FAYETTEVILLE — The Armed Forces Bowl was added to the SEC's list of affiliated postseason games Thursday, one day after the Las Vegas Bowl was canceled due to state health regulations.
Scheduled to be played at TCU's Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 31, the Armed Forces Bowl will include teams from the SEC and Pac-12, just as the Las Vegas Bowl was set to do. It will be the first time the SEC has been affiliated with the Armed Forces Bowl, which began in 2003 and has primarily involved teams from non-Power 5 conferences.
The Las Vegas Bowl was to begin a partnership with the SEC this year at the new Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. As part of a six-year agreement, the Las Vegas Bowl would rotate with the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., as one of the SEC's "pool of six" bowl games that also include the Liberty, Music City, Gator, Texas and Outback bowls.
In years the Las Vegas Bowl does not include an SEC team, it will pit the Big Ten against the Pac-12.
This year's game in Las Vegas was canceled after Nevada officials ordered a statewide pause on some public and private gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Excluding the "New Year's Six" bowls affiliated with the College Football Playoff, the SEC could have as many as nine bowl tie ins this year, beginning with the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 26.
The NCAA waived minimum-win requirements to obtain bowl eligibility this season, and teams with losing records are expected to receive bowl bids.Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has said on multiple occasions he thinks the Razorbacks (3-5) are worthy of playing in a bowl game this year.