The College Football Bowl Schedule for the 2020-21 season has officially been released by Bowl Season, formerly known as the Football Bowl Association. Bowl Season represents college football’s 44 postseason games.
Due to the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, seven bowls will not be played this season: Bahamas Bowl, Celebration Bowl (FCS), Fenway Bowl, Hawaii Bowl, RedBox Bowl, SDCCU Holiday Bowl, and Quick Lane Bowl.
A decision on the Las Vegas Bowl will be made at a later date.
Also due to COVID-19, there will be no record requirement to play in a bowl this season.
Under ordinary circumstances, teams must have a .500 record to qualify for a bowl game, but the Football Oversight Committee recommended suspending that rule for the current season due to the pandemic and the possible postponement and cancellation of regular season games.
With 37 total games including the College Football National Championship, 72 teams will play in a postseason game in 2020-21, which is 57% of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this year.
The ESPN family of networks will televise 35 of the 37 contests this season. CBS and CBS Sports Network will televise one contest each.
The 2020-21 bowl season kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 19 with the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl at 7:00pm ET on ESPN. That game pits two teams from the American, Conference USA, MAC, or Mountain West.
On Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, the two College Football Playoff semifinal games will take place. Hosts this season are the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, Calif., and the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La. The semifinal games will kickoff at 5:00pm ET and 8:45pm ET, respectively.
The College Football National Championship concludes the college football season on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021 at 8:00pm ET. The two playoff semifinal winners will meet at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.