College Football 2020-21 Bowl Schedule: Breaking Down the New Year’s Six Games

Bowl season is here, and in 2020-21, what better way to enjoy it than to fire up your grill, crack open a beverage and flip on the big screen! Below you’ll find a complete 2020-21 college football bowl schedule and a comprehensive look at the traditional “New Year’s Six” games.

Not only do these six bowls on the college football bowl schedule feature automatic tie-ins to the College Football Playoff – its semifinals are played in two of these bowls each year, and rotate through them every three years – they are also some of the most storied venues in college football. For a guide to the history, traditions and what you can find to do in and around each of the six stadiums (if COVID-19 hasn’t totally wrecked the schedule), read on. 

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Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal)

When/Where: 4 p.m. ET, Jan. 1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

Who: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame

The tradition: Nicknamed the “Granddaddy of them all” the Rose Bowl is the original college bowl game. Its history dates back to 1890 when the first Tournament of Roses Parade was held. Twelve years later, in 1902, a football game was added.

It got its official Rose Bowl name in 1916, and for just the second time since 1932, the game will be played somewhere other than the Rose Bowl in 2020. It was announced the game will be move to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. According to the game’s official site, “the decision to move the game is based on the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Southern California along with the inability to host player and coach guests at any game in California. ”

The other time the game was moved out of Pasadena happened in 1942 when officials moved the game to Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. because of national security concerns just weeks after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

It has sold out every year since 1947. 

What makes it unique: The storied Tournament of Roses Parade featuring floral-decorated floats was created to showcase Southern California’s mild weather at a time when one organizer said: “In New York people are buried in snow. Here, our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise.”

The parade travels five miles down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. 

Gameday tailgate info: Typically, alumni associations from each team hosts a tailgate party on the golf course north of the Rose Bowl Stadium. However, COVID-19 will likely put those plans on hold in 2021. For more information, visit www.rosebowlstadium.com.

Fan’s guide: Just because you can’t go to the game doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a killer fan experience at home. Click the link below to learn how to homegate like a pro.

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Orange Bowl

When/Where: 8 p.m. ET, Jan. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Who: Texas A&M vs. North Carolina

The tradition: The Bowl started in 1932 when organizers were looking to boost Miami’s economy after the Great Depression by mimicking the Rose Bowl with a “Fiesta of the American Tropics.” The festival was dropped the following year, but the football game took hold, first as the “Festival of Palms Bowl” and then the Orange Bowl.

It was originally played at a stadium by the same name in Little Havana before moving to what is now Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami Hurricanes. The Orange Bowl was the first bowl game to be televised in prime time in 1965.

What makes it unique: Proximity to South Beach, for one, and a festive night life. As for the game, the Florida ties are undeniable and the University of Miami’s legacy solidified. The Orange Bowl is the site of four matchups between Miami and Nebraska, three of which the Hurricanes won for national titles (’84, ’88, ’92.) Some other notable matchups include Joe Namath’s MVP performance for Alabama in 1965, Clemson’s win in by William “Refrigerator” Perry, and the final meeting between Joe Paterno of Penn State and Bobby Bowdon of FSU in 2006.

Gameday tailgate info: Again, COVID. Due to the current stadium capacity, which facilitates social distancing, access to Hard Rock Stadium will be determined based on Orange Bowl Ticket Holder tenure and seat availability.

Fan’s guide: Advanced parking passes can be purchased here. For information click here.

Sugar Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal)

When/Where: 8:45 p.m. ET, Jan. 1 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La.

Who: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State

The tradition: This is the 87^th year of the Sugar Bowl, which offers fans a New Year’s Eve celebration in one of the biggest party cities in the U.S. The first 50 Sugar Bowls were played at Tulane Stadium, which was built on the grounds of a sugar plantation owned by a family member of the man who discovered how to granulate sugar from cane syrup.

The game features powers from the SEC and Big 12 and a legacy that includes star performances from players like Tim Tebow, Ezekiel Elliott and back in the day Herschel Walker, Dan Marino and Archie Manning. 

What makes it unique: Mardi Gras comes a little bit early for Sugar Bowl visitors, who are treated to a New Year’s Eve parade through the French Quarter that travels up Decatur Street along the Mississippi River past landmarks like the Old U.S. Mint, the French Market, Café du Monde and Jackson Square.

Gameday tailgate info: The Sugar Bowl makes it easy to join in the fun with a readymade tailgate known as Fan Jam, though this year’s event will look much different (if it happens at all). The party typically features food, live entertainment, interactive games and appearances by the bands and cheerleaders from both competing schools.

Fan’s guide: According to its official website, the Sugar Bowl anticipates capacity for the game to be “reduced,” though no official announcements have been made. Ticket information will be posted when available.

Cotton Bowl

When/Where: 7:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

Who: Oklahoma vs. Florida

The Tradition: Founded in 1937, the Cotton Bowl was fully-funded by oil tycoon J. Curtis Sanford. It was originally held in the Cotton Bowl stadium in the middle of the Texas State Fairgrounds.

Ironically, the Cotton Bowl isn’t held at the Cotton Bowl anymore, which is also home to the annual Red River Rivalry Game between Texas and Oklahoma. It moved to the state-of-the-art AT&T Stadium in Arlington where the Dallas Cowboys play in 2010.

What makes it unique: The Kilgore College Rangerettes have performed at halftime for 69 years. The first-ever precision dance team was created in 1940 and believed to be the first dance drill team to ever perform at a football halftime show.

Gameday tailgate info: According to its website, Cotton Bowl tickets for this year’s 85th Classic will go on sale to the general public in mid-December.

The game is operating under the reduced capacity guidelines set by AT&T Stadium to focus on the “recommended health protocols for the well-being of student-athletes, fans and staff.”

Fan’s Guide: Just because you can’t go to the game doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a killer fan experience at home. Click the link below to learn how to homegate like a pro.

Peach Bowl

When/Where: 1 p.m. ET, Jan. 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

Who: Cincinnati vs. Georgia

The Tradition: Created in 1968, the Peach Bowl was long considered a second-tier event on the college football bowl schedule before changing its trajectory in the early 1990s. It moved indoors to the Georgia Dome, ending a run of bad weather issues, locked up an ACC-SEC matchup and signed a deal with ESPN. Moving into a primetime spot on New Year’s Eve in the 2000s didn’t hurt, and a steady stream of competitive games and sell-out crowds built its national resume. 

What makes it unique: While in town for the game, fans can visit the College Football Hall of Fame, which opened in 2014.

Fiesta Bowl 

When/Where: 4 p.m. ET, Jan. 2 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Who: Oregon vs. Iowa State

The Tradition: The “newest” of the four major games on the college football bowl schedule was created in 1971 by officials from the Western Athletic Conference who were frustrated that two of its recent champions failed to earn bowl berths. In “only” 48 years of existence, the Fiesta Bowl has hosted nine national championship games, including the first BCS national championship game in 1999 when Tennessee beat Florida State.

What makes it unique: The Cheez-It Bowl is played the night before in downtown Phoenix at Chase Field, where the Arizona Diamondbacks play.

Gameday tailgate info: This year’s game will be played without fans in attendance at the stadium, other than immediate families of the teams participating in the game.

Fan’s guide: Just because you can’t go to the game doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a killer fan experience at home. Click the link below to learn how to homegate like a pro.

COMPLETE 2020-21 COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL SCHEDULE