| 2021 Capital One Orange Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| CFP New Year's Six 87th Orange Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Hard Rock Stadium inMiami Gardens, Florida, hosted the Orange Bowl. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 2, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Hard Rock Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Miami Gardens, Florida | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | De’Von Achane (RB, Texas A&M)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Texas A&M by 6[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Reina Obzay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Larry Smith (Big Ten)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 13,737 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ESPN andESPN Radio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | ESPN:Bob Wischusen (play-by-play) Dan Orlovsky (analyst) Katie George (sideline) ESPN Radio: Sean Kelley andBarrett Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The2021 Orange Bowl was acollege footballbowl game played on January 2, 2021, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m.EST onESPN.[4] It was the 87th edition of theOrange Bowl, and was one of the2020–21 bowl games concluding the2020 FBS football season. Sponsored by bank holding companyCapital One, the game was officially known as theCapital One Orange Bowl.
As one of theNew Year's Six bowl games, the participants of the game were determined by the College Football Playoff selection committee. The committee matched No. 5[a]Texas A&M of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) against No. 13[a]North Carolina of theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC).[5] The programs had not previously met.[6]
Texas A&M entered the bowl with an 8–1 record, all in SEC games. Their only loss of the season was toAlabama, a 52–24 defeat. The Aggies defeated one ranked team during the season,Florida, by a score of 41–38. Texas A&M had appeared in one previous Orange Bowl, the1944 edition.
North Carolina entered the bowl with an 8–3 record, 7–3 in ACC play. The Tar Heels' losses were toFlorida State,Virginia, and rankedNotre Dame. North Carolina defeated three ranked teams during the season:Virginia Tech,NC State, andMiami (FL). This was the first appearance by the Tar Heels in an Orange Bowl.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| No. 5 Aggies | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 41 |
| No. 13 Tar Heels | 3 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
atHard Rock Stadium •Miami Gardens, Florida
| Game information |
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| Statistics | TAMU | UNC |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 19 | 18 |
| Plays–yards | 61–457 | 65–324 |
| Rushes–yards | 35–225 | 34–90 |
| Passing yards | 232 | 234 |
| Passing:comp–att–int | 16–26–0 | 18–31–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:13 | 27:47 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M | Passing | Kellen Mond | 16-for-26, 232 yards |
| Rushing | De’Von Achane | 140 yards on 12 carries, 2 TD | |
| Receiving | Ainias Smith | 125 yards on 6 receptions | |
| North Carolina | Passing | Sam Howell | 18-for-31, 234 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | British Brooks | 53 yards on 15 carries | |
| Receiving | Josh Downs | 91 yards on 4 receptions, 2 TD |