For several weeks, fans and pundits argued over which four teams should make the College Football Playoff field. Various scenarios promised chaos and controversy on decision day. By Sunday, however, picking the four-team field to fight for the national championship became a no-brainer. Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Cincinnati will play […]
Tag: college football playoff
National Championship Odds: Cincinnati Rises, Oregon Falls in Latest Rankings
No Group of Five school has taken part in the College Football Playoff since the four-team postseason system began in 2014. But, the Cincinnati Bearcats are threatening to end that streak this year, as the American Athletic Conference powerhouse is rapidly improving its national championship odds — even if sportsbooks […]
College Football Playoff Viewership Remains Strong Even with Pandemic
While the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL have suffered rating sags since the COVID-19 virus touched down in the U.S. last spring, ESPN’s New Year’s Day bowl broadcast numbers remained steady compared with the previous six years of the format, averaging close to 19 million viewers across its pair of […]
Make-Up Dates for College Football Playoffs Announced, Sparking New COVID-19 Concerns
The College Football Playoff committee announced Wednesday new January make-up dates for both its semifinal and national championship games. The announcement came with the notation that all of the participating programs report they have enough healthy scholarship athletes to play. Still, there’s a contingency plan just in case, raising questions […]
ESPN’s Herbstreit Tests Positive for COVID-19, will Work from Home New Year’s Day
Fire up the Zoom, crank up the Keurig, and make sure the mute button’s off. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit will broadcast from home after testing positive for COVID-19 on the eve of college football’s biggest weekend. The network’s college GameDay analyst tweeted Tuesday night that he was diagnosed with the virus […]
Texas Bowl Becomes 18th COVID-19 Casualty, Peach Bowl Could be Next
The Mercari Texas Bowl was canceled Tuesday afternoon due to a spike in COVID-19 cases within the Texas Christian University football program, school officials said. The 5-4 TCU Horned Frogs were set to take on the 3-7 Arkansas Razorbacks on New Year’s Eve at NRG Stadium in Houston. TCU was […]
Music City Bowl Becomes 17th Post-Season Game Cancelled Due to COVID-19
The TransPerfect Music City Bowl was called off late Sunday after the Missouri Tigers put up the red light due to a rise in COVID-19 cases within their program. The Tigers (5-5) were set to face No. 15 Iowa (6-2) on Wednesday in Nashville, but Missouri canceled practice Sunday after […]
Gasparilla Bowl Latest to Cancel in Wake of South Carolina’s COVID-19 Outbreak
The Gasparilla Bowl became the 17th bowl game this season to cancel on Tuesday after the 2-8 South Carolina Gamecocks withdrew because of positive COVID-19 tests in their program. The game was initially set for Saturday in Tampa, pitting the Gamecocks against back-to-back Conference USA champions, the UAB Blazers (6-3). […]
College Football Playoff Willing to Postpone New Year’s Six Bowl Games Because of COVID-19 Issues
As notable programs face their most significant COVID-19 spikes of the season, the College Football Playoff committee said Monday it’s willing to postpone New Year’s Six bowl games, including its semifinal round and championship. If Saturday’s decision to move the Rose Bowl Game from Pasadena, CA, to Arlington, TX, after […]
Big Ten Relaxes COVID-19 Protocols ahead of New Year’s Day Bowl Games
In yet another arbitrary rule change by the Big Ten, and further eschewing players’ long-term health and safety, officials rolled back the conference’s 21-day mandatory sit-out policy for players who’ve tested positive for COVID-19. Players are now only required to miss a minimum of 17 days after testing positive. This […]
Opt-Out Sunday: Bowl-Eligible Programs, Bowl Games, and Individual Players Put an End to a Season in the Abyss
While the College Football Playoff attempted to maintain some buzz about the playoffs that will be — and the season that wasn’t — the developing story Sunday was seasons cut short amidst a new pandemic spike. It started late Saturday night as the CFP committee made the awaited announcement that […]
Team Health Concerns and the Pandemic Prompt USC to Pass on Bowl Season
USC announced Saturday evening it will join several of its Pac-12 counterparts in opting out of any opportunities this bowl season, citing continued COVID-19 concerns and player-personnel reasons. The No. 13 Trojans (5-1) lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday night at home in the LA Memorial […]
Rose Bowl Relocates to Texas as LA County ICUs Hit Capacity
It looks like the coaches and committee members who complain the loudest get their way, as the College Football Playoff semifinal scheduled for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 is moving to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The announcement came Saturday night as the Tournament of Roses was denied a […]
Notre Dame, Clemson Coaches Criticize California’s Shelter-in-Place Laws as State Reaches Pandemic Breaking Point
Though the college football nation awaits the result of No. 2 Notre Dame’s match vs. No. 3 Clemson in Saturday’s ACC Championship Game, it was the two programs’ coaches who made headlines Friday with their comments about the Rose Bowl. Earlier this week, the College Football Playoff commissioners discussed whether […]
Old Oaken Bucket Game Canceled for First Time Since 1903, Frisco Bowl Latest To Scratch
The rescheduled rivalry game between No. 7 Indiana and Purdue was called off for good Tuesday as both programs remain shut down with COVID-19-related issues. The rivalry game started in 1891 and has taken place every season, except in 1903. That year, the game, scheduled on Oct. 31 at Washington […]
College Football Playoff Committee Says Rose Bowl to Remain Its Semifinal Venue … For Now
Though committee members hinted otherwise this week, the College Football Playoff semifinal is scheduled to kick off at the Rose Bowl on Jan 1, 2021. That said, college football’s premier postseason venue is likely to lose its spot if Gov. Gavin Newsom doesn’t make some policy exceptions for the game. […]
Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Canceled, Boston College First Program to Opt Out of Bowl Season
No. 12 Oklahoma’s rescheduled game at West Virginia has been canceled after the Mountaineers shut down their program due to COVID-19 issues on Thursday. The game was initially set for Nov. 27, but postponed due to OU’s issues with the virus. The teams will not meet this season. OU (6-2) […]
Big Ten Rules Change Could Pave Way for Ohio State to Play in Championship Game
A college football season that continues to be the most physically and mentally challenging in a century just got stickier for the Big Ten. News leaked this weekend that conference athletic directors are willing to change eligibility rules to squeeze No. 4 Ohio State into the championship game. On Saturday, […]
Pac-12 Sees Postseason Prospects Fade as Bowl Cancellations Pile Up Nationwide
In a year where every college football team still standing is bowl eligible, the number of games for them to play in is shrinking daily. Bowl cancellations started in earnest this week. The inflection point came on the West Coast, where COVID-19 cases are spiking to untenable highs and a […]
Ohio State Game Cancelled as Bigger Questions Loom for College Football and the Nation
Saturday’s game between No. 4 Ohio State (4-0) at Illinois (2-3) was called off by Ohio State Friday night as the COVID-19 virus has spread throughout the program. The Buckeyes reported too many positive tests to field a team this weekend. Head coach Ryan Day is among the undisclosed number […]