The College Football Playoff is set to postpone most of its six New Year’s ticket games, including its two semifinal games and the national championship, if one or both teams are unable to participate due to COVID problems. 19, CFP executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN on Monday evening.
The games that could be affected are the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on December 30, the two semifinal games and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1, the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl on January 2 and the College Football Playoff National. Championship presented by AT&T, which is currently scheduled for 8 p.m., Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It is unclear at this time whether the January 2 Bowl Orange One will have the same flexibility because the bowl has a different contract than others.
“We plan to play the games when they’re scheduled,” Hancock said. “We’ve said all along that we’ll be prepared for any circumstance, and we’ll. But if one or both teams aren’t available and have to postpone a game of bowl or championship, we’ll.”
Hancock declined to speculate on other contingency plans or any dates, as it is impossible to determine when a team will be able to play again. The CFP has said that each participating team will continue to use the COVID-19 protocols that their conference has required throughout the season.
The college football playoff semifinal at The Rose Bowl Game, presented by Capital One, which will feature No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame, is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Jan. 1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It was moved Saturday night from Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, so families and guests of players and coaches could attend. The semifinals of the college football playoffs at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, which will feature Clemson’s No. 2 vs. Ohio State No. 3, is at 8 p.m. on Jan. 1 at Mercedes-Benz. New Orleans Superdome.