The 2020 college football season was probably the most unique year in the history of the sport, so naturally the postseason should only add to the chaos. Pitt concluded its regular season with a 34-20 win over Georgia Tech last night to give the team a final regular season record of 6-5.
Ordinarily a winning record merits a bowl berth, but that does not necessarily mean it will happen this season. The COVID-19 pandemic has trimmed the list of bowl games down, and some teams are choosing not to participate in the postseason. Fellow ACC member Boston College voted as a team to end its season and not pursue a postseason game.
Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi commented at the onset of this week that he would like his team to play a 12th game if possible, and stood by those wishes following the game on Thursday.
"That’s my intentions, but I don’t make all those calls,” Narduzzi said about a possible bowl game. “I saw BC opted out of a bowl game and those are just decisions are above my pay grade. We obviously always want to go play another one. I’d like to play 12.”
Senior captain Jimmy Morrissey said the focus in the locker room has largely been about the Georgia Tech game, but the discussions of continuing the season started last week.
“I think so,” Morrissey responded when asked if the team wants to participate in a bowl game. “We had an eagles meeting on Thursday with our leadership council and every eagles meeting we go over the week and Coach brought up a bowl game on the schedule or whatever and we were focused on Georgia Tech.”
Sophomore running back Vincent Davis said the team will be ready for anything that happens.
“Yea we’re ready,” he said of a potential bowl invite. “We’re ready for whatever, whatever they throw at us.”
The 2020 bowl season will be condensed as some of the games have already been cancelled. The bowl experience will also be shortened as well. A typical bowl game involves a week of spending time in a new city and going to different events throughout the week.
A bowl game this year will likely just mean a neutral site game in front of an empty stadium. There won’t be activities and the trip will be shortened. The game will prolong a season that started back in June, as most players have not had a chance to go home since then.
Aside from the team building aspect, bowls also give teams 15 extra practices. Those extra opportunities usually give younger players an audition before spring practice. The season dragged on a little longer than expected with postponements and it seems unlikely teams will get the full allotment of extra practice time.
“I don’t know how many extra practices we’ll get,” Narduzzi said of a potential bowl bid. “We need to be smart in this COVID time. It’s not about getting extra snaps for kids, it’s just about being smart, safe, and doing what’s best for our kids. This year I’m not as worried about getting extra practices, it’s not what it’s all about.”
