College football bowl season is here.
Despite several bowl games being canceled and many teams opting not to participate due to 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 with each of the 28 bowl games and the national championship.
Must-See Moments
Beach brawl and … a golden plunger?
As most of them are, it was an interesting day in Myrtle Beach 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.
North Texas quarterback Jason Bean gets hit late by an Appalachian State defender, and a scuffle breaks out between the teams.
The Appalachian State sideline waves their golden plunger after Camerun Peoples breaks free for a 62-yard touchdown.
Bowl Season MVP so far
Appalachian State RB Camerun Peoples
More like Can Run By People, right? We have a pretty simple rule here: If you set a record for most rushing yards in a bowl game in the first bowl game of the season, you’re in the clubhouse as Bowl Season MVP. Peoples was unstoppable against North Texas, rushing for 317 yards and five touchdowns on 22 carries as the Mountaineers walloped the Mean Green, 56-28 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
Bowl game analysis
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 year, 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 56-28 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, behind 502 yards on the ground, led by Camerun Peoples’ 319 yards and five touchdowns.
That UNT 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 head coach’s office, and Peoples set for a return. — David M. Hale
Upcoming bowl schedule
Tuesday’s games
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Tulane vs. Nevada
When: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
How to watch: ESPN/ESPN App
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: UCF vs. No. 16 BYU
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
How to watch: ESPN/ESPN App
Wednesday’s games
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern
When: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
How to watch: ESPN/ESPN App
Montgomery Bowl: Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Ala.
How to watch: ESPN/ESPN App
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