Here Are the College Football Teams Sitting Out Bowl Season

As bowl season approaches, keep track of each program that's opted out of playing in a bowl game.

The college football schedule has been in a perpetual state of flux for the entire 2020 season. That uncertainty will continue into the bowl season, with several games already canceled and conference allegiances to certain games getting adjusted.

Added to the mix are a list of teams who are preemptively opting out of playing in a bowl game this season. Boston College led the charge, announcing on Thursday its decision to not play in a bowl game this year, saying its players were "emotionally spent" from what's been a trying regular season.

On Friday, Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement that the Panthers would not participate in bowl season either, saying instead that his players would have a "well-deserved restful holiday season with their families and loved ones."

Below is a list of teams that have opted out of the 2020 bowl season. This list will be updated as more teams make their intentions known. This list does not include LSU, as the Tigers self-imposed a postseason ban.

ACC

  • Boston College
  • Florida State
  • Georgia Tech
  • Louisville
  • Pittsburgh
  • Virginia
  • Virginia Tech

Big 12

  • Kansas State

Big Ten

  • Penn State
  • Minnesota
  • Nebraska
  • Maryland
  • Michigan State

Pac-12

  • Arizona State
  • Stanford
  • UCLA
  • USC
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Washington State

SEC

  • Tennessee 

Mountain West

  • San Diego State

Published
Nick Selbe
NICK SELBE

Nick Selbe is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about baseball and college sports. Before joining SI in March 2020 as a breaking/trending news writer, he worked for MLB Advanced Media, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. Selbe received a bachelor's in communication from the University of Southern California.