Wisconsin vs Wake Forest are scheduled to meet one another on the football field for the first time in history as they clash in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday. The matchup features two of the more successful postseason coaches at their current stop, with Badgers coach Paul Chryst holding a 4-1 record in bowl games at Wisconsin and Dave Clawson, who snapped a nine-year bowl drought for the Demon Deacons back in 2016, boasting a 3-1 record in bowl games since his arrival in Winston-Salem.
Wednesday, 30 December
Wake Forest vs Wisconsin
12:00 PM ET
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Watch: ESPN- Click Here
Storylines
Wisconsin: The Badgers entered the season needing to answer the burning question of how it would replace star running back Jonathan Taylor. The answer initially proved to be a more dynamic passing attack, but ultimately the workload was handled by a committee approach with senior Garrett Groshek (54 carries, 259 yards), sophomore Nakia Watson (53 carries, 191 yards) and freshman Jalen Berger (45 carries, team-high 267 yards) among the many skill players contributing to the team’s ground efforts. Where Wisconsin stayed the course from previous seasons was with one of the best defenses in the country. The Badgers lead the nation in total defense, giving up just 263.5 yards per game while ranking No. 6 among all FBS teams with just 15.7 points per game allowed. Over the last five seasons, Wisconsin’s defense has given up an average of 17.0 points per game — only Clemson (15.0) and Alabama (16.0) have been better in that span. The 2020 Badgers defense has been exceptional on third downs, allowing opponents to convert just 25.4 percent of their third down attempts this season, the best mark in the FBS. No opponent this season converted more than 40% of their third downs against Wisconsin this year, with Indiana (4-for-10) having the most success in those key situations.
Wake Forest: Some believe that turnovers are just luck, but Dave Clawson has long believed that you can coach to both limiting your own mistakes and creating a mentality on defense that leads to those game-changing plays. Clawson’s best evidence is his own Wake Forest program, which in 2020 was once again finding ways to make gains at the game’s margins and give the Demon Deacons their best chance to win with an FBS-best +13 turnover margin and only three turnovers on the season. Among those turnovers gained were 12 interceptions by nine different players, with three of them being returned for touchdowns. Meanwhile, Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman had a streak of 258 consecutive passes without an interception before it was snapped in the regular-season finale against Louisville to finish as the fifth-longest interception-free streak in ACC history. Turnover margin is also a great indicator for success for Clawson’s Wake Forest teams, with a 27-10 record when the Demon Deacons win the turnover battle and a 16-3 record when they finish with a +2 advantage or better.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl prediction, picks
Latest Odds: Wisconsin Badgers -9.5
Stream the NCAA College Football Playoff on ESPN
ESPN is the primary broadcaster of the NCAA playoff and other year-end bowl games. There are a variety of services that carry ESPN and many of them include a free trial.
Stream the College Football Playoff live on Sling TV
Price: 30 USD/month and up
Channels: ESPN
Sling TV offers many channels for watching NCAA football live streams throughout the season, including ESPN for the playoffs. Games aired on the ESPN channels will be simulcast on ESPN Deportes (available if you choose the “Best of Spanish” add-on). A three-day free trial is available.
To watch NCAA football live on Sling TV:
Get ExpressVPN.Connect to a server location in the United States, such as Chicago.Head to Sling TV Orange & Blue and select a package, or use the free trial. You may need a U.S. credit card or Paypal.Tune in to the action!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Watching on mobile? Fire up the Sling TV app (on Android and iOS).
Watch college football bowl games on Hulu+Live TV
Price: 55 USD/month and up
Channels: ESPN
Much like Sling TV, Hulu+Live TV also provides ESPN, and games aired on the ESPN channels will be simulcast on ESPN Deportes.. There’s a seven-day free trial available.
To watch Bowl live on Hulu + Live TV:
Get ExpressVPN. Connect to a server location in the United States, such as Chicago. For assistance, contact ExpressVPN Support via live chat. Go to Hulu and select a plan. If you’re watching through a web browser, use the ExpressVPN browser extension.Tune in to the action! Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Watching on mobile? Fire up the Hulu app on your Android or iOS device.
Watch the College Football Playoff live on YouTube TV
Price: 65 USD/month
Channels: ESPN
YouTube TV gives you access to almost every channel that broadcasts college football. There’s a five-day free trial available. Watching on mobile? Fire up the YouTube TV app on your Android or iOS device.
Watch the NCAA Football Playoff on AT&T TV Now
Price: 55 USD/month and up
Channels: ESPN
AT&T TV Now is also a great way to watch NCAA football live streams. In order to get the ACC Network, BTN, and ESPNU channels, choose the AT&T TV Now Max package for an extra 15 USD/month. To subscribe to AT&T TV Now, you will need to access the service from a U.S. IP address. Not sure if you want to commit to AT&T TV Now? There is a seven-day free trial available.
To watch college football on AT&T TV Now:
Get ExpressVPN.Connect to a server location in the United States, such as San Francisco. For assistance, contact ExpressVPN Support via live chat.Visit AT&T TV Now and select a plan.Enjoy the games! Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Watching on mobile? Fire up the AT&T TV Now app (on Android and iOS).
Watch NCAA bowl games on fuboTV
Price: 60 USD/month and up
Channels: BTN, CBS, CBSSN, Fox, FS1, NBC, NFL Network, Pac-12 Network
Don’t have a cable subscription? No problemo. FuboTV is an affordable, no-strings streaming package that includes ESPN. To subscribe to fuboTV, you will need to access the service from a U.S. IP address.
Not sure if you want to commit to fuboTV? Use the seven-day free trial.
To watch college football on fuboTV:
Get ExpressVPN.Connect to a server location in the United States, such as Chicago. For assistance, contact ExpressVPN Support via live chat.Visit fuboTV and use the free trial. You will need a U.S. credit card. If you’re watching in a web browser, download and use the ExpressVPN browser extension before accessing the stream.Tune in to the games!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Watching on mobile? Fire up the fuboTV app (on Android and iOS).
Follow NCAA football results on ESPN Radio
Price: Free
ESPN Radio offers an online audio broadcast of many NCAA football games broadcasted on ESPN. The best thing is, it’s completely free! To listen:
Get ExpressVPN.Connect to a server location in the U.S.Head to the official website of ESPN Radio.You’re all set! Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Listening on mobile? Fire up the ESPN Radio app on your Android or iOS device.
What to expect from Alabama (1) vs. Notre Dame (4)
Time: Friday, January 1, 2021 [5:00 PM Eastern Time (U.S)]
Channel: ESPN
There’s no way around it, the Alabama Crimson Tide are the overwhelming favorite in this one. Early spreads released by sportsbooks are between 15 and 20 points, which indicates that a blowout could be in the works. There’s simply a talent gap that’s hard to bridge as Alabama’s roster is full of future NFL stars. The trifecta of quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver—and probable Heisman winner—DeVonta Smith, and running back Najee Harris is about as close to unstoppable as you can have at this level. When you combine that talent with the experience and success of the Nick Saban-led coaching staff, the challenge the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face is daunting.
If Notre Dame is going to pull off a stunner, it will require a masterful effort from quarterback Ian Book.The senior is exceedingly efficient and almost never turns the ball over, but he’ll be hard-pressed to keep his team in this one if it becomes a shootout. Look for the Fighting Irish to execute a ball control game plan that leans heavily on its strong offensive line creating holes for Kyren Williams in an attempt to shorten the game. It might be the team’s only hope.
What to expect from Clemson (2) vs. Ohio State (3)
Time: Friday, January 1, 2021 [8:45 PM Eastern Time (U.S)]
Channel: ESPN
Not only should this game be closer than the Alabama-Notre Dame matchup, it also features the top two NFL quarterback prospects in the 2021 draft. Trevor Lawrence and his Clemson Tigers are the slight favorites in this one as they look to repeat their CFP semifinal victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes last year. Considering Lawrence’s career 34-1 record, it’s hard not to like their chances.
Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields might have something to say about that, though. Although his Buckeyes squad has only played six games this season due to COVID-19 postponements, it’sa talented team top to bottom. Fields didn’t shine in the Big Ten championship against Northwestern, but he should bounce back on this stage. This is still the same guy who threw 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions the last time he played a full season, and he should be able to link up with Garrett Wilson for some big plays against Clemson’s defense. Whether he can make more plays than Lawrence should be the deciding factor in this one.
2020 NCAA football calendar
Date (ET) Event
Regular season September 3—December 12, 2020
Playoff semifinals January 1, 2021
CFB national championship January 11, 2021
2020-21 Heisman race
Joe Burrow delivered the single greatest individual season ever last year, throwing for an absurd 60 touchdowns and leading 15-0 LSU to the national title. With Burrow off to tear up the NFL, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith seems the likeliest candidate to capture the stiff-arm trophy, especially after his monster performance in the SEC championship game. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence was a preseason favorite, but a COVID-19 diagnosis has cost him two games. Mac Jones of Alabama is another quarterback to watch, as is Florida’s Kyle Trask.
Will it be Smith? Jones? Trask? Or a left-field contender? Leave your predictions in the comments below, and be sure to contact ExpressVPN Support Team by live chat if you have any questions!
College football Top 25 rankings
With the regular season at an end, here’s how the AP top-25 poll sorted the teams this year:
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Clemson Tigers
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Texas A&M Aggies
- Cincinnati Bearcats
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
- Florida Gators
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Iowa State Cyclones
- BYU Cougars
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Northwestern Wildcats
- Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Miami Hurricanes
- San Jose State Spartans
- Texas Longhorns
- USC Trojans
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane
- Liberty Flames
- North Carolina State Wolfpack
- Oregon Ducks
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