2020 LendingTree Bowl (December)

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 26, 2020, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. local CST) on ESPN.[4] It was the 22nd edition of the LendingTree Bowl, and was one of the 2020–21 bowl games concluding the 2020 FBS football season. Online lending marketplace LendingTree was the game's title sponsor. It was also the final LendingTree Bowl played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium before the game moved to Hancock Whitney Stadium the following season.

2020 LendingTree Bowl
22nd LendingTree Bowl
1234 Total
Western Kentucky 7077 21
Georgia State 72039 39
DateDecember 26, 2020
Season2020
StadiumLadd–Peebles Stadium
LocationMobile, Alabama
MVPCornelious Brown IV (QB, Georgia State)[1]
FavoriteGeorgia State by 3[2]
RefereeMike Cuttone (Mountain West)[3]
Attendance5,128
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersMike Couzens (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
LendingTree Bowl
 < 2020 (Jan.) 2021

Teams edit

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl was contested by the Georgia State Panthers, from the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, from Conference USA.[5] The two teams had met twice previously, with the series tied at 1–1. The teams' last meeting was played in 2017; Georgia State won, 27–17 in the Cure Bowl.[6]

Georgia State edit

Georgia State of the Sun Belt entered the bowl with an overall record of 5–4 (4–4 in conference play).

Western Kentucky edit

Western Kentucky of C-USA entered the bowl with a record of 5–6 (4–3 in conference play). They are one of a limited number of teams to enter a bowl game with a losing record.

Game summary edit

2020 LendingTree Bowl
Period 1 2 34Total
Western Kentucky 7 0 7721
Georgia State 7 20 3939

at Ladd–Peebles StadiumMobile, Alabama

  • Date: Saturday, December 26, 2020
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. CST)
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 53 °F (12 °C) • Wind: SE 3 mph
  • Referee: Mike Cuttone (Mountain West)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Couzens (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
  • ESPN game summary
Game information
First quarter
  • (4:02) WKU – Tyrrell Pigrome 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 5:52; Western Kentucky 7–0)
  • (0:08) GSU – Destin Coates 11 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:54; Tied 7–7)
Second quarter
  • (7:50) GSU – Sam Pinckney 26 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 4:09; Georgia State 14–7)
  • (2:09) GSU – Jamari Thrash 5 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 5:47; Georgia State 21–7)
  • (0:08) GSU – Cornelius McCoy 8 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, kick blocked (Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 1:44; Georgia State 27–7)
Third quarter
  • (11:25) WKU – Gaej Walker 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:35; Georgia State 27–14)
  • (7:59) GSU – Noel Ruiz 45 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:15; Georgia State 30–14)
Fourth quarter
  • (11:19) GSU – Noel Ruiz 29 yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 6:49; Georgia State 33–14)
  • (5:13) GSU – Cadarrius Thompson 25 yard pass from Mikele Colasurdo, 2-point rush failed (Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:41; Georgia State 39–14)
  • (2:18) WKU – C.J. Jones 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:55; Georgia State 39–21)

Statistics edit

Statistics WKU GSU
First downs 14 27
Plays–yards 59–284 85–478
Rushes–yards 26–104 55–227
Passing yards 180 251
Passing: comp–att–int 17–33–2 16–30–1
Time of possession 24:58 35:02
Team Category Player Statistics
Western Kentucky Passing Tyrrell Pigrome 17/33, 180 yards, 2 TD
Rushing C.J. Jones 5 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Joshua Simon 4 receptions, 84 yards
Georgia State Passing Cornelious Brown IV 16/30, 232 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Destin Coates 23 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Cornelius McCoy 5 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD

References edit

  1. ^ @JMacDonaldSport (December 27, 2020). "Cornelious Brown is the LendingTree Bowl MVP, Destin Coates is the Offensive MVP, Jontrey Hunter was the Defensive MVP and Noel Ruiz was the Special Teams MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "ESPN Game Summary - Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State - December 26, 2020". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Austro, Ben (December 23, 2020). "2020-21 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  4. ^ "College Football Bowl Schedule | 2020". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  5. ^ Stephenson, Creg (December 13, 2020). "LendingTree Bowl to feature Georgia State, Western Kentucky". AL.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  6. ^ "Winsipedia - Georgia State Panthers vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football series history". Winsipedia. Retrieved December 13, 2020.

External links edit