Topping the Tennessee Volunteers, 34-13, at Neyland Stadium on December 19, the No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies rounded out their regular season at 8-1.
With the Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0), Clemson Tigers (10-1), Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0), and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1) selected as the four College Football Playoff teams, the Aggies were matched up with the No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels (8-3) in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida at 8 p.m. ET on January 2 on ESPN.
Addressing the media during his Orange Bowl virtual press conference on Sunday, third-year head coach Jimbo Fisher expressed his support for expanding the Playoff field.
“You know, I’ve said this, and I said it the other day and it’s not because we’re fifth right now, but I think the Playoff does need to get expanded because you’re not encompassing all the conferences. You’re not encompassing all the things,” Fisher began.
“And listen, you can’t – it’s hard to judge in terms of schedule. You’re not crossing over who you’re playing and what you’re playing, getting a Power Five team in there to a Power Five team. There’s so many things. The only way you’re going to find out is expand the Playoff.
“I’m a traditionalist, and I never thought I would ever say that. I really didn’t because I love the bowl games, the history. I think it took away from the nostalgia of our game and what the Orange Bowl means, what the Sugar Bowl means, what the Fiesta Bowl means, what the Cotton Bowl means, what the Peach Bowl means, what the old Bluebonnet – whatever they are. All those games.
“I’m a true traditionalist and that, but I just think with today’s times and the changes we’ve made, I never thought it would come out of my like this, but we do, and I think it matters to kids, matters to people, because there’s no easy way to judge this thing and get it fair.
“It may not always be, but I think if you expand it more and include the bowl games in it, I think you have to going into the future and I truly believe it’s got to happen.”
January 2 will be the first meeting between North Carolina and Texas A&M.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Teddy Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. In addition to his work here, he has covered the Michigan Wolverines for GBMWolverine and Wolverine Digest. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.
