2020 Birmingham Bowl

The 2020 Birmingham Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2020, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. local CST) on ESPN.^[5] It was the 14th edition of the Birmingham Bowl, and was one of the 2019–20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season. Sponsored by the TicketSmarter ticket sales company, the game was officially known as the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl.^[6]

2020 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
14th Birmingham Bowl
Boston College Eagles Cincinnati Bearcats (6–6) (10–3) ACC The American 6 38 Head coach:  Rich Gunnell (interim) Head coach:  Luke Fickell AP Coaches CFP 23 22 21
1 2 3 4 Total Boston College 0 0 6 0 6 Cincinnati 7 10 7 14 38
Date	January 2, 2020
Season	2019
Stadium	Legion Field
Location	Birmingham, Alabama
MVP	Desmond Ridder (QB, Cincinnati)^[1]
Favorite	Cincinnati by 7.5^[2]
Referee	Greg Sujack (MAC)^[3]
Attendance	27,193
Payout	US$1,374,545^[4]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
International TV coverage
Network	ESPN Brasil
Announcers	Everaldo Marques (play-by-play) Weinny Eirado (analyst)
Birmingham Bowl  < 2018 2021 >

With 7:55 remaining in the first quarter, the game was delayed due to lightning.^[7] This was Boston College's second consecutive bowl game that has been impacted by weather, as the 2018 First Responder Bowl (in which Boston College played Boise State) was canceled and ruled a no contest due to inclement weather.^[8] The delay lasted a total of 91 minutes before the game resumed at 4:55 p.m. EST.^[9][10]

Teams

The game featured the Boston College Eagles of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) going up against the Cincinnati Bearcats of the American Athletic Conference (The American). This was the eighth overall meeting between the two programs; the Eagles led the all-time series, 4–3.^[11]

Boston College Eagles

Main article: 2019 Boston College Eagles football team

Boston College entered the game with a 6–6 record (4–4 in conference). They finished in a three-way tie for third place in the ACC's Atlantic Division. The Eagles lost to both ranked opponents they faced, Clemson and Notre Dame. This was the first Birmingham Bowl appearance for Boston College.

Cincinnati Bearcats

Main article: 2019 Cincinnati Bearcats football team

Cincinnati entered the game with a 10–3 record (7–1 in conference). They finished atop the East Division of The American, then lost the AAC Championship Game to Memphis, 29–24. The Bearcats were 1–3 against ranked opponents, defeating UCF while falling to Ohio State and Memphis twice. This was Cincinnati's second Birmingham Bowl; their 2007 team won the then-PapaJohns.com Bowl over Southern Miss, 31–21.

Game summary

2020 Birmingham Bowl

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Boston College	0	0	6	0	6
No. 21 Cincinnati	7	10	7	14	38

at Legion Field • Birmingham, Alabama

• Date: Thursday, January 2, 2020
• Game time: 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. CST)
• Game weather: Rainy • Temperature: 55 °F (13 °C) • Wind: 9 mph
• Game attendance: 27,193
• Referee: Greg Sujack
• TV announcers (ESPN): Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
• ESPN game summary

Game information

First Quarter (2:16) CIN – Desmond Ridder 13 yard rush, Sam Crosa kick (Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 3:45; Cincinnati 7–0) Second Quarter (8:20) CIN – Sam Crosa 32 yard field goal (Drive: 16 plays, 63 yards, 6:31; Cincinnati 10–0) (7:05) CIN – Desmond Ridder 14 yard rush, Sam Crosa kick (Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:06; Cincinnati 17–0) Third Quarter (9:02) CIN – Desmond Ridder 8 yard pass to Malick Mbodj, Sam Crosa kick (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:51; Cincinnati 24–0) (4:56) BC – Brandon Sebastian 67 yard blocked field goal return, 2-point pass failed (Cincinnati 24–6) Fourth Quarter (13:06) CIN – Desmond Ridder 13 yard rush, Sam Crosa kick (Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 6:50; Cincinnati 31–6) (0:39) CIN – Ryan Montgomery 1 yard rush, Sam Crosa kick (Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:13; Cincinnati 38–6)

Statistics

Statistics	BC	CIN
First downs	8	33
Plays–yards	47–164	91–459
Rushes–yards	28–77	60–343
Passing yards	87	116
Passing: comp–att–int	8–19–0	17–31–0
Time of possession	18:31	41:29

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Boston College	Passing	Dennis Grosel	8/17, 87 yards
	Rushing	David Bailey	8 carries, 28 yards
	Receiving	Hunter Long	2 receptions, 45 yards
Cincinnati	Passing	Desmond Ridder	14/24, 95 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Desmond Ridder	21 carries, 105 yards, 3 TD
	Receiving	Jayshon Jackson	2 receptions, 33 yards

References

1. @Williams_Justin (January 2, 2020). "Desmond Ridder wins MVP of the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl" (Tweet). Retrieved January 2, 2020 – via Twitter.
2. "Boston College vs. Cincinnati - Game Summary". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
3. "2019-20 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
4. "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
5. "2019-20 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, times, TV channels". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
6. Heim, Mark (November 26, 2019). "Birmingham Bowl Announces New Title Sponsor in TicketSmarter". Alabama Media Group. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
7. "Lightning has been detected in the area and the game is now in a delay". @Birmingham_Bowl. January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
8. Vautour, Matt (January 2, 2020). "BC-Cincinnati in weather delay: Birmingham Bowl is Boston College football's latest weather adventure". masslive. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
9. "Box Score (PDF) - Birmingham Bowl: Boston College vs. Cincinnati" (PDF). Boston College Athletics. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
10. "And after a 90 minute weather delay, HERE. WE. GO!The Birmingham Bowl is back, baby!". @Birmingham_Bowl. January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
11. "Boston College Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bearcats football series history". winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.

External links

• Official website
• Game statistics at statbroadcast.com