples and the Mountaineers' ground game ran roughshod over the UNT defense was still a sight to behold. App State now can turn its attention to 2021, with Shawn Clark comfortable in the coach's office and Peoples set for a return. -- David M. Hale