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One day ago, SMU was slated to make its second consecutive bowl appearance. Less than 36 hours later, the Mustangs’ season is over.
SMU will not play UTSA in the 2020 Frisco Bowl, due to COVID-19 issues and contact tracing within the program, as first reported by Billy Embody of 247Sports. The Mustangs will finish their 2020 campaign at 7-3.
SMU peaked at No. 16 in the AP Poll this year but will finish its season riding a 2-game losing streak. The Mustangs, despite not playing since Nov. 28, experienced one of the more prolonged seasons this year. They were one of 14 FBS teams to launch on the weekend of Sept. 5, the first weekend of college football in 2020.
The Mustangs faced only two cancelations this season, which both happened to be games against their in-state rival in Houston. The second cancelation was due to contact tracing in SMU’s program despite generating zero positive COVID-19 tests, per ESPN’s Sam Khan Jr.
Despite missing out on Saturday’s matchup in Frisco, a bowl matchup for UTSA remains on the table, however. J.J. Perez of 247Sports reported that the Roadrunners have accepted an invitation to play in a different bowl game. If UTSA lands another bid, it will be the program’s second bowl appearance in history and first since 2016. A potential destination includes the Dec. 26 First Responder Bowl, which is also located in the Dallas metroplex. The First Responder Bowl hosted a fellow C-USA program in WKU last year and its matchup has yet to be announced.
There will still be a bowl game held at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX this year, as the Dec. 24 New Mexico Bowl between Houston and Hawaii is currently scheduled to transpire.
The first bowl game of the 2020 season is now the inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl between North Texas and Appalachian State, which kicks off Monday, Dec. 21.