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All the 2020-2021 college football bowl ties, tie-ins and affiliations by conference.
2020-2021 College Football Playoff, New Year’s Six Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Of course, everything is up in the air when it comes to college football, any bowl schedules and games, and far more important things overall. For now, hoping all is okay and the season goes off as planned, these are the expected conference bowl tie-ins and affiliations for the 2020-2021 bowl season.
The Power Five conferences are close to set, but the Group of Five conferences are still going to need time to lock in exactly what their official tie-ins will be. Please note that there likely will be several changes over the next several months.
– The top four teams ranked by the College Football Playoff selection committee will be slotted in the semifinals: Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, both on Friday, January 1st, 2021.
– The two winners to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami, Florida on Monday, January 11th, 2021.
– The highest-ranked conference champion from the American Athletic, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt will automatically get one spot in either the College Football Playoff, GoodYear Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl or Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
– The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal, so the Big Ten and Pac-12 tie-ins aren’t a factor this season.
– The Capital One Orange Bowl will be the ACC vs. SEC no matter what. The champion of each league goes here if not in the College Football Playoff.
American Athletic Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The American Athletic Conference doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs. SEC
– Fenway Park Bowl vs. ACC
– Military Bowl presented by Northrup Grumman vs. ACC
– FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl vs. Sun Belt or MAC
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. MAC or Sun Belt
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC
– New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA or Mountain West
– SoFi Hawaii Bowl or Conference USA vs. Mountain West
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC or Mountain West
Alternates if the one of the other conferences can’t fill the spots
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs. ACC or Big 12
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. SEC or ACC
ACC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Notre Dame is eligible for any ACC bowl tie-in as long as it’s within one game of the team eligible for the slot.
The ACC Champion goes to the Orange Bowl unless it makes the College Football Playoff, in which case the next-highest ranked ACC team in the final College Football Playoff rankings will get in.
1. College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected
2. Capital One Orange Bowl vs. SEC or Big Ten
First Tier
– Camping World Bowl vs. Big 12
– Belk Bowl vs. SEC
– San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs. Pac-12
– Fenway Park Bowl vs. American Athletic Conference
– New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Sun Bowl vs. Pac-12
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs. SEC
– Walk-On’s Independence Bowl vs. Pac-12
– ACC and Big Ten combine in the Music City and TaxSlayer, with each getting three appearances in six years. The ACC played in the Music City in 2015 and the TaxSlayer in 2016, 2017 & 2018. It’s almost certainly going to be in the Music City, but can still play in the TaxSlayer.
Second Tier
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. SEC (or American Athletic)
Conditional if American Athletic or Conference USA can’t fill the spot.
OR
– Birmingham Bowl vs. SEC
Conditional if American Athletic or SEC can’t fill the spot.
OR
– SERVPRO First Responders Bowl vs. Big 12
Big Ten Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Big Ten isn’t locked into the Rose if it gets a team into the CFP.
College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected
1. New Year’s Six (Chick-Fil-A Peach, Fiesta, Cotton or Orange Bowl) vs. New Year’s Six. Big Ten Champion gets a New Year’s Six spot if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.
2. Citrus Bowl vs. SEC
3. Outback Bowl vs. SEC
4. Las Vegas Bowl vs. Pac-12
Note: Big Ten alternates with the SEC between Las Vegas and Belk bowls over the next six seasons
5. Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl vs. SEC
6. New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. ACC
7. Cheez-It Bowl vs. Big 12
8. Redbox Bowl vs. Pac-12
9. Quick Lane Bowl vs. MAC
Big 12 Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Sugar Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Big 12 isn’t locked into the Sugar if it gets a team in.
College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected
1. New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta) vs. New Year’s Six
Big 12 Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff.
2. Valero Alamo Bowl vs. Pac-12
3. Camping World Bowl vs. ACC
4. Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl vs. SEC
5. Liberty Bowl vs. SEC
6. Cheez-It Bowl vs. Big Ten
7. Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Group of Five Program
Conference USA Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Conference USA doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. American Athletic or Army
– Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl vs. MAC
– R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs. Sun Belt
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl vs. American Athletic or MAC
– New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA or Mountain West
– SoFi Hawaii Bowl or American Athletic vs. Mountain West
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs. Conference USA or MAC or Mountain West
Independent Bowl Ties, Affiliations
– Liberty, New Mexico State, UConn and UMass don’t have direct bowl ties or affiliations.
– Army will be in an ESPN owned and operated bowl.
– BYU will be in an ESPN owned and operated bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and in the Independence Bowl in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
– Notre Dame can take one of the ACC’s bowl spots – if it’s not in the College Football Playoff – but it must be within one overall win over the available ACC team with the best overall record.
MAC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The MAC doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– Camellia Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– LendingTree Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Nova Homes Loans Arizona Bowl vs. Mountain West
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Mountain West
– Quick Lane Bowl vs. Big Ten
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences. MAC will get spots in two of them.
– FBS Mortgage Cure Bowl or American Athletic or Sun Belt
– Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl or American Athletic, Conference USA or Mountain West
– Myrtle Beach Bowl or American Athletic or Sun Belt
– Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl or American Athletic or Conference USA
Mountain West Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Mountain West doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowl matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. MAC
– SoFi Hawai’i Bowl vs. American Athletic or Conference USA
– LA Bowl vs. Pac-12
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Big Ten
– NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. MAC
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences.
– Gildan New Mexico Bowl or American Athletic or Conference USA
– Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl or American Athletic, Conference USA or MAC
Pac-12 Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The Pac-12 isn’t locked into the Rose if it gets a team into the CFP.
Note: Pac-12 will have one more bowl tie-in to be named later.
College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected
1. New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta) vs. New Year’s Six
Pac-12 Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff.
Valero Alamo Bowl vs. Big 12
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs. Big Ten
Las Vegas Bowl vs. Big Ten
Redbox Bowl vs. Big Ten
Sun Bowl vs. ACC
Walk-On’s Independence Bowl vs. ACC
LA Bowl vs. Mountain West
SEC Bowl Ties, Affiliations
The Sugar Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal. The SEC isn’t locked into the Sugar if it gets a team in.
College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected
1. New Year’s Six (Chick-fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange) vs. New Year’s Six
SEC Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff.
2. VRBO Citrus Bowl vs. Big Ten
The Citrus Bowl gets its pick of the top SEC team available after the CFP shakes
The SEC will assign teams to the respective bowls in this pool.
– Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl vs. Big 12
– AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs. Big 12
– Belk Bowl vs. ACC
Note: SEC alternates with the Big Ten between Las Vegas and Belk bowls over the next six seasons
– Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Outback Bowl vs. Big Ten
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs. ACC
Second Tier
– Birmingham Bowl vs. American Athletic or ACC
– Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl vs. ACC (or American Athletic)
Sun Belt Bowl Ties, Affiliations
Highest-ranked champion from the AAC, C-USA, MAC, MW & Sun Belt will play in a New Year’s Six bowl – Chick-Fil-A Peach, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange.
The Sun Belt doesn’t have a true pecking order after the New Orleans. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.
1. R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Camellia Bowl vs. MAC
– LendingTree Bowl vs. MAC
Still to be determined among the Group of Five conferences.
– FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl or American Athletic or MAC
– Myrtle Beach Bowl or American Athletic or MAC
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