Both of today's bowl game teams started out the season strong and both even sat in the top 25 near the beginning of this crazy college football season. Then both teams picked the wrong time to fall on their faces, the final games of their seasons. The Thundering Herd of Marshall ended their season with a loss in a blowout/shutout 20 to 0 to Rice University followed by another loss to UAB 22 to 13.
Buffalo for their part only had one loss, their last game of the season against Ball State 38 to 28. During most seasons one loss would not stand out as much but in a season where most of your games were canceled due to widespread Covid breakouts and you only wind up playing in 6 games all season, the one contest that you drop matters.