2020 LendingTree Bowl (December)

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 26, 2020, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. local CST) on ESPN.^[4] It was the 22nd edition of the LendingTree Bowl, and was one of the 2020–21 bowl games concluding the 2020 FBS football season. Online lending marketplace LendingTree was the game's title sponsor. It was also the final LendingTree Bowl played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium before the game moved to Hancock Whitney Stadium the following season.

2020 LendingTree Bowl
22nd LendingTree Bowl
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Georgia State Panthers (5–6) (5–4) C-USA Sun Belt 21 39 Head coach:  Tyson Helton Head coach:  Shawn Elliott
1 2 3 4 Total Western Kentucky 7 0 7 7 21 Georgia State 7 20 3 9 39
Date	December 26, 2020
Season	2020
Stadium	Ladd–Peebles Stadium
Location	Mobile, Alabama
MVP	Cornelious Brown IV (QB, Georgia State)[1]
Favorite	Georgia State by 3[2]
Referee	Mike Cuttone (Mountain West)[3]
Attendance	5,128
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Mike Couzens (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
LendingTree Bowl  < 2020 (Jan.) 2021 >

Teams

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl was contested by the Georgia State Panthers, from the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, from Conference USA.^[5] The two teams had met twice previously, with the series tied at 1–1. The teams' last meeting was played in 2017; Georgia State won, 27–17 in the Cure Bowl.^[6]

Georgia State

Main article: 2020 Georgia State Panthers football team

Georgia State of the Sun Belt entered the bowl with an overall record of 5–4 (4–4 in conference play).

Western Kentucky

Main article: 2020 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Western Kentucky of C-USA entered the bowl with a record of 5–6 (4–3 in conference play). They are one of a limited number of teams to enter a bowl game with a losing record.

Game summary

2020 LendingTree Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Western Kentucky	7	0	7	7	21
Georgia State	7	20	3	9	39

at Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, Alabama

• Date: Saturday, December 26, 2020
• Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. CST)
• Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 53 °F (12 °C) • Wind: SE 3 mph
• Referee: Mike Cuttone (Mountain West)
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Couzens (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
• ESPN game summary

Game information

First quarter (4:02) WKU – Tyrrell Pigrome 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 5:52; Western Kentucky 7–0) (0:08) GSU – Destin Coates 11 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:54; Tied 7–7) Second quarter (7:50) GSU – Sam Pinckney 26 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 4:09; Georgia State 14–7) (2:09) GSU – Jamari Thrash 5 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 5:47; Georgia State 21–7) (0:08) GSU – Cornelius McCoy 8 yard pass from Cornelious Brown IV, kick blocked (Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 1:44; Georgia State 27–7) Third quarter (11:25) WKU – Gaej Walker 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:35; Georgia State 27–14) (7:59) GSU – Noel Ruiz 45 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:15; Georgia State 30–14) Fourth quarter (11:19) GSU – Noel Ruiz 29 yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 6:49; Georgia State 33–14) (5:13) GSU – Cadarrius Thompson 25 yard pass from Mikele Colasurdo, 2-point rush failed (Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:41; Georgia State 39–14) (2:18) WKU – C.J. Jones 2 yard rush, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:55; Georgia State 39–21)

Statistics

Statistics	WKU	GSU
First downs	14	27
Plays–yards	59–284	85–478
Rushes–yards	26–104	55–227
Passing yards	180	251
Passing: comp–att–int	17–33–2	16–30–1
Time of possession	24:58	35:02

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Western Kentucky	Passing	Tyrrell Pigrome	17/33, 180 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	C.J. Jones	5 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Joshua Simon	4 receptions, 84 yards
Georgia State	Passing	Cornelious Brown IV	16/30, 232 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Destin Coates	23 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Cornelius McCoy	5 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD