State Farm Stadium's Surface Slandered During Fiesta Bowl

The Arizona Cardinals are done playing at State Farm Stadium for the season, yet Saturday's Fiesta Bowl drew plenty of criticism for the playing surface.

The Arizona Cardinals will be on the road for their final two games of the season, yet they weren't the last team to take the field at State Farm Stadium in 2022. 

Per annual tradition, Glendale played host to the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday, this time hosting one of two College Football Playoff semi-finals. 

TCU upset Michigan 51-45 in what was one of the best college football games since the BCS was tossed aside in order to make room for the four-team playoff. 

The action on the field was memorable, yet the actual playing surface itself received some negative attention thanks to what appeared to be a slippery surface for both teams (h/t to OutKick for finding most of these tweets):

This field is actually a joke. Two players slip on back to back pivotal plays

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 31, 2022

State Farm Stadium features a retractable roof, and the field (which is natural grass) is taken care of outside before being automatically rolled back inside. 

The field has carried a reputation for not exactly being great, as it seems multiple serious injuries have occurred specifically on the Bermuda grass. The playing field reportedly featured newly-grown sod.

According to multiple people, the playing surface was described as wet and damp prior to the game thanks to a few rainy days in Glendale leading into Saturday. 

The field here at State Farm Stadium was damp when I walked on it during pregame. Even some muddy spots along the sideline. https://t.co/ialLVIdodF

— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) December 31, 2022

Interesting announcers are finally talking about the slipping on this Grass field! It’s really awful #FiestaBowl

— Connie Carberg (@ConnieScouts) December 31, 2022

I mean, this footing is horrendous. The players can't move. Refs are slipping. What a shit show.

— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) December 31, 2022

Now, with the Super Bowl over a month away, State Farm Stadium will soon find itself under the microscope once more. 

It’s a shame that Arizona gets so much love for big events. Cause State Farm Stadium sucks. It’s like if a massive Costco had a football field in the middle.

— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) December 31, 2022

Will never understand why State Farm Stadium continues to be allowed to host these the field has been a disaster for years now. https://t.co/fP81zTcUfs

— Alec Crouthamel (@AlecCr12) December 31, 2022

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